Pass. Thor: The Dark World
Nov. 4th, 2013 04:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lilacsigil posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
bechdel_testThor: The Dark World is the latest Marvel installment, and while it does manage to pass the Bechdel Test, it does not pass it as easily and thoroughly as the previous Thor movie. (It still beats the fail for Avengers, though!)
Jane and Darcy have several scenes together discussing science and plot devices; Frigga and Sif speak briefly, Jane talks to an Asgardian woman about technology, and Frigga and Jane have two short conversations together, both about plot issues.
While Frigga has a much more prominent role in this movie, she mostly speaks to men. Darcy and Sif are less present and while Jane has plenty to do at the start and end of the movie, there is a great long section in the middle where she has absolutely nothing to do except keel over occasionally. Jane's introduction to Asgard was lovely, and there were several places after that where Jane could have been fighting back (whether successfully or not) but through most of that section she functioned pretty much as Sexy Lamp: her role in the plot could have been played by an inanimate object.
As for Frigga's death - I appreciated that she fought and died protecting Jane and Asgard, got a great fight scene, and died bravely, refusing to help the enemy. While there was some focus on her death being the direct cause of the emotional plot with Odin and Thor, and Thor and Loki afterwards, she had well-established relationships earlier in the movie, particularly with Loki. Her funeral was not just her family sitting around having angst, but a regal send-off to all the warriors who had died defending Asgard, appropriate for her status. I am sad at one less female character in the Marvelverse, but at least this branch of the growing movie canon has several other women to carry on.
Jane and Darcy have several scenes together discussing science and plot devices; Frigga and Sif speak briefly, Jane talks to an Asgardian woman about technology, and Frigga and Jane have two short conversations together, both about plot issues.
While Frigga has a much more prominent role in this movie, she mostly speaks to men. Darcy and Sif are less present and while Jane has plenty to do at the start and end of the movie, there is a great long section in the middle where she has absolutely nothing to do except keel over occasionally. Jane's introduction to Asgard was lovely, and there were several places after that where Jane could have been fighting back (whether successfully or not) but through most of that section she functioned pretty much as Sexy Lamp: her role in the plot could have been played by an inanimate object.
As for Frigga's death - I appreciated that she fought and died protecting Jane and Asgard, got a great fight scene, and died bravely, refusing to help the enemy. While there was some focus on her death being the direct cause of the emotional plot with Odin and Thor, and Thor and Loki afterwards, she had well-established relationships earlier in the movie, particularly with Loki. Her funeral was not just her family sitting around having angst, but a regal send-off to all the warriors who had died defending Asgard, appropriate for her status. I am sad at one less female character in the Marvelverse, but at least this branch of the growing movie canon has several other women to carry on.