As an avid fantasy reader, I've been thoroughly enjoying the wealth of fantasy and science-fiction movies that have been gracing the silver screen lately. But somehow, the deep sense of satisfaction that comes after watching a kick ass movie just isn't there anymore. And I think that the problem lies in the fact that I'm sick and tired of seeing two women to every seventeen men within these movies. I like to relate to the characters in movies, but it's a problem when I can't do that with my favorite genre.
Maybe it's the simple fact that the women in fantasy movies are…well…fantasy women. They're sexy and hip and hot and completely unreal, two-dimensional and shallow. Yes, there are exceptions. No, I'm not going to write on them, because that would make this article entirely too long.
The worth of a woman in fantasy film is often phrased in terms of her beauty and allure rather than her worth as a human being, or even an accessory to the plot. In fantasy story lines, the woman's beauty is always the factor which draws the hero to her, at least initially. Though she wields power and may even be a key point to the plot, she is described in terms of her looks, femininity, and how the hero thinks she's incredibly sexy; like in movies such as Troy, King Arthur, and the Indiana Jones film series. The woman is an objectified character: she is showcased for the benefit of the male gaze. Minor female characters often function solely for sex appeal; more and more often, women are shown doing sexual acts (often with each other) purely for the pleasure of the guys in the audience. Yeah, that tent full of freaky chicks in 300? Where the hell are the straight women in the audience supposed to look? Everywhere it's just boobs, butt, and bare-naked women. Next time, I want a tent full of freaky nude men to ogle!
Even female fantasy characters who are heroines in their own rights, such as the figure of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider videogames and movies, are objects of the freaky voyeurism that passes for entertainment in our culture. Lara Croft is a strong heroine who has no need of male aid, yet she's depicted as an inherently sexual being: she has huge breasts, a small waist, a big butt, and long legs. In the movies, she is played by Angelina Jolie, one of the hottest and most overtly sexual actresses in Hollywood today.
Fantasy plot lines often operate within medievalesque worlds and societies, and often one of the only ways to power for women within these settings is through their sexuality. Fine, I get that, it makes sense within the plot of the novel or film, but seriously, medieval values and systems of power are no longer relevant in the 21st century. However, our culture buys into it regardless of common sense, and therefore the swooning, scantily-clad woman on the movie poster or novel cover becomes the symbol of femininity for our society.
