Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Jurassic World. Sexist? (spoilers)

87 replies

PiperAndAlex · 20/06/2015 19:45

I haven't seen the movie but I want to. I've seen quite a lot of reports that it is sexist.

The lead (Claire?) is portrayed as quite a cold stiff career woman who has no maternal instincts.

She saves her nephews life by shooting a dinosaur yet they only want to stay with her because they feel safe with her boyfriend.

She wears her heels throughout the movie.

Also the most gruesome death was that of a female - yet she didn't actually do anything to deserve that death.

If you look back at Jurassic Park with Ellie she was volunteered to turn the power on when John Hammond says it really should be him because hes a man, she just rolls her eyes.

And that was 20 years ago! Seems like this film is a step back.

OP posts:
LegoComplex · 20/06/2015 19:52

doesn't sound that sexist to me personally.

wankerchief · 20/06/2015 19:53

Why not see it then judge?

almondcakes · 20/06/2015 20:00

I have seen it.

The running around in heels - across muddy ground, away from a trex etc was really annoying.

Lack of female characters also a shame.

But Claire's character.

Also, the leaving the black character behind for ages and not saying what happened to him until the last scene was annoying. I spent 15 mins wondering if he was alive or dead.

almondcakes · 20/06/2015 20:01

Sorry, but Claire's character was fine, was what I meant to write.

Original poster
PiperAndAlex · 20/06/2015 20:06

Why not see it then judge?

I kept coming across articles that it was sexist.

So thats why I asked because I couldn't judge for myself.

Is there a problem with that?

OP posts:
WixingMords · 20/06/2015 20:08

Claire's character was great. She's not maternal but she isn't without love for her nephews. I can really find annoyance in a woman being portrayed as not interested in having children.

Yes a woman has a long death scene but a large number of men die too.

Seeming someone mentioned the black man, I too noticed that and assumed he was dead too seeing it didn't seem to be of an interest to involve him.

Baies · 20/06/2015 20:09

But my view of sexist may be different to yours? Will you not see it if I tell you it's sexist?

It's a good film, we all enjoyed it. Sexist or not Wink

WaferInMyCoffee · 20/06/2015 20:17

I have seen it. I didn't feel it was overly sexist. Claire's character is strong and career driven, women like this exist. Yes, she wore her heels throughout but i saw that as a positive - I am a woman who wears heels and feels good about myself but I can still kick arse.

Yes, the kids wanted to stay with the boyfriend, he knew what he was doing! What is wrong with that? Not because he was a man but because he proved himself to them, he was ex navy and experienced with dinosaurs, his gender wasn't the over riding reason they wanted to stay with him.

There were male and female characters represented in different ways. Chris Pratt and his bad-ass skills, Jake Johnson and his awkward ways and in no way the obvious hero yet is there to save the day, Claire with her strong career ideals and her strong business skills, the boys' mother who was loving and tearful and huggy, the geeky science woman in the lab, the male "bad guy".

No, I didn't find it sexist. And I bloody loved it Grin

WixingMords · 20/06/2015 20:17

I just thought though that bit where the boys ment the male character is annoy me!!

Yes she does it all in heels. However it is mentioned as not being ideal I think she just didn't get a chance to change footware though.

As is standard with films the male characters out weight the female.

almondcakes · 20/06/2015 20:18

Well he wasn't dead. He returns in the final scene, which the other characters ignore.

If you leave a character behind hiding inside a fallen tree trunk in mortal peril, and they appeared numerous times prior to that in a speaking role, I want to know what happens to him.

WixingMords · 20/06/2015 20:21

*human characters!

almondcakes · 20/06/2015 20:21

I rarely wear heels, maybe it is my sexist assumption that someone wearing heels would slow down a search and rescue mission on boggy ground, or would run more slowly in dangerous situations in high heels.

