So, I love the minions. They’re cute and say cute dirty things like doody. And I don’t really care that they’re all boys. And, I really liked Gru. And since this new movie, The Minions, had a female Super Villain, I was thoroughly excited! After watching Max Mad – Fury Road and The Spy, I started hoping the change was here.
Not quite, it seems. While the movie rolled on, I kept finding myself nodding my head in disapproval and dismay at what garbage stereotyping was being fed to the little kids. I was infuriated. This movie is filled with all the demeaning, horrible and insensitive sexism that’s unacceptable in a kids movie!
What saddens me more is, when I brought it up to my friends, they said I was over reacting, I bring up sexism in everything, I need to take it easy, enjoy it as a kids movie.. BUT… it’s worse because it’s a movie for kids. And it saddens me more that they don’t see it. Here are some points that I remember (I wasn’t taking notes because I was truly hoping to enjoy the movie):
- The Super Villain Scarlet, of barbie like proportions, was only the show, whereas the “brains” behind the operations was her husband (I’ve never heard of a married Super Villain, have you?)
- Her background story is: she wants the queen’s crown because she’s always “wanted to be a princess” and dress up in pretty shiny clothes and get her hair done just like she drew when she was 5!
- Because – “everybody likes princesses” (and all women want to do is be liked – obviously)
- And, she wants her corset tightened so much she can barely breathe because, she must “have a tiny waist” for her first public appearance as the queen (paraphrasing here).
- Collects gold and jewels because it “fills the void”
- And when she gives a keynote speech at a villains’ conference, she’s wearing a red strapless dress and black stilettos. And she’s always wearing a red strapless dress and constantly pulling it up from the boobs as it slides down. Shown in a cartoon for kids!
- They show 3 women in drivers’ seats of cars, all 3 of them put on lipstick while in the drivers seat, at least one of them get into a car crash while putting on lipstick while driving, real funny how stupid female drivers are, right?
- She wants the crown but has no plans and does not go steal it herself – sends the minions
- Get’s a tiny crown gifted at the end when the real super villain (no points for guessing it’s a male) takes over and is happy with it
- And… don’t even get me going on how it’s filled with grossly racist imagery, from Japanese sumo wrestlers to Mexicans and how the language of the stupid follower minions is a mix of broken English and Spanish.
Am I over reacting?
Are you really going to accept the status quo and diminish half our population’s ideals to being pretty little princesses?
