It's a new world for the role of females in action films. The 80's are over, we have women in action that can kick more ass than half of their male counterparts. Sorry Red Sonja and Rae Dawn Chong, you didn't do enough to raise the bar so names like Kate Beckinsale, Milla Jovovich, and Gina Carano karate chopped that bar in half. We've known for a while now that there would be a female counterpart to the testosterone-laden series, The Expendables, but today we learn that the film now has a director...Robert Luketic. Remember what I said earlier, about women in action today holding a different role? It really doesn't look like it's going full on girl power based on what we know. First there's the writing team, Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, aka the ladies behind Legally Blonde, not coincidentally the same movie that Robert Luketic made his name on. I know, I know, Legally Blonde, wasn't a wholly misogynistic movie...though it did rely heavily on some pretty standard stereotypes. No, the real bit of telling info is the synopsis, in case you've missed it here it is:
When America’s Navy SEALs are wiped out trying to penetrate the island lair of a deadly despot who has captured one of the world’s top nuclear scientists, it becomes clear that there is no such thing as the right man for the job and that this is a mission so impossible that only women can handle it. The only way in: some of the world’s deadliest female operatives must pose as high-class call-girls shipped in by private plane to satisfy a dictator–and instead save the scientist and the day.So...not only are they back-ups but the only reason they chose an all-girl team was so they could masquerade as hookers? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all about seeing those undercover scenes but something tells me this flick isn't going to be showing young women that they can do everything the boys can. Who knows, maybe I'm looking to far into it....guess we'll just have to wait and see.