Original poster
PiperAndAlex · 20/06/2015 20:22

www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-jurassic-world-sexism-20150620-story.html#page=1

dailysignal.com/2015/06/19/jurassic-world-sexism-claims-dont-stand-up-to-scrutiny/

msmagazine.com/blog/2015/06/18/jurassic-world-is-prehistorically-sexist/

Just a couple of articles. I'm not sure why I'm being slammed for starting this thread Confused

No wonder people are scared to use this board. It's not welcoming in the slightest.

Thanks to those who discussed it without having a go.

OP posts:
tribpot · 20/06/2015 20:23

Claire is definitely the least interesting of the female leads in the Jurassic movies. Not quite in the league of Laura Dern, Julianne Moore or Téa Leoni. The decision (apparently her own) to wear heels throughout was completely stupid.

The death - of her assistant was shocking and bizarre, it was the type of death normally associated with bad guys (or women) in the Jurassic movies, yet as you say she hadn't done anything.

Overall the relationship between Claire and Owen was very much a re-run of the old classic uptight and out-of-depth vs laidback (cf Harrison Ford and Anne Heche in Six Days Seven Nights only they did it much better.

Was it sexist? Well, it certainly didn't seem like progress from the earlier movies.

Original poster
PiperAndAlex · 20/06/2015 20:29

The death - of her assistant was shocking and bizarre, it was the type of death normally associated with bad guys (or women) in the Jurassic movies, yet as you say she hadn't done anything.

Exactly. Most of the deaths (in all four films) were quick.

I've seen the death scene and it's long and it was uncomfortable to see someone suffering like that. If a death lasts so long it's almost like torture porn.

It is a death saved for assholes.

OP posts:
almondcakes · 20/06/2015 20:30

Piper, maybe the regulars on this section haven't seen the film/read about it, and that's why they are not in this thread commenting?

I don't think you're being deliberately not welcomed.

almondcakes · 20/06/2015 20:31

Did she actually die? We all discussed it afterwards and couldn't work out if she fell in the water and maybe got away or was eaten.

WixingMords · 20/06/2015 20:32

It passes the Bechdel test (by the skin of it's teeth)

I seen articles refuting the sexist label because the dinosaurs are female!!

I don't think it was especially sexist personally but it is in the standard movie way.

scallopsrgreat · 20/06/2015 20:39

The person commenting on this thread and criticising doesn't have a name I've seen in FWR, before Piper. Maybe not make those assumptions please? And judging by the username of that particular poster...

"Yes, the kids wanted to stay with the boyfriend, he knew what he was doing! What is wrong with that?" Yet its amazing how often its the man who "knows what they are doing". Playing to the same old tropes.

RaskolnikovsGarret · 20/06/2015 20:40

I thought it was incredibly sexist, big tough man saves the day etc, and woman toddles behind in high heels. The female lead in the first one was far better and much more equal to the main lead. Definitely a step back.

RaskolnikovsGarret · 20/06/2015 20:41

And I'm glad you started the thread OP, I've been wanting to vent my annoyance somewhere!

Lweji · 20/06/2015 20:44

I mean it to go and watch it tomorrow, but I'd find the lack of female characters more sexist.

Original poster
PiperAndAlex · 20/06/2015 20:47

Yes, the kids wanted to stay with the boyfriend, he knew what he was doing! What is wrong with that? Not because he was a man but because he proved himself to them

But hadn't she just saved their life? Surely she proved herself there.

Did she actually die? We all discussed it afterwards and couldn't work out if she fell in the water and maybe got away or was eaten.

She was eaten.

OP posts:
almondcakes · 20/06/2015 20:48

It was actually Claire that saved them all, wasn't it?

She released the trex and got it to chase after her in the heels so that it would attack that hybrid beast that was attempting to kill Chris Pine and the teenagers.

It was defeated. The end.

Original poster
PiperAndAlex · 20/06/2015 20:48

RaskolnikovsGarret

Smile thank you

OP posts: