Joss Whedon Calls ‘Jurassic World’ Sexist: Watch The Controversial Scene [Video]
Joss Whedon has a few choice words about the new Jurassic World clip, and they are not positive. The filmmaker, who created the classic female hero in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, objected to the interaction between the film’s two leads. His comments came in response to a website’s gushing assessment of the flirt-heavy scene between Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt.
Whoever speaks on behalf of “geek girl” blog The Mary Sue for its Twitter feed claimed to be “fanning” themselves over Chris Pratt, so much so they couldn’t talk more about the film’s lead actor. Whedon responded with a quip about the gender stereotypes arguably present in the film script.
…and I’m too busy wishing this clip wasn’t 70’s era sexist. She’s a stiff, he’s a life-force – really? Still? https://t.co/qqts4jpSva
— Joss Whedon (@josswhedon) April 10, 2015
And Whedon was not the only one to react negatively to the clip and Mary Sue‘s assessment.
@TheMarySue his char’s being pretty gross here, but let’s ignore that because he’s hot. western-centric pseudo-feminism at its best — dee (???) (@deqncas) April 10, 2015
@TheMarySue What? I’d say he’s being a disgusting sexist asshole treating a scientist like a piece of meat. But sure. Fan away.
— Kevin VanOrd (@fiddlecub) April 10, 2015
Time pointed out that Whedon has a film competing with Jurassic World soon to hit theaters, although the two movies will be released several weeks apart. Whedon’s Avengers: Age of Ultron will be out May 1, while Jurassic World makes its debut on June 12. Salon implied that Whedon is less concerned with World’s gender messages than its box-office prowess.
Some writers have also questioned whether Whedon’s characters are as feminist as they purport to be, including a Mary Sue blogger from 2011.
However, Whedon is an outspoken advocate of gender equality. While attending an Equality Now event last October, he told Vulture how his own opinions about gender relations were formed.
“I was raised by a very strong woman, I didn’t know feminism was actually a thing until I left home and found out the country didn’t run the way my mom’s house did. So I have this goldfish, idiot, forgetful thing in that every time I’m confronted with true misogyny, I’m stunned. I’m like, Really? That’s like, I don’t believe in airplanes. It’s like, What century are you from? I don’t get it.”
The controversial clip from Jurassic World is embedded below.
[Left image: Bryce Dallas Howard in Jurassic World; Right image: Joss Whedon/Getty]
