Empowering Women on Screen: The Shift in ‘Revenge’ Cinema
The narrative landscape around sexual assault in Hollywood is shifting on and off screen. For quite some time, a distinct genre of film has been devoted to portraying rapemovies from the point of view of the victim’s father, often depicting them taking violent revenge.
In recent years, contemporary directors have been steering away from such simplistic portrayals of morality, opting instead to delve into more nuanced examinations of the subject matter. These films, however, have typically been low-budget productions with limited theatrical releases, unlike their high-budget counterparts like “Taken” (2008) and “Death Wish” (2018) that boast star-studded casts.
However, the success of “Promising Young Woman” in 2020 signals a potential shift in the industry. It’s likely that we’ll see more revisionist films, like “Promising Young Woman,” reaching wider audiences and garnering critical acclaim.
This shift is a welcome change of pace in a genre that has long depicted rape as an attack on a father’s honor.
The Rape-Revenge Genre
Films based On RapeMovies are often associated with a sordid reputation, evoking images of abused and traumatized women seeking violent revenge against their attackers, as seen in 1978’s “I Spit On Your Grave.” These early films, which gained prominence in the 1970s, relied largely on the shock value of brutal rape scenes followed by the victim’s sadistic revenge.
Yet, within this genre, not all films centered on the victim’s response. Filmmakers frequently achieved more mainstream success when the avenger was the victim’s father.
One of the films that likely catapulted this genre into prominence was Ingmar Bergman’s 1961 Academy Award-winning “The Virgin Spring.” Although the film initially focuses on the titular virgin, Karin, her rape and murder shift the narrative’s focus to her distraught father, Töre.
In 1972, Wes Craven, influenced by Bergman’s film, created the much more violent “The Last House on the Left.” This film briefly highlights the pain and humiliation of Mari before indulging in the sadistic revenge exacted by her parents.
“Death Wish” (1974) presents another variation. Carol, the victim in this film, survives her assault, but her pain is largely ignored. Instead, the film fixates on her stoic father, Paul, who channels his grief into vigilantism, becoming a powerful deterrent to would-be criminals in New York City.
The Legacy of “Death Wish”
“Death Wish” went on to spawn four sequels with similar plots of varying quality, and in 2018, it was remade with Bruce Willis in the lead role.
I’ve watched an unhealthy number of these movies, but perhaps the most illustrative example in this tradition is “Taken.” In this film, Liam Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a former Green Beret who begins the story attempting to rebuild his relationship with his 17-year-old daughter, Kim. Bryan’s worst fears come true when Kim and her friend Amanda are kidnapped by a sex trafficking ring in Paris.
Bryan embarks on a mission to rescue his daughter, torturing and killing members of the trafficking ring in the process. While the film ends with Kim safely back in America, her character appears largely unchanged by her traumatic experience. The story focuses on Bryan’s relentless pursuit and ultimate success in saving his daughter, reaffirming his authority as a father.
Shifting Focus
Even in rape-revenge films centered on female protagonists, the emphasis typically rested on their acts of extreme violence rather than their internal journey. However, contemporary iterations of rape-revenge stories now center on the protagonist’s path to healing and recovery from trauma.
For example, Natalia Leite’s 2017 film “M.F.A.” (released in Australia as “Revenge Artist”) explores the notion that violent revenge may offer catharsis but fails to heal the protagonist Noelle’s trauma.
Similarly, “Promising Young Woman” shifts its focus to a protagonist struggling to cope with her friend’s suicide following a sexual assault. In the HBO/BBC series “I May Destroy You,” the narrative revolves around a woman attempting to rebuild her life after a traumatic assault.
A New Narrative
Increasingly, the industry is recognizing the importance of telling stories that center on what a rape survivor needs, rather than solely catering to the vengeance fantasies of fathers. This shift acknowledges that when a woman is subjected to sexual assault, it is a tragedy not because she is a daughter but because she is a human being deserving of empathy, understanding, and healing. It marks a significant step forward in how Hollywood approaches and portrays this sensitive and complex subject matter.,more movies on reelsimilar.com and 99reel.com
