Can the female action hero be saved?

[Chris Wallace]

If so, how? Not just in comic movies but across the board. I think that movies like "Ultraviolet", "Catwoman", "Elektra" & "Supergirl" ( to name a few) may have done irreparable harm.

 

[mathhater]

I think so. If SOMEONE would finally do justice to the characters. Catwoman, Supergirl, and Elektra...none of them were portrayed with respect to the source material. It's not the characters that kept these movies from being good, it's the way in which they were handled. If anyone would just try to make a movie that respects the character, then there's plenty of hope. The only downside is that we're dependent on the ability of movie studios...which is never a good thing to rely on.

The way I see it, the blame shouldn't be placed on the fact that we're dealing with female action heroes...it's the fact that nearly every movie spotlighting a female action hero sucks. The focus should be on a quality movie first and foremost, not on the fact that "hey...here's a Catwoman movie...watch it..."

 

[CConn]

How? Simple...care. All of the female superhero movies that have been made have been with little budgets being given to bad directors, and bad writers, etc. Once a studio finally bites the bullet and goes out and gets a good director, and gives him a good amount of money, and really...shows confidence in the project as a whole, then you may finally have that successful movie.

Will that happen? Eventually, definitely. It'll probably need a spark from another genre - like how Joel Silver got high on heroines after The Matrix, but I think it'll happen. It may very well be happening right now with Wonder Woman.

 

[3dman27]

I think so. If SOMEONE would finally do justice to the characters. Catwoman, Supergirl, and Elektra...none of them were portrayed with respect to the source material. It's not the characters that kept these movies from being good, it's the way in which they were handled. If anyone would just try to make a movie that respects the character, then there's plenty of hope. The only downside is that we're dependent on the ability of movie studios...which is never a good thing to rely on.

The way I see it, the blame shouldn't be placed on the fact that we're dealing with female action heroes...it's the fact that nearly every movie spotlighting a female action hero sucks. The focus should be on a quality movie first and foremost, not on the fact that "hey...here's a Catwoman movie...watch it..."

makes sense to me

 

[Kmack]

How? Simple...care. All of the female superhero movies that have been made have been with little budgets being given to bad directors, and bad writers, etc. Once a studio finally bites the bullet and goes out and gets a good director, and gives him a good amount of money, and really...shows confidence in the project as a whole, then you may finally have that successful movie.

Will that happen? Eventually, definitely. It'll probably need a spark from another genre - like how Joel Silver got high on heroines after The Matrix, but I think it'll happen. It may very well be happening right now with Wonder Woman.

What he said.

 

[DarKush]

Mathhater and CConn pretty much hit the nail on the head. Elektra, Catwoman, Ultraviolet, Supergirl, and probably even Barb Wire could've all been better if handled seriously and with care.

 

[tzarinna]

Mathhater and CConn pretty much hit the nail on the head. Elektra, Catwoman, Ultraviolet, Supergirl, and probably even Barb Wire could've all been better if handled seriously and with care.

I totally agree, I think some of the actresses that they have cast in these roles just don't care. I have to say I haven't gone out to see any of them cuz ya just know.

But I hope to god they don't screw up Wonder Woman.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I think the fundamental problem with female action heroes is that they are created mainly to appeal to a male audience. They are written by men, directed by men, and come from source material created by men. I'm sure a lot of girls are Lara Croft fans, I'm also equally sure the majority are male. Thus you end up with an idealised female figure from the male perspective that no-one can relate to.

 

[DarKush]

Kevin,
That's a pretty interesting point. I never thought about it like that. But I guess you're right.

Even Syndey Bristow-a very feminine character-IMO-that can still kick your ass-was created by a man. I saw that character as a possible template for how to make a female character appealing to both males and females.

I really liked in the early seasons of ALIAS how she juggled her personal and professional lives. Garner played that dual role very well.

Maybe if more women were involved in creating female characters in comics and then bringing them to the big screen we might see more realistic female characters.

I think too many guys are fascinated with hot women who are somewhat 'macho' and carry big guns, like Milla Jovovich in the Resident Evils and Ultraviolet, Kate Beckinsale in the Underworld movies, Angelina Jolie in the Tomb Raider films. Or in putting some female characters in revealing outfits to oogle them, like Halle Berry's Catwoman, Mystique in the scaly buff, etc.

 

[The_Guyver]

Just sit back, relax, and watch what Joss Whedon does with Wonder Woman. I really wish a big budget Buffy movie could happen, but it's highly unlikely.

 

[Philly Phanboy]

I think so. If SOMEONE would finally do justice to the characters. Catwoman, Supergirl, and Elektra...none of them were portrayed with respect to the source material. It's not the characters that kept these movies from being good, it's the way in which they were handled. If anyone would just try to make a movie that respects the character, then there's plenty of hope. The only downside is that we're dependent on the ability of movie studios...which is never a good thing to rely on.

The way I see it, the blame shouldn't be placed on the fact that we're dealing with female action heroes...it's the fact that nearly every movie spotlighting a female action hero sucks. The focus should be on a quality movie first and foremost, not on the fact that "hey...here's a Catwoman movie...watch it..."

