Female Leading Roles
- Thread starter sp4nna
- Start date
No problem at all, with the username and the questions you were asking it sounded like a media studies coursework type thing.
What do you think a stereotypical female lead in an ACTION ADVENTURE film should be like?
I would prefer a female lead to be equal to the male lead but alot of films seem to either go from one extreme - simpering woman who fancies the lead and gets in alot of danger and screams alot - or to the other extreme where they are superpowerful which I don't mind as much unless it just seems weird in context of the film.
I think Ripley from Aliens is a good female lead (more in the first and second films than the later ones)
Could you describe what qualities they should also have?
For action adventure, they should be intelligent, able to handle themselves, adventurous, not perceived to be weak, over-emotional, or a victim (ie Mary Jane Watson from the films is a typical Damsel in Distress, in the comics she is still a damsel but a little more punchy and take care of herself kinda woman)
Thanks guys. Can you think of any other films with females like that? What makes them so good?
Wanted, Terminator (2 especially so), Alien, The Mummy (2 more so) Tomb Raider
The reason the female lead was good in these films is because they are more truthful to how a woman can be - they are not all damsels and they are not all macho, if a man can do that I can do it more powerful, either they are more equal to the male roles and that seems better to me anyway.
So guys, what are your views on 'Charlie's Angels' 2000?
Couldn't stand it but that is more likely due to the fact I think Cameron Diaz is a poor actress.
Do you think films with female leaRAB are made more to empower women or just for the men to stare at?
DepenRAB on the film really, Sex in the City doesn't empower women as such but it is a film made very much for women and so not really made for men to go and stare at them, Other films Terminator three is a bit of both with the terminator being pretty but also very tough.
So really it doesn't matter what the film has as the lead character it depenRAB on how the film maker decides to portray the character.
What do you think a stereotypical female lead in an ACTION ADVENTURE film should be like?
I would prefer a female lead to be equal to the male lead but alot of films seem to either go from one extreme - simpering woman who fancies the lead and gets in alot of danger and screams alot - or to the other extreme where they are superpowerful which I don't mind as much unless it just seems weird in context of the film.
I think Ripley from Aliens is a good female lead (more in the first and second films than the later ones)
Could you describe what qualities they should also have?
For action adventure, they should be intelligent, able to handle themselves, adventurous, not perceived to be weak, over-emotional, or a victim (ie Mary Jane Watson from the films is a typical Damsel in Distress, in the comics she is still a damsel but a little more punchy and take care of herself kinda woman)
Thanks guys. Can you think of any other films with females like that? What makes them so good?
Wanted, Terminator (2 especially so), Alien, The Mummy (2 more so) Tomb Raider
The reason the female lead was good in these films is because they are more truthful to how a woman can be - they are not all damsels and they are not all macho, if a man can do that I can do it more powerful, either they are more equal to the male roles and that seems better to me anyway.
So guys, what are your views on 'Charlie's Angels' 2000?
Couldn't stand it but that is more likely due to the fact I think Cameron Diaz is a poor actress.
Do you think films with female leaRAB are made more to empower women or just for the men to stare at?
DepenRAB on the film really, Sex in the City doesn't empower women as such but it is a film made very much for women and so not really made for men to go and stare at them, Other films Terminator three is a bit of both with the terminator being pretty but also very tough.
So really it doesn't matter what the film has as the lead character it depenRAB on how the film maker decides to portray the character.
hotelfordogs111
New member
Thankyou! That was really useful.
afrasiyab k
New member
Thanks for sharing your views. I won't be pestering you lot with anymore annoying questions about this stuff anymore (Y). 
~BeLla BaBy~
New member
I don't think that there are many female acting as lead roles in action adventure films. However when women are the main lead role they are usually sexualised for the entertainment of male audience.
Not sure if that helps you alot but hope so
Not sure if that helps you alot but hope so
Piffle. That, to my mind, is simple a textbook critical answer with little thought to the medium as it is presented in 2008.
Take a character like Lara Croft (oft touted as "sexualised" for the male audience) - she is portrayed significantly less in this way than, say, DC's James Bond and Bale's Batman. Same applies to the role of Alice in the Resident Evil films and many others.
It strikes me that there in an imbalance in perception to an extent, since (again, using the Lara character as an example) a female character who is physically attractive and who has an active sex-drive is perceived by media analysts as having one for the titillation of male audiences, and a male character whose looks and behaviour are for all intents a purposes the same, is perceived as having one for titillation of male audiences.
Sure, there are occasions when the portrayal of women in such roles are pitched this way, but to a large extent I perceive the bias to be on behalf of the viewer.
Still, as with any critical analysis, we see what we want to see.
*ahem*
I'll get off my soapbox now.
Take a character like Lara Croft (oft touted as "sexualised" for the male audience) - she is portrayed significantly less in this way than, say, DC's James Bond and Bale's Batman. Same applies to the role of Alice in the Resident Evil films and many others.
It strikes me that there in an imbalance in perception to an extent, since (again, using the Lara character as an example) a female character who is physically attractive and who has an active sex-drive is perceived by media analysts as having one for the titillation of male audiences, and a male character whose looks and behaviour are for all intents a purposes the same, is perceived as having one for titillation of male audiences.
Sure, there are occasions when the portrayal of women in such roles are pitched this way, but to a large extent I perceive the bias to be on behalf of the viewer.
Still, as with any critical analysis, we see what we want to see.
*ahem*
I'll get off my soapbox now.
♥Ebonique♥
New member
You're such a weirdo! 
ig0tm0n3y1nth3b4nk
New member
That's not me. It's someone from my class though.