otherwise self-assured women that became hysterical at the slightest hint of stress or action.

Passivity in female film characters comes in all manner of guises – not just the easy-to-spot ones. In the broadest of terms, it manifests in the way in which the female character does not drive the action. Her decisions and choices are effectively meaningless, because their consequences ultimately have no bearing on the outcome of the situation. She is, instead, simply reactive.

Films in the action and disaster genres are notable offenders when it comes to passive female characters. The Die Hard and Lethal Weapon franchises, Jurassic Park 3, Men In Black, Pacific Rim, 2012, Independence Day, King Kong – all of these are prime examples of Passive Female Disorder.<...

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