The 2008 action thriller Street Kings is a movie that weaponises the subjugation of women. Directed by David Ayer, and written by James Ellroy, Kurt Wimmer, and Jamie Moss, it weaves a tale of testosterone, power, and police corruption, and wraps it tightly in the straitjacket of misogyny. The thing is, it’s a film that presents these story elements in a way that is almost satirical – thanks, in large part, to the combination of male gaze clichés and tropes that constitute the plot.

The movie opens with alcoholic Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) waking in his bed. He is fully clothed, and instinctively reaches for his gun before he does anything else. He gulps down vodka. He sile...

Please subscribe to keep reading.