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Arguably the counterpart of the Steven Seagal type "tough guy", though there are much more accurate [yawn] male examples through cinema history that elude my memory-block at the moment, in terms of both cheap and expensive B-movie status.
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https://youtu.be/xPE7-PRL0M8

VIDEO EXCERPTS: ... These are just a few examples of the many intelligent, complex compassionate, brave, compelling, and well-written female characters that have emerged in the past 50 years of film and TV. Characters that have left their mark on whole generations of audiences to the point where they still resonate with people years or even decades after their creation.

But then there's a different kind of character. A shallow, trite, cheaply made, gratingly unpleasant facsimile of these excellent ladies of the Silver Screen. A phenomenon known only as the "strong female character".

[...] In fact, Emily Blunt said it better than I ever could: "It's the worst thing ever when you open a script and read the words 'strong female lead'. That makes me roll my eyes. I'm already out, I'm bored. Those rules are written as incredibly stoic, you spend the whole time acting tough and saying tough things."

Oh, stop it, Emily, I can only like you so much. The thing though, is she's absolutely right on this one.

The strong female character cliche is as hollow, simplistic, and meaningless as all those soulless corporations that will happily use social movements as an excuse to sell your more useless tat that was probably made in an Indian sweatshop.

But why is this happening? What is it that makes a good female character different from a strong female character? Well, let's explore this together shall we... (MORE - missing details)

Why Modern Movies Suck: The strong female character

Without reading the article, what makes a good female character is the same that makes a good male character. Especially for heroes, it's following the "heroes journey," which must include some weakness, loss, or serious setback before victory. Bad writers, who push woke nonsense, just can't stand the idea of writing real women who have weaknesses.

In the past there were some great 'strong female' roles that I loved. There was Ingrid Bergmann's Ilsa in 'Casablanca', a stronger role in its way than Humphrey Bogart's. She had a purpose, a cause in militantly amoral Vichy French Casablanca, and a big lesson to teach cynical world-weary Rick.

Today 'strong female' seems to mean 'female action hero' (not heroine). This female is a better fighter than any man, and there's always the obligatory scene were this thin beautiful girl is beating the crap out of half a dozen male assassins who look like navy seals. These are nothing more than the familiar male-lead action movies that have been sex-swapped. The female lead is essentially playing a guy.

I guess that they serve as young girl's fantasy movies, much like the male led versions were young man's fantasy. Except even more unrealistic, if that's even possible.

Perhaps my point is that movies in the past were more... mature... than movies today.

While generally avoiding action hero movies, both male and female, there are some movies with strong female leads I like. Alien/Aliens presents a strong yet realist female lead. Norma Rae and Erin Brokavitch both featured a woman as a moral hero fighting "the System". I guess my stance on strong female leads depends on the realism of the film. As a hero both men and women can identify with, and not as some cartoonish role model for little girls.

(Oct 7, 2023 08:47 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: [ -> ]While generally avoiding action hero movies, both male and female, there are some movies with strong female leads I like. Alien/Aliens presents a strong yet realist female lead. Norma Rae and Erin Brokavitch both featured a woman as a moral hero fighting "the System". I guess my stance on strong female leads depends on the realism of the film. As a hero both men and women can identify with, and not as some cartoonish role model for little girls.

Yeah I agree. Ripley in 'Alien' was good.

Perhaps because she didn't try to out-guy the guys. She was a strong resourceful person who happened to be female in a very challenging situation. Easy to relate to.

In a way it was the old 'woman in distress' role, but without the man to rescue her and with a few surprises of her own. That formula worked well in that movie.

One that I've been looking forward to for awhile is Lily Gladstone as Mollie Burkhart.