MovieChat Forums > Grindhouse (2007) Discussion > Do female revenge films like these degra...

Do female revenge films like these degrade or empower women?

posted 11 years ago by emaxwell1313
6 replies | jump to latest

There is a lot of debate over these kinds of films and one topic is whether or not these films centered on revenge can be called empowering or feminist or if they encourage too much inappropriate responses to violence against women to be truly empowering.

Some people believe that a film that truly empowers women would have them deal with injustice, oppression and mistreatment simply by healing, moving on and living a fulfilling life. And that these films don't do anything at all for women because they still make it more about the *beep* who wronged them than about the victims.

Others point out that there is a fine line between vengeance and justice and what one calls vengeance another calls justice. And that deep down, even if we consider ourselves pacifists, nonviolent, feminists, social justice types, we all have a desire to extract this kind of vengeance on those who hurt us and it is purely natural to use these movies as a catharsis of sorts.

Which side of the debate do you take?

[–] sommert-507-32566 11 years ago

Neither, they're just movies. If you're letting movies give you life guidance, you're taking them way to seriously and need to talk to someone professional about different material to provide you with the guidance you seek.

[–] ioio32l 9 years ago

Exactly. A movie doesn't need to empower or degrade women, it just needs to be a movie. All these people worried about gender politics are morons worried about pointless things. A movie is a movie, it's not real life. They'll never get it. Good response!

[–] forums-52 10 years ago

Compare Death Proof to something like a Clint Eastwood revenge movie and then consider the fact that sex is actually irrelevant

[–] RynoII 10 years ago

I think Death Proof is degrading because it is hypocritical against female revenge, for various reasons. However, other movies that are not, like say Hard Candy, are better and not degrading. But that's my opinion.

[–] Foxbarking 10 years ago

Hey there. I'm not challenging you so please don't think that. I am curious what your reasons are though.

[–] ParnoldP 9 years ago

Well nobody wants to watch a movie about someone healing, moving on and living a fulfilling life. It doesn't really need to be empowering or degrading to women, it's just an action movie.