Contents

Abstract:.......................................2

Acknowledgements:...............................2

Introduction:...................................3

Methodology:....................................4

Literature Review:..............................7

Chapter One:...................................11

Chapter Two:...................................19

Conclusion:....................................24

Appendices:....................................26

Bibliography:..................................26

1

Abstract:Film is a great medium to establish current moods within

society, as an art form its popularity is hard to rival.

The war film has been a popular genre of film since the

First World War, consistently part of main stream viewing

and popular among audiences. Because of this realities can

be changed or distorted to suit policies of colonialism.

Many war films though stay in the periphery of culture

adored by some and not by others. Kathryn Bigelow has

changed that somewhat, gaining critical acclaim for her

films The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, becoming the first

female director to win an Oscar for The Hurt Locker.

Looking specifically at two films made about the war on

terror post the September 11th attacks. Both films are

directed by Kathryn Bigelow The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty.

2

The purpose of this research was to establish opposing

masculinities in both films and colonial rhetoric about the

invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, how in the modern war

film people are represented and the gender differences in

representation. Films are finding a new more complicated

gender narrative in war representation. Leading to

masculinities are shifting back towards that of the hyper

masculine male, with female characters taking on more

traditional masculine traits. Along with a new type of

narrative in colonial discourse that instead of

legitimising wars, using the struggle of soldiers as now

the source of legitimisation.

Acknowledgements:I would sincerely like to thank Dr John Morrissey for his

help and guidance throughout the research of this paper.

Introduction:

3

Film has the ability to engage an audience; film provides a

platform for people to discuss topics such as gender, race

and place. They can engage any audience from any part of

the world (Hooks, 1996). Film Creates topics while at the

same time holding a mirror up to it. Film is an important

Structure in our understanding of social and political life

while also shown values held within society (Bywater &

Sobchack, 1989).

Looking at how gender narratives and colonial discourse run

through Kathryn Bigelow’s films The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark

Thirty. Both films have been massively successful since the

release, with The Hurt Locker wining Bigelow an Oscar

(IMDb, 2010). While Zero Dark Thirty Drew many plaudits

and got nominated for an Oscar for best motion picture

(IMDb, 2013). Roles of gender have changed though the

course of the past century masculinity has change while

femininity has grown (Basinger, 1993). The role of women in

film has changed in film also with them changing to a more

leading role in male dominated genres of film (Gauntlett,

2002). The role of the man is also changing from the hyper

masculine action hero to the more fatherly less aggressive

4

stereotype (Gauntlett, 2002, Boose,2006). While gender is

playing a new role in War films about Americas and the

west’s war on terror.

Since the war on terror there is a new narrative to tell

the action from the view of the soldier (McAlister, 2006).

Leaving the politics of war and concentrating on the

person. Taking the audience away from the people who are

being invaded and placing the narrative at the suffering of

the invader (Eberwein, 2005, Huppauf, 2006).

Methodology:Post-colonial theory under pins the research in this paper.

Post-colonial theory was born out of the imperialism of

Britain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and

Germany. Post-colonial theory looks to uncover the cultural

forms following colonialism. Post-colonialism is a form of

critique that came to prominence during the fall of

imperialism. This does not mean it just concentrates on the

period after colonial independence but also re-examines the

history of colonialism. It attempts to debunk euro centric 5

ideas of the world (Shurmer Smith, 2001). Post-colonial

theory is based on the tri-continental experience and

continuing economic, social, political, subjective and

intellectual effects of colonialism/imperialism (Young,

2001). This paper is not based on historical context of

film but helps to conceptualise the films though a

colonising view point. The history of film in colonialism

used by Europe and America is well documented and has

remained remarkably the same (Eberwein, 2005). A post-

colonial view point helps engage with both films giving an

insight into how they represent the current occupations of

Afghanistan and Iraq from a modern colonising prospective.

