In Reply to: Tin, I think that you and I were watching different movies. posted by Audiophilander on March 9, 2009 at 20:39:41:
It was a rape that was interrupted or would have been consummated. Even worse, the woman then went on to have a relationship with the would-be-rapist: that in itself is a two-fold rape. In keeping with the plot (unbelievable as it is), it is a Stockholm Syndrome situation. On the other hand, it is a "rape" of the viewer, repeating as it does the "women like to be raped---- they ask for it." I thought you'd be more sensitive.
As far as downplaying the violence.... SPOILER: you didn't happen to see that a young girl was attacked, dismembered, and fed to dogs? Or that the perp was hit repeatedly in the head with a meat cleaver? I'd mention many other scenes, i.e. one of bone protruding from flesh after a karate blow, but you'd just say, "I've seen worse!"
You may have seen worse but hardly in a film where a "hero" does it. In your own example, Woody Harrelson's character is a worthless serial killer. We aren't meant to identify with him, he isn't portrayed as some vigilante, dispensing "tough" justice.
In a film where there is vicious violence meted out both from the Just and the Criminal, who cares about either? That's a moral (or should I say, "amoral") problem with much modern film: if both are scum bags, then there is no friction, there is just blood, gore, and violence.
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Follow Ups
- Rape: literally, you're correct, figuratively, not. - tinear 21:37:27 03/09/09 (15)
- "You may have seen worse but hardly in a film where a 'hero' does it." - Au contraire, monsieur tin. - Audiophilander 13:12:10 03/10/09 (2)
- I've forgotten that bloodbath so I'll rely on your memory: did the "hero" - tinear 11:38:50 03/11/09 (1)
- Sorry, but you are fixated on one short scene where no actual rape occurs. - Audiophilander 15:14:20 03/11/09 (0)
- I guess some films just don't have simple white hat/black hat differentials - dave c 21:46:56 03/09/09 (11)
- So, there is evil in the world and a film that glorifies it is.... - tinear 21:54:26 03/09/09 (10)
- Glorified? What film did you watch? - Analog Scott 22:51:01 03/10/09 (5)
- very interesting, thank you - tunenut 20:04:49 03/11/09 (0)
- Get real. It has much to say about society, life, national security, and - tinear 17:27:32 03/11/09 (3)
- yes it does have a great deal of social and political comentary but - Analog Scott 22:52:22 03/11/09 (2)
- Then Leni Riefenstahl is innocent, too. nt - tinear 11:32:07 03/13/09 (1)
- Besides reveling in the ultra violence of the Old Boy series you also champion Quentin Tarantino. - sjb 16:27:17 03/13/09 (0)
- I thought the point of Super "heroes" was they weren't "us" - dave c 15:03:19 03/10/09 (2)
- Rambo is reprehensible, as is Dirty Harry and that Bronson architect. - tinear 18:06:30 03/10/09 (1)
- "the great issue of the day, nuclear armament and its use": maybe... - dave c 20:28:21 03/10/09 (0)
- Agreed; enough media conditioning that unjustly rots the psyche... - mpathus 00:36:57 03/10/09 (0)