I feel that most genres of film have their merits and purpose. Comedies make us laugh, find the humor in things we normally wouldn't, and provide cheer when we are down. Dramas show perseverance, the pain of human existence, and the complicated thing we call life. Horror is there to get the adrenaline going and keep our fight or flight instincts about us. The list goes on and on.
There is, however, one genre that has no reason for existing. Every film in this genre is tedious, somewhat insulting, and over all unoriginal. This genre I call "Victim Movies." You have seen them no doubt. Hell Lifetime has made a whole network based around this genre practically. Jennifer Lopez seems to be the Queen of Victim Movies. She appears to only make Victim Movies and Romantic Comedies...that's her career when you break it down really.
If you aren't sure what I am talking about let me explain. These films feature a "Woman who is Stalked/Abused/Raped/Terrorized/etc. by a man usually Ex-Husband/Ex-Boyfriend/Relatives Ex/etc." One of my current co-workers wrote for Lifetime for while during the 90s. He said it was pretty much a victim mad libs. Spin the wheel to see what victim/circumstance/evil male they are writing this week. Ok so we have a Mother who is being stalked by her daughter’s killer. Next spin, this time it’s a Twin Sister stealing her dead sister’s identity to run away from her abusive husband. Oh we need one more, how about a babysitter who is raped by the father of the family. Then to top it off we have to have the super lame cheesy cornball name...A Woman Scorned, Deceit, A Face to Die For, Crime of Passion, No One Will Tell.
To me these movies play upon the societal insistence that women are weak, fragile, and otherwise incapable of defending themselves. They also play into the man hating tropes that can ruin feminism and gender equality. Men are the big strong evil creatures bent on destroying women everywhere. Give me a break.
Every once in a while they will have the antagonist/attacker be a female. Single White Female, The Roommate, and Fatal Attraction are examples of those. These are even worse in my opinion. Oh there is a female who is the aggressor, Oh well then she must be super unstable and a complete psychopath. I mean every woman wants to become their “prettier” friend/roommate/sibling/rival right? What woman doesn’t take no for an answer and try to stab their boyfriend when they try to break up with them. BARF!
Sure some of them have the woman realize she needs to be stronger and become a badass so she can finally stand up to the guy and get revenge. Again this is already after the fact that its established they are inferior feeble beings so they have to train super hard with a few montages so they can kick ass.
This genre would go away forever if women in TV and Film would refuse to act, write, direct, produce, or have any involvement in general with them. Unfortunately we know that probably won’t ever happen. There will always be someone who wants the job so bad they overlook how poorly these films depict women. I hope live to see the day this genre goes the way of the silent film and becomes part of our past, and not the infectious disease the genre currently is.
/rant
