MovieChat Forums > Outpost 37 (2015) Discussion > Why no female characters?

Why no female characters?

posted 9 years ago by john-hitchcock
84 replies | jump to latest

Yes, I know I did a similar thread back on the Black Sea board, but this looks like another film that has for whatever reason decided on an all-male cast when it didn't need one. I mean, the fact that most countries of the world now allow women in the military last I checked aside would they really be discriminating against gender when humanity's survival is at risk? I would think under those circumstances they would take anyone who was physically fit and capable of handling a firearm or could offer some sort of valuable service in the field.

So I feel the need to ask, why aren't there any female soldiers in this film? I didn't see a single one at any point in the trailer (nor do I see any in the cast list). I'm not sure I saw any female civilians among the extras. It really doesn't seem like a necessary move.

David Lynch walks into a bar... he won't give me the punchline.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] Warge 9 years ago

Frankly, I thought that NOT having a female squad member was a breath of fresh air, since every damn film who wants to be PC include a female, wether or not its needed, and I think we have got our share of "strong women".

Likewise, it was also refreshing to see more than one black dude in the squad, which is not either very common - and they were good, contributing members and it took quite some time before they started biting the dust.

That said, those two plus points I added for the movie couldn't save it from the fact that it was pretty much *beep*

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] SciFiFan87 9 years ago

Dude you are asking the wrong people.... Ask the one who made the movie

[–] john-hitchcock 9 years ago

I'd be happy to. I don't suppose you have any of their contact information on hand?

David Lynch walks into a bar... he won't give me the punch line.

[–] elechien 9 years ago

Really have seen restrepo which this movie clearly resembles no women in that real outpost get over your feminism *beep*

[–] jakeitup 9 years ago

Lol is this for real? Who gives a crap? Go feed the homeless or volunteer at the humane society.

[–] mtdoonmeister 9 years ago

Army MOS 11B-combat infantryman-is currently closed to women. The Marines allow female Marines to participate in Marine Corps combat infantry training, but they do not allow women to be deployed with infantry formations.

This doesn't stop women from directly participating in combat actions against hostile enemy in infantry settings. However, in the movie, there either were no MOS's at the outpost that were open to women or there were no women who were qualified/as qualified to fill those MOS's as men. It may have been 'luck of the draw' that all the people most qualified to serve in those MOS's at the outpost were men. It seems assignment to the outpost was entirely volunteer, so no women may have volunteered when there were positions open they could serve in.

The producer didn't a have a progressive feminist agenda to push in what was, basically, a B movie setting. Or, maybe, the actors were the casting director's friends who got hired because of who they knew. Or no women auditioned for the roles.

Or, as the force depicted wasn't the US Army or any other previously existing military–It was the United Space Defense Force–'maybe' there are a dozen or so unknowable reasons why there were no women stationed/fighting at the outpost.

Fortunately, the producer was more interested in making a good movie than pushing an openly sexist agenda. Either that or he's a hopeless chauvinist and incredibly misogynist?

[–] joolztoolz 9 years ago

Fortunately, the producer was more interested in making a good movie...

Is that a joke? I've seen female fighter pilots like years ago. Two women just passed the incredibly brutal ranger tests. There are female firefighters ffs.

Besides, Alien et al. had female crew; Prometheus; Terminator franchise; all the superhero movies. Lara Croft; Kill Bill; The Star Treks; Infini; Solaris; Interstellar; Gravity; Walking Dead; Zombieland.

It's a fictional futuristic movie...doesn't make sense to state what today's standards are for military when they clearly state that the war is against alien invaders. So futuristic and fictitious.

I am a leaf on the wind - watch how I soar.

[–] Strazdamonas 8 years ago

You are asking the wrong question though. Would the movie benefit from female character?

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Applied Science? All science is applied. Eventually.

[–] john-hitchcock 8 years ago

Well, if she was written well, yes. I think it would have. I can't think of very many instances where a strong female lead would not be a nice touch.

David Lynch walks into a bar... he won't give me the punch line.

[–] Strazdamonas 8 years ago

Why did it need female characters?

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Applied Science? All science is applied. Eventually.

[–] john-hitchcock 8 years ago

My point was there was no reason it had to be an all-male cast. If this were a movie being made in the 1950's, it would make sense because of the different social standards, but this is a movie that was released in 2015 at a time when it is not so unusual for women to be serving in the military with combat training (for the record, even the SEALs are supposed to be opening their ranks to women this year), and therefore it is entirely possible that in a future setting there would be more female soldiers. We also should be encouraging greater diversity in casting in this day and age. I'm sorry, I didn't realize people on IMDB had issues with valid criticisms of movies.

David Lynch walks into a bar... he won't give me the punch line.

[–] Strazdamonas 8 years ago

There was no need for a reason to have it. Writer wanted to write this is reason enough. The time the movie was made makes no difference whatsoever here.

It is in fact still unusual for women to serve in the armed forces. so much so that seeing one in special unit is a noted occasion. here are some interesting facts about US military:

As of 2010, the majority of women in the U.S. army served in administrative roles.

In 2012, two women Marines attempted to go through infantry officer training, both failed the course, and no others had volunteered for the course as of January 2013.

As of July 2013, the U.S. military has had only two women, Ann E. Dunwoody and Janet C. Wolfenbarger, with the rank of four-star general.

Michelle J. Howard began her assignment as the U.S. Navy's first female (and first African-American female) admiral on July 1, 2014.

In December 2015, Defense Secretary Ash Carter stated that starting in 2016 all combat jobs would open to women.

Note that last bit, its important. It shows that at the moment, combat jobs are in fact NOT open to women. in fact women are not allowed in infantry units in almost entire world.

Having an infantry unit consist of only males is factually accurate.

No, we should encourage greater talent in casting, regardless of their sex, skin or sexuality. What we should NOT do is quotas based on sex, because that is in fact sexist.

You have so far provided no valid criticism of the movie.

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Applied Science? All science is applied. Eventually.

[–] lansdownehouse 8 years ago

I think the space-aliens were all female. The males all had to stay behind to do the laundry and vacuum the space ships. Plus there were cake decorating classes on the dark side of the moon.

Actually I'm pretty upset that there weren't enough handicapped transsexual albino negro/native american/mexican muslim refugees in the movie either!

[–] Strazdamonas 8 years ago

Clearly the aliens run a superior Matriarchy which is what made then win the war against humans!

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