MovieChat Forums > Taken (2009) Discussion > A classic damsel in distress plot

A classic damsel in distress plot

posted 10 years ago by Karl Aksel
7 replies | jump to latest

...and it's great! There is a trend these days for feminists to poopoo the "damsel in distress" trope, but if we look at the ratings, women like this movie just as much as men do. In fact, the male and female statistics are strikingly similar, for all age groups. And this suggests to me one thing:

The damsel in distress trope is such a popular trope, precisely because it strikes a chord in us, men and women alike. And I, for one, do not think there is anything wrong with such a trope. It does not get in the way of equal rights and opportunities at all, because not all gender roles are oppressive. No woman is going to be cheated out of being a doctor or an architect because we still like knights in shining armour coming a damsel to the rescue.

This thread was prompted by my being fed up by certain currents in gaming of late, where certain feminists are attacking video games for using "damsel in distress" plotlines in particular.

[–] felixreybread 9 years ago

I am one of those people who do not like damsel in distress movies. There is a stereotype that women are dumb and helpless and these movies encourage that stereotype. The damsel in distress character was created to stroke the egos of men at the expense of women. In these movies men end up looking heroic and brave and women end up looking stupid, childish and like they can't take care of themselves. I'm glad they are finally making movies with female characters who are mentally strong and can stand up for themselves, especially Disney animated films. What if there was a movie where a man was helpless and got rescued by a woman? Now that's not a reason to get upset, but if it was a constant universal movie theme I'm pretty sure men would begin to think "what the hell are they trying to say about us"? As a matter of facts men ARE saying that. I don't know if you've noticed but a lot of commercials and sitcoms are portraying men as stupid and incompetent and a lot of men are getting upset, so it's not just women who are getting upset about the way TV portrays them.

[–] Karl Aksel 8 years ago

The damsel in distress character was created to stroke the egos of men at the expense of women.

Not at all. It comes out of something which is deeply ingrained in the nature of men and women alike. Men have a natural protective instinct towards women (and women towards children), and so the damsel in distress trope has great appeal for men. It appeals to women for the same reason, because just as men feel naturally inclined to help women in distress, so are women naturally partial to knights in shining armour. It doesn't work the other way around at all, because women do not have a protective instinct towards men, and men do not have the same predilection to swoon at knights in shining armour.

The ratings bear me out: "Taken", with its unmistakable and prominent damsel in distress plot, is rated very high by men and women alike. In fact, the male and female ratings are practically identical. Men love this movie, women love this movie. The trope appeals equally to both sexes, and it is not at the "expense" of anyone.

[–] LionInWinter 9 years ago

It's all fine as long as there's enough variation. This goes for pretty much every trope, really.

[–] Karl Aksel 8 years ago

It's all fine as long as there's enough variation. This goes for pretty much every trope, really.

Yup. They are tropes for a reason: because at the end of the day, it is what people want to see.

[–] Ohio9 8 years ago

There is nothing wrong with using this plot, it's just really generic because it's been done to death. It's a simple concept that everyone can relate too. It can work fine, it's just not really evidence that a lot of effort went into the plot.

The only time I ever really have a "problem" with it is in cases where the damsel is supposed to be a well-trained badass, but ends up needing to be constantly saved all the time.

A great example is Halle Berry's character in the James Bond movie "Die another Day". She's supposed to be an elite secret agent, but she's nothing but a burden that James Bond has to rescue over and over.

Of course there are plenty of other examples as well

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FauxActionGirl

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DistressBall

[–] ATG6 (3000) 4 years ago

This movie didn't need much of a plot, just a series of bad guys for Neeson to use his particular set of skills on.

[–] punkrockgirl (1270) 2 years ago

I mean this is about him saving his daughter. I think damsel in distress is more well suited to the romance category.

I was just discussing the damsel in distress trope with my family. I personally don't have too much of a problem with it, most stories it seems to work, but sometimes not. I can't think of anything specific really. Well, actually. In The Princess Bride, Buttercup is a good example of someone that wants to be rescued. Of course she doesn't want to be in danger, but she takes comfort in knowing that she will be saved by her true love. A lot of women are the same way, but everyone is different. It's stupid to say a woman can't enjoy the feeling of protection. No one is forcing that, it's what they want. It doesn't make them weaker, in fact I think it's a strength to show appreciation for gallantry. It does show that most action/adventure movies are written by men. I'm not saying that's a bad thing (or it could be on occasions.) I'm saying that they will write characters in a certain way they might not understand. The same goes for women writing male characters. Some movie directors that are men think that if they write a female character not needing a man to save her and she can take care of herself that automatically makes her "strong" and "badass" when that isn't the case at all.