A New Model of Action
June 9, 2017 11:31 AM Subscribe
Toward a Truly Feminist Blockbuster Cinema - improving upon the final extended action sequence of Wonder Woman and every other Superhero movie.
It's an excellent question as in current terms or expectations, feminist blockbuster looks more like an oxymoron. Not, of course, because a feminist approach shouldn't or couldn't be popular, but because we've been so inculcated with stylized masculinity as a measure of movie success that trying to retrofit a more feminist approach into that model vehicle seems an ambivalent path to improvement in the best of circumstances.
posted by gusottertrout at 11:58 AM on June 9, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by gusottertrout at 11:58 AM on June 9, 2017 [6 favorites]
Toward a Truly Feminist Blockbuster Cinema
When I first glanced at this headline, I was all, cool, someone retrofitted an old Blockbuster Video and turned it into an entirely feminist focused film/video rental place. And now I really want someone to do this.
posted by Fizz at 12:13 PM on June 9, 2017 [15 favorites]
When I first glanced at this headline, I was all, cool, someone retrofitted an old Blockbuster Video and turned it into an entirely feminist focused film/video rental place. And now I really want someone to do this.
posted by Fizz at 12:13 PM on June 9, 2017 [15 favorites]
The thing that made the big fight in Civil War so great was that we'd had about 9 movies to get to know all of the characters involved so that every physical interaction was a character interaction. When you saw Spider-Man about to mix it up with Falcon, your first thought wasn't necessarily, "How will they use their abilities to fight?" but maybe "What's Sam going to think of this kid? What will they say to each other?" And the action punctuated those character moments rather than replacing or overwhelming them.
But it's hard to accomplish that in the space of a single movie. Even in a movie that just introduces a single protagonist/antagonist pair, it's rare to get to the big conflict feeling empathetic to both sides, able to appreciate how the things they do are related to who they are.
posted by straight at 1:06 PM on June 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
But it's hard to accomplish that in the space of a single movie. Even in a movie that just introduces a single protagonist/antagonist pair, it's rare to get to the big conflict feeling empathetic to both sides, able to appreciate how the things they do are related to who they are.
posted by straight at 1:06 PM on June 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
This article succinctly explains why I've basically given up on superhero cinema (well, one of the main reasons). Even in multi-part epics, there's nothing surprising or interesting happening. You know where it's going, and then it does.
posted by codacorolla at 1:32 PM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by codacorolla at 1:32 PM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Not that it's a direct comparison, but this critique made me think of the ending of Moana, where you're expecting another huge boss fight but instead it's all about Moana understanding her "enemy" and correcting the mistake that lead to the problem in the first place. It's visually stunning, it's exciting, it's moving, and it's most definitely not combat. Maui tries combat and is soundly defeated. It be cool to see something like that in the superhero genre.
posted by dellsolace at 1:37 PM on June 9, 2017 [20 favorites]
posted by dellsolace at 1:37 PM on June 9, 2017 [20 favorites]
The end of Wonder Woman would have been a let down if I wasn't already so conditioned to expect a lame punch-fest at the end of every superhero movie.
posted by octothorpe at 2:26 PM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 2:26 PM on June 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
why the third act CGI-tastic battle is such a seemingly indispensable part of the superhero movie formula
There isn't just one reason for this, but reason number one is that quite honestly a lot of film professionals do not respect franchise films or blockbusters at all. They don't devote their real artistic energy to the project. They let the producers call the shots, and the producers are thinking primarily about doing right by their investors, so that pushes them towards the safe bets. That's why you don't get creative blockbusters in general.
The MCU movies in particular scout a lot of creative talent (writers, directors, and actors) from television, because they're cheaper. But that means a lot of these people haven't worked on a film this big before, and they don't necessarily have the clout to stand up to the producers, to insist on trying something new, or get a schedule extension so they can take the time to get it right.
Another reason is, if you spend some time on boxofficemojo.com, you'll see that the foreign market is heavily outweighing the domestic market. Comic book movies in particular (MCU and DC) are absolutely not breaking even on domestic sales alone. Cinema has always been pushed towards spectacle over subtlety, and this is one more push.
posted by Rainbo Vagrant at 3:56 PM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
There isn't just one reason for this, but reason number one is that quite honestly a lot of film professionals do not respect franchise films or blockbusters at all. They don't devote their real artistic energy to the project. They let the producers call the shots, and the producers are thinking primarily about doing right by their investors, so that pushes them towards the safe bets. That's why you don't get creative blockbusters in general.
The MCU movies in particular scout a lot of creative talent (writers, directors, and actors) from television, because they're cheaper. But that means a lot of these people haven't worked on a film this big before, and they don't necessarily have the clout to stand up to the producers, to insist on trying something new, or get a schedule extension so they can take the time to get it right.
Another reason is, if you spend some time on boxofficemojo.com, you'll see that the foreign market is heavily outweighing the domestic market. Comic book movies in particular (MCU and DC) are absolutely not breaking even on domestic sales alone. Cinema has always been pushed towards spectacle over subtlety, and this is one more push.
posted by Rainbo Vagrant at 3:56 PM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
Smart take. Love the 'invade the body' thing. The last third of WW was definitely the weakest, and it seems like everyone agrees that it's almost entirely due to concessions to the DC cinematic universe — Zack Snyder or someone was like, well no one will see this unless we have someone shooting a big beam through a storm of meticulously manicured debris, in super-slow motion, lit by the flames of needless destruction.
