You're on the money, the movie at times even suggests hope and some awareness before senselessly picking a worse option.

It is of course the point. I went into it aware of the twist and found it enjoyable in a way, but confronting in another.

It feels like Cruise and much of the cast were leaning in a lot to make it good, and it is, but it feels like the marketing was designed to alienate it's actual audience to capture the targets of the farce, who would never have attended anyway.