Much of post- colonial theory was forged during the cold

war. The problem with this has been the stealthy emergence

of a new language of international politics centred on the

logic of the 'war on terror', that demands a review of some

main themes associated with postcolonial theory. The

violent hierarchy between the west and the rest of the

world, which characterised much of post colonial

interventions and critiques now seem irrelevant to the

contemporary complexities of the modern war, societies and

6

cultures. At the same time necessary as campaigns of

pacification, racisms and exploitations point to the

continuation of colonialism (Foulton, 2008). Edward Said

was a major influence in the creation of Colonial and Post-

Colonial studies. One of his major ideas was that the East

was depicted in many stereotypical ways in much as Western

discourse. That discourse often created and justified

brutal colonial policy and gave credence to further

imperial undertakings. This type of stereotyping of a

foreign society will only lead to an unrealistic perception

of that people or societies, purposely making it appear

ignorant, or need of being civilised. Breeding negative

stereotypes, which are shaped by colonialist ideology,

positive stereotypes can sometime have the same effect. As

for example women are more in touch with their emotions and

more nurturing and weaker making them in need of taking

care of (Rivkin, 2010). This theory examines contemporary

society and specifically through the eyes of two war films,

illustrates how colonialism is shown in the guise of the

western notion of liberation or of an invading imperial

force of the other.

7

Throughout the 20th century feminist theory has evolved in

different waves. There have been three different waves of

feminism, from early equal rights movements of the early

20th century, to the second wave from the 60’s to the 90’s

and now the third wave which is current (McDowell, 1993).

More specifically through the lens of film it has evolved

the same way. It will help to exam the different gender

roles in films especially the war movie. The role of women

in film has changed, during the second wave of feminism

women where usually just background characters, there to

provide a romantic foil to the male character (Dow, 1996).

This changed with the third wave of feminism as women’s

roles in society changed this started to represent itself

in roles on film, they became more independent and started

to take roles usually considered for men

(Grauntlett ,2002). Third wave feminism arose from the

second due to the changing role of women and the new

problems they faced in a male dominated society. During

this period in film women had new problems like what career

they wanted (Dow, 1993). Third wave feminists also began to

8

take into consideration the role of masculinity as the role

of the man began to change (Dow, 2006).

The data analysis in this paper will be discourse analysis

of the material, examining how the material in both films

is constructed, and asking who made the material. Who was

it intended for and when was it made, along with elements

of what is the medium that is used and who is intended to

see and invest in this material (Coultard, 1985).

Illustrating how images can show a different idea or

cultural landscape. As rose (2001) explained you have to

differentiate between an images way of seeing and our own.

He further explained that there are three sites of where

meaning of images are made and affected, the site of

production, the site of the image and the site of audience.

Examining also how the visual image can become symbolic,

certain scenes can be interpreted, gearing you emotionally

towards them changing how are they meant to be perceived.

How are the soldiers perceived? How are the local people

perceived? How are the country portrayed and what shots are

used to provoke a certain type of response (Bartram, 2010).

Geographies of film have looked at these questions

9

previously. The theories of mobility of depicting people

transported through film to far flung places.

Literature Review: Examining femininity and masculinity in film illustrates a

clear divide. A simple way of doing it is called binary

opposition; this describes the difference between

masculinity and femininity (Turner, 1988). This definition

is simple and does not go into the details of the more

complex aspects of gender definition (Pomerance, 2001).

Much of the cinematic life gender stereotypes where the

norm, women had a submissive role in film, this usually

entailed playing a romantic subplot (Basinger, 1993). This

only changed around the 1970’s when more progressive women

characters began to appear; female characters began to

appear in roles typically reserved for men like the science

fiction horror Alien starring Sigourney Weaver. She played

the hard headed and tough Ellen Ripley (Gauntlett, 2002).

The 1980’s and 1990’s saw a large shift in female roles,

more career minded independent roles began to appear. This

10

was evident in the film Thelma and Louise about two women who

reject the male world signifying a switch in gender roles,

becoming the characters with power leaving the male world

unable to do anything about it (Welsch, 2001).

Due to this shift in the role of the female character in

film history has this had an effect on their male

counterpart. Throughout cinema history men have been the

stars and heroes in films (Gauntlett, 2002). Masculinity

has changed over time from suit wearing diplomatic

character of the 1950’s and 1960’s (Gauntlett, 2002) to the

masculinity in the 1980’s. This changed with the

disappointment of the Vietnam War and the emasculating

effect it had on the male psyche (Boose, 2006). There were

hyper masculine characters in cinema in the 1980’s

Schwarzenegger’s Commando and Predator, this was a distinct

shift in the way male characters were represented (Dow,

1996). There was a transition from this hyper masculinity

to a more sensitive father like figure although many kept

their masculine personas when transitioning to a more

fatherly caring figure (Gauntlett, 2002). This aligns with

Boose’s (2006) feeling of fatherly abandonment following

11

the Vietnam War, in films such as Rambo. Dow (1996)

believes this movement in masculinity came from the second

wave feminist movement with the change in feminist

characters; the male masculine character also had to

change.

