MovieChat Forums > Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015) Discussion > These days women in action movies

These days women in action movies

posted 9 years ago by RomeoKnight
56 replies | jump to latest

seem to provide most eye-rolling moments in the movie. Somehow the seem to best all the male adversaries in hand-to-hand combat and pretty much everywhere else without even breaking a sweat. Sorry, but it's just not happening in the real world. If it was, please put women in the same league as men in boxing, kick-boxing, karate and every other combat sports there is. The "knife fight" in this movie was beyond stupid and I saw the end result (who wouldn't these days) before the fight even started. Is there a man vs woman movie-fight in lets say in recent 5 years where the man would actually beaten the woman? I think not. Hollywood is conveying a strange message these days.

Otherwise decent movie but Ghost Protocol was way better.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Mandy999 9 years ago

Don't be silly. Hollywood makes men do equally ridiculous things. Equal opportunity, right? Or are you just mad because now women are getting in on the act?

[–] scottydog60 9 years ago

You've missed the point Mandy - it's not about men doing equally ridiculous things, it's about what happens when a man and woman are pitted against each other - and as the OP points out, the results atm are always extremely one-sided and ridiculous.
I feel like these movies won't date well, they will seem comically artificial at a later time when ALL sorts of women are allowed on screen ie. strong, fragile, tough, gentle etc

[–] TheIcon04 8 years ago

OP i suggest you catch Rush Hour 2 when Chris Tucker kills the female villain

"You know, we could have been a good couple. We could have had something special. But you one crazy-ass b----! "

[–] scottydog60 8 years ago

Just to clarify, I love all the female ass-kickers, how could you not love Ripley in Aliens 2, especially when the last scene is a fight with a female alien.
I'm saying that when 90% of the female fighters are stronger than any of the guys, it gets so unrealistic that it's tiresome.
I think the problem these days is that if you portray a female as weaker than a male, you will be labelled sexist. But on the whole reality is the opposite. Hence the problem.

[–] richbordoni 8 years ago

I feel like these movies won't date well, they will seem comically artificial at a later time

LOL. Dude. You're watching Mission: Impossible. The plot falls by the wayside to make room for over-the-top action sequences. Of course this film isn't going to age well, and it has nothing to do with the females kicking ass.

[–] keyvenx 8 years ago

I don't understand - she had a knife and did not "overpower" him. He was throwing her around like a rag doll, but a woman who knows how to use a knife can be as deadly as a man.

Sure, given a woman vs a man of equal skill the man will have the upper hand with his strength advantage. In many video ames they try to give women the "speed advantage" but I don't think the difference is that much in real life, at least not to the extent between man vs woman strength-wise.

[–] gabypanama 8 years ago

OP has a point. Doing "ridiculous things" doesn't compare to beating bigger and stronger men that are as well trained as one.

[–] Tyler-A-Arse 9 years ago

I (grudgingly) agree with you. It takes away from the realism of the movie. When I'm enjoying a movie and see these types of scenes, I immediately go into "yeah, right" mode. I had a hard time with a 90lb anorexic-looking Jolie in Salt whipping men, and I had a hard time with Zoe Saldana's fight scene in Columbia

But for some reason, Ilsa's scenes were a wee bit more believable. (I tried to believe it) Did you see her in that dress. Her arms and back were seriously developed. But, I get your point.

[–] MisterHex 9 years ago

There are no more damsels in distress in movies anymore, only femme fatales and ass kickers. It would go against the current trend of strong, empowered, feminist women to have a female character who's weak and can't defend herself, which is more real-life than Hollywood would like us to think.

TV shows are even worse. Look at the one ass-kicking chick on Person of Interest, who doesn't break a sweat while she punches her way out of a fight with five trained black belts, followed by some smart ass wisecrack. Ridiculous.

It was only just a few decades ago that this wasn't the case. Sure, you had Ripley in the Alien franchise, but at the same time, the female leads in Tim Burton's first Batman, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, etc., sent the whole film screaming their heads off, waiting to be saved. I think you'll find that reflects reality more than what we see today.

[–] loki242 9 years ago

Women are pathetic, they whine "testosterone or macho" when a man beats up people but when a woman does it it's "empowering".

Men and women are not equal, the female power trip infecting movies is laughable. Watching that football player knock his girlfriend out in the elevator is a good example of a woman who thought she could take a man and learned the hard way she was wrong.

But man this movie was a joke, it should air on the lifetime network, it was a woman's wet dream as far as power trips go.

You hate Congress but every election you re-elect YOUR "guy" and wonder why things never change!

[–] smoko 9 years ago

@loki242 Women are pathetic, they whine "testosterone or macho" when a man beats up people but when a woman does it it's "empowering".
It's even worse than you think. Some women complain about it even when a man is explaining how empowering it is. Example: this infamous interview/debate with Quentin Tarantino about Kill Bill Volume 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7k4GQSGvx8

[–] syafiqjabar 9 years ago

The Op, Loki, MisterHex, you. What's wrong with you people?

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] MisterHex 8 years ago

Nothing's wrong; nothing at all. What's wrong with you?

[–] TotheWatersandtheWild 8 years ago

You might make a better argument, if that's your intent, by not angrily stating that (all implied) women are pathetic, they whine, etc. as your opinion first.

It's hard to understand anything said after that except it's clear you're angry. It's not clear where you, or other young people, got the idea that women think they are 'equal' to men. Never used to be that way or was the origin of the concept. Women were just tired of being treated like garbage and being quiet about it. They just wanted equal rights and pay for the same amount of work.

Everyone's so damned angry and threatened these days, no one has any fun anymore. 

~
Once you choose hope, anything's possible -Christopher Reeve
📵

[–] bigal_a 8 years ago

I have seen women online claiming as "end-of-discussion, that's-all-folks" indisputable fact that the average woman is physically stronger in every way than the average man, with no caveats or limitations whatsoever.

They seem to think it's true. Yet I've never had a man ask me to open a jar for him or help him get his luggage into the overhead bins on a plane.

The restitution of life is no great feat. A variety of deaths may well enter into your punishment

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bigal_a 8 years ago

Thanks for calling me a liar, Art. I appreciate that.

And yes, I have seen that.

The restitution of life is no great feat. A variety of deaths may well enter into your punishment

[–] PhilistinePictures 9 years ago

I dunno about that, I'm a man and I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Ronda Rousey! Or, in her prime, Grace Jones.

A pretty girl's guide to London: http://youtu.be/RLFUi4EWatQ

[–] Deus_Leonis 8 years ago

I wouldn't use Ronda Rousey as an example if I were you.
If you put Ronda Rousey in a fight with ANY Male UFC fighter of ANY weight class you'll know what I mean.

My whole answer to "Gender Politics" is simple. Men & Women are EQUAL BUT DIFFERENT.
Problem is that most people don't know the difference between these two words anymore.

[–] abfktsk 8 years ago

Don't know about Ronda Rousey but I would've shat myself if Grace Jones so much as look at me. Have you seen her?

[–] timlin-4 8 years ago

That was also the Big Henchman in the movie, which makes her the real hero (not to mention how she obviously outclasses Ethan in everything and rescued him, while his shining moment was saving his butt buddy...) Who are these movies made for, and why does Tom Cruise agree to such humiliation?

[–] richbordoni 8 years ago

Dude you're watching Mission: Impossible and you expect realism?