By Melissa Garza
Straw Dogs was a movie that for all intents and purposes did not need to be remade. The original starred Dustin Hoffman. Hoffman is one of the greatest actors of all time. He has a subtle approach to his style which brings a level of sincerity to each performance. It is near impossible to find an actor that could match, let alone, surpass his level of skill.
More than just the acting, the premise of the film alone leaves little to reexamine. In the remake, the plot follows a young screenwriter, David (James Marsden) and his wife Amy (Kate Bosworth) as they relocate to a small town in the deep south. There, they end up harassed and bullied by locals.
As the annoyances turn into violent and horrific assaults, David has no choice but to fight back.
The 70s were filled with movies about the breaking point of an average man or woman. There was I Spit on Your Grave (1978), Last House on the Left (1972), and The Hills Have Eyes (1977) all of which examined how the common person can be driven to unspeakable violence when pushed too far. Another thing they all have in common is that they were remade into modern adaptions.
Straw Dogs is slow moving and doesn’t add much. James Marsden, though a good actor in other works, didn’t fit the part. He smiles too much and is too much of a goody goody. Though the role required a docile and meek guy, the actor needed to show a slight psychotic edge so with the transition occurs it’s believable. Here that just didn’t happen.
I will say that James Marsden ages very well. I recently saw him in Gossip which was made 11 years ago and he
looks exactly the same. He may be a shape-shifting reptoid. I don’t believe those age unless Paul McCartney is a reptoid – then they age incredibly badly.
James Woods was the shining star in the film and did well in his role. He’s loud and obnoxious and an overall jerk. I am fairly certain that he is not a reptoid. In all seriousness, he is actually not only a phenomenal actor but did something quite spectacular. He reported four hijackers that were conducting an experimental run on a flight that predated the September 11 terrorist attacks on America.
Back to the movie. Amy knows some of the hoodlums. She is eventually raped by the head douche Charlie (Alexander Skarsgard). The issue I have with the initial rape scene is the way in which it is shot alludes that she may have wanted it. She clearly says ‘no’ but the camera scans to a sexy shot of Charlie’s abs. She kisses him back during the rape. It’s a slow almost seductive scene with him talking softly to her. Later when she is raped by another scumbag she screams for Charlie to help her.
To even imply that rape is desired by women is a dangerous stance for a film to make, especially in this day and age. For years, entertainment has often given the impression that when a girl says “NO,” she may mean “YES.” Rape and seduction sadly went hand in hand. One of the clearest examples is in the classic Gone With the Wind (1939). Rhett (Clark Gable) forces himself on Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) who then awakes with a smile on her face as if she just had the best lay of her life.
Now to be fair, the rape scene in Straw Dogs is very similar in context to the original, but does that make it right? I’d like to think we have come a very long way since 1971. I think there is a responsibility to clearly say that women do not get off on being forced into sex.
Prior to the 90s, movies and television often depicted women who either enjoyed being raped or fell in love with their rapists. Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura (Genie Francis) from General Hospital is probably the most notable instance. The general plot is that Luke fell in love and was obsessed with Laura who was married to a man named Scotty Baldwin (Kin Shriner). One night Luke was at a disco he owned after hours downing alcohol as he believed he was going to be killed by the mob. Laura, who was his friend and worked for him, offered to help. First, he forced her to dance with him. Then he forced her to have sex as she screamed now. He took her on the floor, ripped her clothing and raped her.
In all fairness, the powers-that-be intended to kill Luke off, but because they were taking another character off the show to put him on a nighttime drama, they kept Geary. The fans overwhelmingly saw chemistry between Geary and Francis and wanted them together.
For years, the show went back and forth as to whether or not what happened in the disco was rape. She screamed ‘no’ and after it was over, her shirt was ripped and her make-up a mess. It was clear she didn’t want it. Nonetheless, the writers didn’t know how to handle it. How do you make a rapist into a romantic hero? Their first mode of action was to pretend it wasn’t rape. Though Laura went to counseling for the assault, they shifted gears later on. On one occasion, she is nearly seduced by Luke on a boat. He pulls away and arrogantly proclaims, “Go tell Scott that the night at the disco was rape.”