As the war film has developed, changing attitudes to gender

in society have a great impact on what ideals are portrayed

in them (Turner, 1988). Early war films where usually

positive affairs. With the U.S entry into World War II

there was a push to produce pro war films (Schatz, 2006).

The narrative of the hero soldier continued until the

Vietnam War (Litchy and Carroll, 2008). These set of rules

for war films stayed up until after the Vietnam War. During

the Vietnam War there was no war film critiquing the it. It

was only after the war that anti-war films started to get

created (Gates, 2005). There was large social unrest in

America at the time of the war in Vietnam with civil right

demonstrations and women’s liberation groups constantly

taking to the street along with mass protest at the Vietnam

War (James, 2006). It wasn’t until the mid seventies that

12

any Vietnam movies started to get produced and a shift

appeared in the way war films were made (Gates, 2005).

After Vietnam there was a need in war films to portray the

reality of war and demonstrate the struggle of the solider

in these terrible situations. Films like Saving Private Ryan

and Black Hawk Down started to show the horrors of war

without directly engaging in the politics of war (Gates,

2005). Eberwein (2005) demonstrates how ethnic race can be

used in films. Eberwein(2006) illustrates how it has been

used in film to reinterpret the past in different ways,

reinvent new histories and new interpretations of these

events. Film has a great popularity among people, war films

are especially popular, and thousands of films have been

made on many different wars. World War Two films, Vietnam

and leading to modern war the war films to name but a few,

War films have always been with us and have for the most

part been taken as a matter of fact. Taking the politics of

war leaves the audience out of the war but in to the

soldier’s point of view as the victim rather than as part

of the machine that has been instrumental in it persistence

(Huppauf, 2006).

13

Mohamed (2004) proposes the idea that the use of language

has been used and manipulated over the past decade in media

to misrepresent actions and spaces and that it has the

“ability to hide meaning behind a misleading sign”

(Mohamed, 2004, pp 124). How the changing of the meaning of

words like holy war and a war on terror from metaphors has

led to wars between nations. Rose (2001) examines how

entertainment is visually constructed and whether visual

images are as important as those we hear or read. She

examines a way to justify interpretation giving the ground

work for the methodology to interrupt visual images. She

also shows you how it is important to be critical of images

and to reflect. It will be an important factor in the

analysis of the films due to the visual nature of film and

its use of certain images to convey a form of language.

Campbell (2005) describes such things as how 9/11 had the

feel of a blockbuster film. Prior to these events people

felt the distance between the film and the reality but post

9/11 people are more venerable to these images. Campbell’s

(2005) writings describe how subjectivity is constructed

through images, sounding out two basic images, the post war

14

image and the classical image which refers up to World War

Two. We have to look at war films after the 9/11 attacks

and ask who are they for (Coultard, 1985). It was thought

after 9/11 people would not have an appetite for war films

and that musicals would make a comeback. In December of

2001, Black Hawk Down was released to popular demand. The

film does not portray the political aspect of the battle

which is based on real events that happened in Somalia but

the comradeship between the soldiers, we are never

subjected to the Somali side of the conflict (McAlister,

2006). Delving deeper into theory on moment and looking at

films in there portrayal of gender roles and the use of

western masculinity, Schuhmann (2006) tries to deconstruct

the language used in film, the image of western masculinity

and how it is portrayed. Masculinity is a subject that is

very abstract and sometimes very difficult to see, it gives

a foundation to start and research the idea of masculinity

in film language and use of images. Examining this area of

masculinity and its use in ethnic race has given the

subject more of a reach into different areas of western use

of language as a way of separating them and other.

