I liked this movie for reasons I've posted in another posting I've placed on the board. One thing I don't like and I see this A LOT in movies coming out of Hollywood these days, and that's all these movies with alpha-female leads.
The boys in this movie were made too look like losers/weak, and the girls were made to look like they were in command and had it going on in this film. Case in point, the scene in the car when goldilocks holds a scalple to that guys face telling him that he was going to dress like a tranny or else she'd kill him. Total BS. That would NEVER have happened in any real-life situation. Girl would have just got her a$$ kicked if she tried that with a man.
Another movie that comes to mind is the Hitcher remake that came out just last year. Again, another BS-alpha-female lead in that film.
Hollywood has been pushing a feminist agenda for the past 15 years with it's shows and it's movies.
The "alpha-female" is actually called "The Final Girl". This is nothing new, it's been around since the 80s, maybe even a little before. Look at A Nightmare on Elm Street, Nancy is the heroine.
Also, all Final Girls have to masculinze themselves with a phallic object in order to defeat the "evil" guy. In Joy Ride 2 it was a big black...truck. In Scream 3, it was a gun.
Commercial horror films haven't changed for over 20 years. However, the thing I like about the Joy Ride movies is that they portray men differently. In Joy Ride 1, the guys had to walk into a diner naked, in this one, they had to cry. I've never seen 2 guys (1 in drag) cry in a horror movie before. It challenges a stereotype. I also like how the Final Girl held a scalpel to the goth guy's neck. I know people who would do that, and I finally got to see it on screen.
If you think having a strong female lead is weird then I bet you wouldn't buy a commercial horror movie with a black lead. That's something I've never ever seen...in my life. Interestingly, statistically, horror movies are are very popular among U.S. minorities.
Also, all Final Girls have to masculinze themselves with a phallic object in order to defeat the "evil" guy. In Joy Ride 2 it was a big black...truck. In Scream 3, it was a gun.
To be fair, the hero in just about any action movie has to do the same thing.
If you think having a strong female lead is weird then I bet you wouldn't buy a commercial horror movie with a black lead. That's something I've never ever seen...in my life. Interestingly, statistically, horror movies are are very popular among U.S. minorities.
There's AVP, but that's sci fi. The lead was both black and female. That musta *really* burned some people. ;)
Hmm. Maybe 28 Days Later would qualify? Though, technically, I suppose Selena was playing a supporting role to Jim. This is gonna make my head hurt.
There's got to be a black filmmaker somewhere who'd like to see a black lead in a horror movie. Tyler Perry could certainly afford to finance it (he bought Oprah a Bentley, fer cryin' out loud!) and take a break from churning out those cheap comedies. reply share
You've never seen a black male lead in a horror? I guess you've never seen the original Night of the Living Dead, or it's 1989 remake. I guess you never seen Dawn of the Dead either. That had a black lead; so did the remake with Ving Rhames. Candyman had a black lead. Maybe you don't consider any of the blaxsploitation genres horror movies, but if you do, those had black leads. Predator 2 had a black lead as well. I guess you've never seen any of the movies I listed above, huh? Good job.
I MUST be feeding a troll by even replying to this (shame on me!), because what valid objection can there POSSIBLY be to a depiction of a woman as strong, powerful, independent, and/or capable?!
I agree. Hollywood keeps trying to push this B.S agenda of women being "empowered" to the point that its ridiculous. It is part of the left-wing feminist agenda to use Hollywood propaganda to "show women as strong characters". That's why there are all these movies now with women as assasins or super-heroes or action stars and kicking men's asses. They talk tough and mouth off to men constantly. It's totally ridiculous! If women tried any of this crap in real life they would get the crap beat out of them.It wouldn't matter if some dumb chick was "trained to be the perfect weapon" for 10 years or whatever; women are just far weaker and smaller and slower than men. They don't have the testosterone, strength, or aggression to compare to a man. They are naturally fearful and emotional and would start crying if they really had dozens of guys shooting at them and trying to kill them. And if they mouthed off to men the way they do, some man would really treat them like equals, and kick the crap out of them. If a guy mouthed off to me like that, I'd beat his ass, so why not a woman? I believe in equal treatment of the genders. So why do the women get so mouthy in these films and nobody gives them a nice backhand?
Even when it comes to historical dramas, Hollywood engages in Revisionist History and recasts the women as strong, intelligent, ruthless characters who manipulate the men around them and are the ones who really control things. (Look at Rome, John adams, Spartacus, etc) This did NOT happen during those time periods. Women were not allowed to vote and women that got out of line were quickly burned at the stake, stoned to death, divorced, beaten, sold, or locked up in insane asylums or nunneries. I think men need to take back control again and follow the wonderful example of our ancestors...
no actually there are women out there that are stronger than men. women were not naturally made to be fearful or emotional. thats just a stereotype. i have sisters who are in the military and the police department, and they cry or run when people start shooting at them, so there blows your sexist theory.
so your saying we need to get back to selling., beating, raping, burning women? they already still do that, they are called pimps. you know the ones that whore out women and children, that you want to get back to those glorious days. and im sure they had strong women back in the old days. if women arent strong as men, how to explain domestic violence where the woman has beaten up the man?
I think alpha-female roles are pretty realistic. As a woman, I know I can beat up men 2 - 3x my size, just because I'm really strong. I thought all women were made this way?
Ive got to admit, the female leads in horror movies seem to lead to alot of cliches nowadays.
While male leads in horror movies are now actually the more believable choice, due to the fact that the "hot girl protagonist" has now become a cliche.
Its not the only reason Joyride 2 sucked, however, the male leads in the original Joyride was part of the reason that movie worked so well.