Admittedly, that wasn’t the best way to handle the situation. The scene at the disco was most certainly a rape. It isn’t responsible to show something that is clearly an assault and then proclaim what was shown was a rough seduction. It sends the wrong message. Thankfully, they rectified this – though it was years later.
In 1998, Luke and Laura’s son find out about the rape. Luke is broken and leaves home. Laura confronts him and tells him to come home. They then have a powerful and memorable conversation about the rape. In an amazing scene Laura says, “How could you tell me you love me and then rape me?!”
Now, I’m the first to say that I love the story of Luke and Laura. I think Geary and Francis have more chemistry than any other two actors on the face of the planet. They were phenomenal and it isn’t any wonder that they won the hearts of the fans. I don’t even blame the writers for the rape as the coupling was accidental and an after-thought.
Surprisingly, Luke wasn’t the only rapist turned romantic hero. It happens way too often and it would be nice if it were to stop. So many women are assaulted. In 1995, a study indicated that 20% of women (5000 were interviewed) surveyed stated they suffered what would be legally defined as rape. As so many deny and fail to report their abuse, the percentage is probably much higher.
When the media romanticizes rape, they are responsible for heightening the fear of victims who will walk away thinking no one would believe they were assaulted. It leaves the illusion that women want to be forced. It also encourages this thought process in potential rapists. How many scumbags use the defense “She wanted it,” and though many are lying some actually believe it.
I usually do not want to place any type of restriction on art. I think censorship is wrong. I think one should be able to express themselves in any way possible. Still, I can’t help but disagree with certain themes when I think they’re dangerous.
A movie can be fantastic but the overall theme or point it is attempting to drive home doesn’t sit well with me. A good example is in a movie like The Woodsman (2004). It attempts to show a “reformed” pedophile in a semi-positive light. Another example is Monster (2003) which attempts to invoke sympathy for a real life murderer. Here, serial killer Aileen Wuornos is often shown as a victim rather than a perpetrator. Both movies are terrific. They are well acted, interesting and entertainment wise deserve a rather high rating; but the point that they attempt to drive home is one that I completely abhor.
Straw Dogs, unlike the two aforementioned films, is not a quality production. There are so many elements that are wrong. The movie is empty. In the original, Hoffman really sold the production. It was his descent that held the viewer’s attention. Hoffman can pull off mild and meek and then like a switch can turn to strong and sinister all the while still revealing the softness that still lives inside. Masden just cannot accomplish this, and it’s not even because he’s a bad actor. He isn’t. He is good in the right role. It’s just this called for a very specific type of actor. Sam Rockwell or Ryan Gosling are the only two off hand I could see portraying this type of character well. Rockwell can do anything and after seeing Gosling in All Good Things (2010), I’m fairly certain he is capable as well.
Bosworth’s performance was just empty. Though she cried hysterically for a moment, the rape didn’t impact her the way that one would expect. After the assault, Amy has a conversation with David where she calmly says they are both cowards. This is the scene that should have packed a punch, but the argument between the two was shallow and superficial. She begins crying and David holds her but there was no connection with the audience. There’s no intensity or deep-rooted anger.
I didn’t expect much from this movie and I didn’t get much. It’s always good to see Woods in anything. The rest of the hillbillies were either eye-candy or disgusting, but none, including Charlie, added anything to the film.
The conclusion was predictable and for what is supposed to be the great action sequence, little happens.
Overall, if you’re in the mood for a revenge flick, I would suggest sticking with the original or if you want to watch something much cooler throw in Falling Down (1993). Michael Douglas going absolutely insane and taking on a Neo-Nazi is a film I can watch over and over again. It follows a similar premise. A man pushed to far goes absolutely nuts. It’s just more fun and less emotionally draining. Noise (2007) is another good choice.
As for the remake, I’d skip it. There’s really nothing new to see and as a woman, a scene that greatly offends.
Overall Rating: 1/10
