BellaOnline Forums TV and Movies Sci Fi/Fantasy Movies Do you think female superheroes get a bad deal?

Everyone seems to praise most male super hero movies like 'Spider-man' and 'Batman' - so why do movies like 'Supergirl', Elektra' and 'Catwoman' get canned by the critics? OKay - they ruined Catwoman with that movie, it was nothing like the comic, the character wasn't even Selina Kyle (Catwoman) but a cat woman . Supergirl was a great movie for its time though, and I think Elektra holds up as well as most of the other superhero movies - so why do the girls get such a bad rep??? Like the Wonder Woman that hasn't got off the ground, why not when DC's other two stars, Superman and Batman are doing so well? What's ppls thoughts?

Anyone have any views?? LOL

Sorry Steven - I've had a migraine, and missed this.

I liked Elektra, and I LOVED the Tomb Raider movies. Lara Croft is definitely a good "superhero". She's gorgeous, sexy, smart, and can totally kick butt!!!

I think there are other female superheroes, too that are no shrinking violets:
Jean Grey AKA Phoenix
Storm
Linda Hamilton from the Terminator movies
Ridley from the Alien movies
Whistler's daughter in Blade Trinity

When my head isn't about to explode, I'll think of some more.

I'm a fan of Xena and Buffy, although that's TV, not movies.

Well 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' started off as a movie, so you're right in a way - I love Buffy (Sarah Michelle Geller's version)! She has got to be one of my all time fave characters, I never missed an episode, I was so upset when it ended, eight years of seeing someone every week gone! Plus, they were going to make a Xena movie, but Lucy Lawless didn't want to do it, same as with Sarah and a Buffy movie sequel.

I really loved Elektra too! Thought it was great, but the other characters are X-men and part of a team - Storm etc. Tomb Raider is now a comic book hero, forgot about her - and yeah she is great, but see - her second movie got panned by the critics too.

I wouldn't class Sarah Conner or Ellen Ripley as comic book heroes, they're movie heroes, but I see your point. Do you guys agree that women superheroes, when trying to carry the film alone, on their own back always get critisised? I can't think of one that was supported by critics or a large number of fans.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Emma Frost in the new Wolverine movie BTW, I hope they don't ruin her character like they did with Jean Grey turning into the Phoenix.

Yeah I have to agree on the whole they ruin the Female Superhero when it comes to movies. Then again what to the critics know? They give terrible reviews to movies and yet people still enjoy them, I don't read reviews but make my own mind up on the movie once I have watched it.

Tombraider I thought both movies were good and I enjoyed Elektra although I think you may find the budget for X-Men was more hence it probably looked a lot better. Buffy was good (Although I prefered Angel) some others for you to think about were Aeon Flux and Ultraviolet..

Couldn't stand Ultraviolet, all style over substance. Angel better than Buffy!!! LOL - you must be kidding. It was so boring! I did love it when Angel used to turn back into Angelus though, but the end of Angel ruined it for me. Buffy was fantastic (apart from Dawn).

Havn't seen Aeon Flux, don't even know what its about (well very little) I agree with you, I always make my own mind up on movies - I think a lot of critics tend to reccomend arty rubbish which they think should be reccomended. Not that theres not great arty films LOL.

Actually the budget was big for Elektra, I do think they should have made her more savage and less remourceful like the character should be - but I love Jennifer Garner and in all I thought it was a really great movie

I actually thought Ultraviolet was better that Aeon Flux but that's just a personal preference. I tend to watch these movies not expecting the greatest but with an open enough mind to enjoy them for what they are. Neither were brilliant by any means.

Buffy was okay well for what I have seen of them at least not watched them all by any means. I bought the box set of angel and have watched about half of it so far and it's been enjoyable enough. Buffy was going to be one of my next box sets to get to watch it all the way through.

Was the budget for Elektra in the same category as X-Men or Batman though? If it was I'd be very disappointed..

No, it wasn't the same as the X-men movies, possibly the first X-men, but then due to the success of that film the budgets got higher with each following movie.
It depends on which Batman movie you're referring to - if it's 'The Dark Knight' the budget on that was through the roof, it was a huge production. But I'd rather watch Elektra over The Dark knight anyday - I found it too dull. I love the two Tim Burton Batman movies, but the rest have all been a let down IMO. I did really like Two Face in TDK, though they never made enough use of him.
It's a shame, I think, they've made it all about Batman - when it was never supposed to be like that. Plus, it takes itself way too seriously - its a comic book movie - not a gritty crime drama LOL. But I know lots of ppl enjoyed it. It's just not one of those movies I can imagine watching over and over, where as 'Batman' and 'Batman Returns' I've watched hundreds of times (literally LOL)

Supergirl was ruined because it was a weak script and the producers felt the need to put a sappy teen love interest in the film for Supergirl. I don't understand why Supergirl would fall in love with some college age jock at first sight. They treated her like some silly dimwitted teenage blonde with super powers. They made her appear to be completely naive about everything going on around her. It was a good hero character that was given a bad script and treated like a teenage twit. It could have been so much better. I hope someday to see a Supergirl movie that is treated intelligently and respectfully.