As everyone else says, though, the conclusions of comic movies are almost universally dumb that way. Too bad WW couldn't break the mold there too, but I'm pretty dang happy with what I got.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 4:10 PM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
As everyone else says, though, the conclusions of comic movies are almost universally dumb that way. Too bad WW couldn't break the mold there too, but I'm pretty dang happy with what I got.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 4:10 PM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
I kind of wished we had spent more time with the Amazonian women on the island. There was so much to explore and dig into. In the same way that we never spent a long enough time on Thor's planet, I felt cheated here. I get that they have to move this story-line into the realm of humans because Zac Snyder and reasons. But, it would have been great to learn more about that part of Diana's life. It went by far too quickly.
posted by Fizz at 4:16 PM on June 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Fizz at 4:16 PM on June 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
Smart take. Love the 'invade the body' thing.
Indeed. I remember back in my university days writing a long essay on Indepence Day's vivid misogynist/homophobic subtext, based in large part, unsurprisingly but topically enough, on fears of Hillary Clinton's influence on the Presidency. I won't outline it all here, just suffice it to say it permeates the whole movie, from the toppling of the American flag on the moon to the violated and impotent pilot blowing up the "mothership" at the end. With the main turning point being the death of the first lady and loss of Harry Connick Jr., Will Smith's rather too intimate fellow officer.
posted by gusottertrout at 9:38 PM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
Indeed. I remember back in my university days writing a long essay on Indepence Day's vivid misogynist/homophobic subtext, based in large part, unsurprisingly but topically enough, on fears of Hillary Clinton's influence on the Presidency. I won't outline it all here, just suffice it to say it permeates the whole movie, from the toppling of the American flag on the moon to the violated and impotent pilot blowing up the "mothership" at the end. With the main turning point being the death of the first lady and loss of Harry Connick Jr., Will Smith's rather too intimate fellow officer.
posted by gusottertrout at 9:38 PM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]
"The act of becoming is given the same (or more) visual weight as the act of conquering."
This (about magical-girl anime) also seems familiar to me from Jane Austen and Dorothy L Sayers. Elizabeth Bennet is only united with Mr Darcy after she does the hard work of broadening her mind. Harriet Vane must work out her own feminist concept of what work and intellect mean for women before she can accept Peter's love and respect. The men aren't the goal, they are the reward for doing the emotional labour of truly developing as a person. I even thought the movie Bridesmaids did well at this - Kristen Wiig's character has to learn to be a better friend and get her own shit together before she can be with Chris O'Dowd. The stories aren't about impressing/wooing a guy, because the designated parter likes them from the start. It's that if you want a decent partner who respects you as well as thinks you're hot, you have to become worthy of that respect.
I'd love to see more emphasis on transformation, not just levelling up. For an action movie, a better understanding of the reasons for the conflict, the underlying principles, would justify defeating an overpowered boss with a shorter CGI battle.
Wonder Woman sort of did this, with the bit about how it's not about who deserves protection but about valuing peace. But then it's undercut by having her say "I believe in love" as she smashes the villain and the scenery to bits in the usual explody way. I wish the visuals of her triumph had been different from the bits where she was losing against Ares. Like, different tactics somehow.
posted by harriet vane at 8:41 PM on June 10, 2017 [4 favorites]
This (about magical-girl anime) also seems familiar to me from Jane Austen and Dorothy L Sayers. Elizabeth Bennet is only united with Mr Darcy after she does the hard work of broadening her mind. Harriet Vane must work out her own feminist concept of what work and intellect mean for women before she can accept Peter's love and respect. The men aren't the goal, they are the reward for doing the emotional labour of truly developing as a person. I even thought the movie Bridesmaids did well at this - Kristen Wiig's character has to learn to be a better friend and get her own shit together before she can be with Chris O'Dowd. The stories aren't about impressing/wooing a guy, because the designated parter likes them from the start. It's that if you want a decent partner who respects you as well as thinks you're hot, you have to become worthy of that respect.
I'd love to see more emphasis on transformation, not just levelling up. For an action movie, a better understanding of the reasons for the conflict, the underlying principles, would justify defeating an overpowered boss with a shorter CGI battle.
Wonder Woman sort of did this, with the bit about how it's not about who deserves protection but about valuing peace. But then it's undercut by having her say "I believe in love" as she smashes the villain and the scenery to bits in the usual explody way. I wish the visuals of her triumph had been different from the bits where she was losing against Ares. Like, different tactics somehow.
posted by harriet vane at 8:41 PM on June 10, 2017 [4 favorites]
« Older “next step has to be industry stepping in and... | T E C H M O A N Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
For a movie like Wonder Woman, I think you can reach back to older stories, the oldest even, and focus on her achieving/understanding her godhood. She did it in a big battle here, but she didn't have to. Dying/resurrection is a classic, as is descent to and ascent from the Underworld. You could also try a take on the labors of Heracles or the labors of Psyche. All of these options can have a focus on the interiority of the character rather than what they're actually doing, though what they're doing can still be plenty flashy and use CGI.
posted by yasaman at 11:37 AM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]