Feminism and Film

One of the most popular action movies viewed by many people is “Kill Bill Volume I & II” by Quentin Tarantino starring Uma Thurman and David Carradine. I find it to be an interesting movie for a female protagonist who not only takes the role of a man but beyond man. Uma Thurman takes a relentless agenda to avenge the murderous death of her family and it was certainly time for Bill to pay back. I mean I’ve never seen a movie where a man would do so much and go so far to reach the villain by killing so many people no matter what it takes, it was powerful.

A feminist critic would note in Jonathan Culler’s argument from “Chinua Achebe” that women experience tragedies more emotional than men and go beyond limits to overcome it as Uma Thurman progressed by killing a number of people without giving up just to get to Bill without any remorse in such case I think a man would feel some remorse but would kind of hide it by giving up if you get the idea ; “Woman’s experience , many feminist critics claims, will lead them to value works differently from their male counterparts, who may regard the problems woman characteristically encounter as of limited interest.”

In this movie, we virtually see that the tough women are the evolution of masculine roles. They have adapted aggressive traits from a male and applied it to their own impersonation but with the condition of their feminine attitude. There are lots of big time comical characters who take male roles such as O-ren Ishii who leads a top Japanese corporation. A Feminine critic should note that O-ren Ishii is the only female around a dozen male Japanese representatives which appears to be untraditional.

The feminist critic would argue that the male roles played by women is wrong for them, as Showalter stated “Avoid linear male literary history; Stop trying to fit women between the lines of the male tradition, and focus instead on the newly visible world of female culture.” We see masculine roles coming out of Elle driver, a cold blooded hit- woman who appears to have an eye piece strapped across her head parallel to what a pirate would look like. I think the film tried to break out of the male dynamic in ways of women showing that they are just as good to be male villains or rather better.