Genders in films during the 2000s - Waleed Malik

The 1990’s showed that females had more to offer to film narratives than just generalized roles and stereotypes. The notion of the every-woman was created, and now female viewers could relate to the female characters they saw on screen. Filmmakers wisely decided to capitalize on this new trend and many of the successful films of the 2000s had female protagonists. Whereas woman leads in the 80s embodied various masculine traits, their counterparts in the 2000s where able to bring strength to their roles by showcasing their unique feminine side. These characters did not need assault rifles and toned pectorals to overcome their conflicts, rather they were shown as being strong willed and extremely resourceful. Their feminine nature was seen as a positive and not as a weakness. Examples of such heroines include Dr. Ryan Stone from Gravity, Catniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games and Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series.  During this time, there was a shift in the depiction of male leads. The Anti-Hero, a protagonist who does not have the traditional heroic qualities such as courage and honor, became extremely popular. More and more filmmakers decided to depict this dark twist in order to make their movies standout. The most glaring example of this trend is the character Patrick Bateman, played by the brilliant Christian Bale, from American Psycho. Bateman is the main character and narrator of his tale, yet he is far from a hero. He is revealed to be a demented serial killer and rapist who does not think rationally. He is consumed by thoughts of bloodlust, sex and drugs while maintaining a false veil of friendliness and formality. Bateman is just one of the many departures from the traditional hero that became a trend during the 2000s. The portrayal of both of males and females in film underwent a major overhaul in order to meet the demands of a changing audience.