Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

I was recently looking through pictures of Angelina and came across ones of her character as Lara Croft. The movie, based after the popular video game, was a hit in 2001. As I sifted through the photos, I could not help noticing the sexuality of her character. Sure Angie seems to be the perfect candidate for a highly sexual character. But the interesting thought for me was the character itself. The hero is indeed a female, which seems to be a change from the norm. However, the sexual nature of the heroine is alarming. It seems to say that a strong, independant woman must also be sexual. Angelina is shown in tight clothing holding big guns. What does this say about our image of strong women? Why does sexuality have to come into the picture?

This got me to thinking about heroines. The example of Lara Croft combines sexuality and violence. She is feminine, yet dangerous. Violence is a symbol of power that we tend to believe in. Large weapons and knowing how to use them gives you dominance over the guy. Women, in the media's eyes, must take this route as well. However, they must also walk the thin line of holding onto their femininity. They must be a woman, which translates to using their sexuality. The conclusion seems to be that violence defines power and women must remain feminine, or even sexy, to be viewed as a positive heroine.