How? Simple...care. All of the female superhero movies that have been made have been with little budgets being given to bad directors, and bad writers, etc. Once a studio finally bites the bullet and goes out and gets a good director, and gives him a good amount of money, and really...shows confidence in the project as a whole, then you may finally have that successful movie.
Will that happen? Eventually, definitely. It'll probably need a spark from another genre - like how Joel Silver got high on heroines after The Matrix, but I think it'll happen. It may very well be happening right now with Wonder Woman.

Actually, the SHH official mantra "if done right" really applies to any adaptation.

Not only does the project have to be done right, there also has to be a change in attitude whereby these female action movies are no longer used as vehicles to "sell" the latest popular actress. It seems too many studio execs equate putting a popular actress in a tight fitting outfit with instant box office gold and each recent attempt (with the exception of the Underworld franchise) has proven otherwise.

 

[Chris Wallace]

You're all right. It's about packaging. Catwoman is a prime example; not only was this a bad plot, centered around a lame characterization dressed in an S & M suit to titillate rather than entrtain, but look at what she was up against; an evil COSMETICS CORPORATION!!!! While Spider-Man's struggling to prevent an out-of-control nuclear reactor from vaporizing all of New York, Patience is trying to keep bad makeup products off the shelves. Who was she gonna fight if there'd been a sequel? An evil florist? The psycho manicurist? It's like they don't wanna give the women a real threat to face down. And I think that's where it starts. Treat them like something more than eye candy. If the filmmakers treat them w/respect & take them seriously, the audiences will follow.

 

[Torch'sGurl]

i liked Ultraviolet, but the first thing that came into my mind when Violet spoke was that "men don't know how to write female characters. This was definenly written by guys."

None of them seem to carry any duality in their characters.
Sydney from Alias is a good point about carrying duality in her character. Why do superwomen..and men for that matter, have to be superhotties? I don't get that...

 

[Chris Wallace]

I liked the first 10 minutes 0f "Elektra" & nothing in any of the other movies I listed.

 

[KenK]

If Joss Whedon and JJ Abrams wrote the script, and Katherine Bigelow directed, it'd be the greatest female action movie of all-time!

 

[3dman27]

You're all right. It's about packaging. Catwoman is a prime example; not only was this a bad plot, centered around a lame characterization dressed in an S & M suit to titillate rather than entrtain, but look at what she was up against; an evil COSMETICS CORPORATION!!!! While Spider-Man's struggling to prevent an out-of-control nuclear reactor from vaporizing all of New York, Patience is trying to keep bad makeup products off the shelves. Who was she gonna fight if there'd been a sequel? An evil florist? The psycho manicurist? It's like they don't wanna give the women a real threat to face down. And I think that's where it starts. Treat them like something more than eye candy. If the filmmakers treat them w/respect & take them seriously, the audiences will follow.

ironically the evil florist would be POISON IVY

 

[Chris Wallace]

Who Was A Legitimate Threat (in Comics, Not On Film) & Geared Toward A Male Protagonist

 

[psylockolussus]

Yes, if the director of the movie is good and if there's enough budget.

 

[Sandman138]

I think the fundamental problem with female action heroes is that they are created mainly to appeal to a male audience. They are written by men, directed by men, and come from source material created by men. I'm sure a lot of girls are Lara Croft fans, I'm also equally sure the majority are male. Thus you end up with an idealised female figure from the male perspective that no-one can relate to.

Yep.

 

[Chris Wallace]

Idealized, but also paper-thin. Take one of my favorite superheroines: Ant. It's not b/c she's got a big booty. It's because her story intrigues & fascinates me. If they go beneath the surface w/the women like they do with the men, we can get some quality films.

 

[Trevor Goodchild]

Hey, all of you made great points, I completely agree.
For one they should cast/come up with female characters that are not only all about their body, ala Carrie Anne Moss. This perfection crap I'm spoon fed daily occasionally scales from annoying to irritating.

Although I have to say, I have no idea how close to the source material they kept, but I actually might’ve seen something in Ultraviolet that could be enjoyed by the fans. I myself saw nothing but a spectacle in it but perhaps, if I cared more for it, I might’ve ranked it right next to all those little films mostly liked by the fans that have the potential to make it big, like Spider-Man, X-Men and Sin City.

 

[Chris Wallace]

Doubtful.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Kevin,
That's a pretty interesting point. I never thought about it like that. But I guess you're right.

Even Syndey Bristow-a very feminine character-IMO-that can still kick your ass-was created by a man. I saw that character as a possible template for how to make a female character appealing to both males and females.

I really liked in the early seasons of ALIAS how she juggled her personal and professional lives. Garner played that dual role very well.

Maybe if more women were involved in creating female characters in comics and then bringing them to the big screen we might see more realistic female characters.

I think too many guys are fascinated with hot women who are somewhat 'macho' and carry big guns, like Milla Jovovich in the Resident Evils and Ultraviolet, Kate Beckinsale in the Underworld movies, Angelina Jolie in the Tomb Raider films. Or in putting some female characters in revealing outfits to oogle them, like Halle Berry's Catwoman, Mystique in the scaly buff, etc.

Thanks.

I mean, look at this very conversation. How many women are commenting on this?

 

[Chris Wallace]

None That I See.

 

[War Lord]

If so, how? Not just in comic movies but across the board. I think that movies like "Ultraviolet", "Catwoman", "Elektra" & "Supergirl" ( to name a few) may have done irreparable harm.

Tsk, tsk.

Women need men to save them, once again.