Current Events > Hot take: Wonder Woman 2017 is largely a typical male power fantasy but not male

(+) Yeah! (+)

What I mean is, its got a lot of the clichs found in male power fantasy stories, except with the genders swapped.

Powerful yet not-so-bright person meets far less powerful but far brighter person of the opposite sex after a lot of the formers loved ones die, they go on an adventure to kill the bad guy, strong person has trouble, person of opposite sex dies, strong person gets so mad that they somehow become stronger, and then strong person kills the bad guy.

You can describe quite a lot of stories about men like that. All things considered, Wonder Womans plot is far from the most unique thing out there.

And thats okay.

Theres this idea that if a protagonist is gonna be a woman, it has to be a story of something only a woman could do; that a protagonist needs a good reason to be anything other than Nathan Drake. This movie doesnt buy that crap; it tells a fairly standard story that just happens to be about a woman. And you know what? It works.

People act like marketing a movie to women is like marketing one to bears; just this abstract, completely foreign thing. Given the massive critical acclaim Wonder Woman has gotten - most importantly, from women - I could only conclude the following:

Women arent that different from men, at least not when it comes to this sort of thing. Different, but not that different. To write a woman, just write a person. Give em a good reason to be the way they are and youre good.
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k
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Cool story, bro
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Pretty much
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Power fantasy should be coined the worst phrase of the decade.
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That No Man's Land scene was epic as fuck though I can't see no dude actually pulling that off.
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Veggeta X posted...

That No Man's Land scene was epic as fuck though I can't see no dude actually pulling that off.

Patty Jenkins had to fight against WB execs to put that scene in the movie.
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Veggeta X posted...

That No Man's Land scene was epic as fuck though I can't see no dude actually pulling that off.

That was badass

COVxy posted...

Power fantasy should be coined the worst phrase of the decade.

I think a story being a power fantasy doesnt instantly make it bad.

Arent most fictional stories in some way a power fantasy? Theyre quite often about someone doing things you cant do for one reason or another. Even dystopic ones tend to be about people who make things better.
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What's a female power fantasy? Twilight?

Raikuro posted...

What's a female power fantasy? Twilight?

No, its Wonder Woman. Which isnt that different from Superman.

Thats my point.
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l33t_iRk3n_Rm33 posted...

I think a story being a power fantasy doesnt instantly make it bad.

Arent most fictional stories in some way a power fantasy? Theyre quite often about someone doing things you cant do for one reason or another. Even dystopic ones tend to be about people who make things better.

The issue is that the term inherently means nothing, and so people usually use it to support whatever claim, usually political in nature, that they'd like.
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Well Wonder Woman was made specifically to be the female version of Superman.
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is that a hot take? I thought that was the consensus of why it worked more or less
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I think the assertion that a if a superhero movie has a female lead, it needs to be marketed towards women, is dumb. It's not a "women's movie" any more than Deadpool is a "man's movie." It's just a fucking movie.

l33t_iRk3n_Rm33 posted...

Raikuro posted...

What's a female power fantasy? Twilight?

No, its Wonder Woman. Which isnt that different from Superman.

Thats my point.

You said WW is a male power fantasy with the genders swapped. I'm asking what would be an example of a female power fantasy. "Power fantasy" isn't a gender exclusive term.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Veggeta X posted...

That No Man's Land scene was epic as fuck though I can't see no dude actually pulling that off.

Patty Jenkins had to fight against WB execs to put that scene in the movie.

Considering that WW is an actually an enjoyable and competently-made movie, I have to assume that Patty Jenkins never stopped fighting with WB execs.
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Imagine if the movie wasnt cringey as fuck.

But yeah lady superhero.

Veggeta X posted...

That No Man's Land scene was epic as fuck though I can't see no dude actually pulling that off.

wut. There's been plenty of similar scenes with men in it.
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