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Forums - Movies & TV - Batman: The Killing Joke horrifyingly objectifies and victimizes Batgirl! SPOILERS!!!

Okay I understand your complaint. I don't agree. Batgirl isn't overly sexualized. If anything, Batman is. I mean, Batgirl is just trying to get into his pants, and who wouldn't? My complaint is that this is out of character and Bruce Timm has to stop projecting Selina Kyle onto Barbara. "You could see how much she loved him blah blah blah." No you're the only one that saw that. What everyone else saw was how Barbara had a crush on Dick (Thank you for that amazing closer Gail). Funny thing is, it was never even hinted in the Animated Series' rebound episodes (I Think that's what they referred to them.) Then all of a sudden in Batman Beyond and Mystery of the Batwoman they were a couple. Really? WTF Timm? And WTF Dini? Why didn't you tell Timm this was a stupid idea?

To cap, I don't think Barbara was sexualized. No more than what that shit head Stewart wrote when he destroyed her character turning her from Batgirl to the Pixtagraph Queen of Burnside. Seriously, first few pages Barbara woke up with a hang over vaguely remembering making out with some random guy the night before. Now THAT'S sexualizing a character, turning her into some party animal making out with randoms.

From what I can tell here, and hopefully I'll see it soon, is that Barbara was enamored by Batman (Again Timm?) and she decided to seduce him. Takes balls to do that. Just terribly out of character. I also agree it added nothing to the movie, considering Joker did this to make Gordon go crazy. Not to get some vengeance against Batgirl, since he doesn't know who Batgirl is.



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darkknightkryta said:
Okay I understand your complaint. I don't agree. Batgirl isn't overly sexualized. If anything, Batman is. I mean, Batgirl is just trying to get into his pants, and who wouldn't? My complaint is that this is out of character and Bruce Timm has to stop projecting Selina Kyle onto Barbara. "You could see how much she loved him blah blah blah." No you're the only one that saw that. What everyone else saw was how Barbara had a crush on Dick (Thank you for that amazing closer Gail). Funny thing is, it was never even hinted in the Animated Series' rebound episodes (I Think that's what they referred to them.) Then all of a sudden in Batman Beyond and Mystery of the Batwoman they were a couple. Really? WTF Timm? And WTF Dini? Why didn't you tell Timm this was a stupid idea?

To cap, I don't think Barbara was sexualized. No more than what that shit head Stewart wrote when he destroyed her character turning her from Batgirl to the Pixtagraph Queen of Burnside. Seriously, first few pages Barbara woke up with a hang over vaguely remembering making out with some random guy the night before. Now THAT'S sexualizing a character, turning her into some party animal making out with randoms.

From what I can tell here, and hopefully I'll see it soon, is that Barbara was enamored by Batman (Again Timm?) and she decided to seduce him. Takes balls to do that. Just terribly out of character. I also agree it added nothing to the movie, considering Joker did this to make Gordon go crazy. Not to get some vengeance against Batgirl, since he doesn't know who Batgirl is.

She isn't sexualized, she's objectified.



GodOfPeace3 said:
Well, this is good news. I see that Gawker really hates it, so I'm going to buy the blu-ray and watch it tonight.

The last half is great for what it's worth.



onionberry said:

well, the killing joke is about batgirl as a victim.....so??????????

This society is too weak, always offended.

There's tastefull, and then....



Lawlight said:
So Batgirl had to be a generic "badass female character"? As someone else says everyone is a victim in the killing joke. Also, your daughter would be an adult by the time she's ready to watch this.

She doesn't have to be generic. Generic is for the people lacking the talent to tell things in a new clever way. 



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bigtakilla said:
darkknightkryta said:
Okay I understand your complaint. I don't agree. Batgirl isn't overly sexualized. If anything, Batman is. I mean, Batgirl is just trying to get into his pants, and who wouldn't? My complaint is that this is out of character and Bruce Timm has to stop projecting Selina Kyle onto Barbara. "You could see how much she loved him blah blah blah." No you're the only one that saw that. What everyone else saw was how Barbara had a crush on Dick (Thank you for that amazing closer Gail). Funny thing is, it was never even hinted in the Animated Series' rebound episodes (I Think that's what they referred to them.) Then all of a sudden in Batman Beyond and Mystery of the Batwoman they were a couple. Really? WTF Timm? And WTF Dini? Why didn't you tell Timm this was a stupid idea?

To cap, I don't think Barbara was sexualized. No more than what that shit head Stewart wrote when he destroyed her character turning her from Batgirl to the Pixtagraph Queen of Burnside. Seriously, first few pages Barbara woke up with a hang over vaguely remembering making out with some random guy the night before. Now THAT'S sexualizing a character, turning her into some party animal making out with randoms.

From what I can tell here, and hopefully I'll see it soon, is that Barbara was enamored by Batman (Again Timm?) and she decided to seduce him. Takes balls to do that. Just terribly out of character. I also agree it added nothing to the movie, considering Joker did this to make Gordon go crazy. Not to get some vengeance against Batgirl, since he doesn't know who Batgirl is.

She isn't sexualized, she's objectified.

"sexually objectified" what's the difference?  Like, what's your interpretation.  I'm assuing you're refering to her as more sexualized, like making her a sex item.  My understanding of it would be as an "object" as a consequence.  My interpretation is essentially the same thing (She's sexualized and being a sex object are the same to me).  Though it sounds like your biggest complaint is that she's being used a something to "conquer" when Batman was the one being conquered.  Which is why I think Batman is the one being objectified here and not actually Barbara.   



spurgeonryan said:
Darc Requiem said:

Kids shouldn't be watching The Killing Joke. It's an adult story. It was never intended for children. The comic pushed the limits of what could be published in a comic at it's release. This animated version is an R rated film and it's intended to be graphic. It's not Teen Titans Go

Exactly. Which is why my kids are not watching it. Parents do not realize that just because it is animation, does not mean it ia suitable for kids.

Are there old movies you will not show your kids one day? Like the original Ghostbusters, or the Goonies, or Gremlins? Do you not like the original Star Wars? Movies don't dissappear before someone is old and mature enough to enjoy a cultural phenomenon, The Killing Joke comic (which by the way came out LONG before I read it) was an amazing story. The movie just turns an iconic character into.... Whatever that was....



darkknightkryta said:
bigtakilla said:

She isn't sexualized, she's objectified.

"sexually objectified" what's the difference?  Like, what's your interpretation.  I'm assuing you're refering to her as more sexualized, like making her a sex item.  My understanding of it would be as an "object" as a consequence.  My interpretation is essentially the same thing (She's sexualized and being a sex object are the same to me).  Though it sounds like your biggest complaint is that she's being used a something to "conquer" when Batman was the one being conquered.  Which is why I think Batman is the one being objectified here and not actually Barbara.   

Objectified and sexualized are different things.... Not catching your meaning... 



Robin has lost many fights as well and then Batman has showed up to save him. Sure they could have avoided or done some things differently, but they wanted to increase the impact of it, what and how would you have changed while keeping the ending and impact the same? Plus it is rated R...



tag:"reviews only matter for the real hardcore gamer"

bigtakilla said:
Lawlight said:
So Batgirl had to be a generic "badass female character"? As someone else says everyone is a victim in the killing joke. Also, your daughter would be an adult by the time she's ready to watch this.

She doesn't have to be generic. Generic is for the people lacking the talent to tell things in a new clever way. 

Well, in this day and age, if a female character isn't a "badass female character" people will complain.