the_dunk_tank

I just rewatched that segment. It wasn’t a debate over having a war, but how the creatures were able to execute their military tactics so competently:

Federal scientists struggle to explain the intelligent military actions of the Arachnids.

Whether it was intentional or not, that paralleled how Fascism (like other ruling political theories) drew distinctions between ‘acceptable’ and ‘unacceptable’ dissent. For example:

Not all publications are formal organs of the Party, but unswerving obedience is a sine qua non for their existence. Certainly an occasional feeble and minor criticism is not considered incompatible with such fealty. But on all basic issues there can be only one language. In consequence, Italian newspapers have descended to a ridiculously phonographic level, monotonous and uniform.

It is similar to the situation in occupied Palestine: criticizing how the war is going is acceptable, but questioning its very necessity is not.

there is voting

Like in the Third Reich?

even non citizens like Rico’s parents are extremely well off.

Ditto. But seriously, that is part of the setting: it’s supposed to be a highly idealized, neofascist utopia, where there is little to no crime and traditional social evils such as racial discrimination and misogyny have been replaced with a speciesism towards fictional creatures.

Tell us again how the film is about fascism?

Listen to the DVD commentaries!