A film with a presupposed thesis

Rating: 5/10 (24 February 2005)

I enjoyed watching G.I.Jane as a picture disclosing and undermining stereotypes on femininity (and masculinity). In a way it certainly gives the voice to the "fairer sex" or "weaker sex" and lets a woman speak for herself. What I didn't, however, like about it was the "propaganda" attached to it. The film at the very beginning poses a thesis, which is clear to everybody ("Let's prove that a female may be an efficient soldier, at times better than the male ones"), and the story unfolds only to back up that thesis. I would say, an overtly political one. I guess it would be more interesting to watch G.I.Jane on her way to passing the mental and physical test without the "global", "political" background. The allusion to - perhaps - male dominated and male produced - discourse and politics of gender would still remain, but it would be less strident and more subtle.