15

Schuhmann (2006) examines the representation of other, the

U.S construction of masculinity and how masculinity in war

is portrayed. Describing the symbolism in western culture

of the white liberated women, the non western victimized

women and how it suits superior national culture with

international interests, such as to justify humanitarian

intervention (Schuhmann,2006). Doods (2008) talks about the

immense popularity of films as a form of entertainment,

along with their ability to gain the attention of mass

audiences. Doods (2008) States how cinema can help to

create certain understandings of events or national

identities. Doods (2008) describes how that after 9/11

government officials met with members of the entertainment

industry to see how they could contribute to the war. He

examines themes that relate to film and the war on terror.

Films are a rich medium in the exploration of geopolitical

geographies, audiences are susceptible to popular culture

and the yarns that are spun (Dodds, 2008).

16

Chapter One:The Hurt Locker is based on accounts of Mark Boal, is

freelance journalist who was embedded with an American bomb

squad in the war in Iraq for two weeks in 2004. He said of

the film's goal,

“The idea is that it's the first movie about the Iraq War

that realistically portrays and show the experience of the

soldiers. We wanted to show the kinds of things that

soldiers go through that you can't see on T.V, and I don't

mean that in a censorship-conspiracy way. I just mean the

news doesn't actually put photographers in with units that

are these elite. As a journalist, Boal was embedded with

troops and bomb squads in 2004 during the Iraq War” (IMDB,

2012).

He wrote an article about one of the bomb experts, Sergeant

Jeffrey S. Sarver, entitled "The Man in the Bomb Suit"

(Boal, 2004). It is directed by Kathryn Bigelow, an

American Director well known in Hollywood. The film begins

17

with a quotation from a 2003 book by Chris Hedges, who is a

journalist for the new York times : "The rush of battle is

a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug"

(Hedges, 2003, p2).

Masculinity:

A running theme throughout the film is the intense

masculinity that is ever present throughout, but is

especially evident in the main character. America suffered

a crisis of confidence after the Vietnam War. The War was

the war of a generation. It gave a chance for the

generation who followed World War II to join the American

rite of passage to war. Much was the notion of the fresh

faced gun fighter of the Wild West and the young innocent

nation. The innocence of it was destroyed in post Vietnam

and its films when the image of the fatherly nation figure

or sergeant figure was portrayed in a deeply more negative

light (Boose, 2006). Three is a belief with scholars that

masculinity is vital in the way in which war gains its

legitimacy in the lives of people (Hutchings, 2001). Some

believe that masculinity is the cause of wars in the first

place as Boose (2006) stated through the need to remain the

18

hero through a rite of passage, to gain your masculinity

through war. Others state that war itself creates the need

for masculine men to fight in these wars (Hartsock, 1989).

The Hurt Locker and more predominantly its main protagonist

James embody the masculine attitude to war. His leadership

is that of the well know hero who does not obey the rules

of the authority, becoming the idea of the eternal

adolescent, a risk taker who does not play by the rules.

According to Boose (2006) this a deep American cultural

ideal the one of the eternal boy the nature of boyishness

in the American culture. The main characters are shown in

different lights with James the hyper masculine leader who

is followed by the less masculine Sanborn and Eldridge. It

follows the story of Sergeant  William James, a veteran of

the field. He arrives In Iraq as the new team leader of

a U.S. Army  Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit in the

Iraq War, one of the most dangerous jobs in Iraq at the

moment. Sanborn is not as masculine causing the tension in

the group. The film begins with the death of

Sergeant Matthew Thompson who is killed by a radio

controlled improvised explosive device (IED) in Baghdad,

19

illustrating the intense danger of the job (Boal and

Bigelow, 2008). As the film develops the tension between

Sanborn and James and their differing masculinities becomes

clear. This leads to Sanborn considering blowing up James

when the team has to destroy explosives out in the desert.

James forgets his gloves near the explosive and goes to

retrieve them. As James is down by the explosives Sanborn

openly discusses setting off the detonator to Eldridge, but

ultimately doesn’t. Sanborn is not the masculine man

described by Hartsock (1989) but more the common man who is

rational and thoughtful of his actions. Sanborn is not the

hyper masculine man that James is and comes across as more

feminine highlighted when Sanborn shouts at James to

respond to him over the radio to which James replies “I

didn’t know we were on a date” (Boal and Bigelow, 2008).

This highlights the tension between the masculinities of

both characters feminising Sanborn and reaffirming Boose’s

(2006) point of the boy eternal portrayed in James

character. Another way James shows his masculinity over

the other characters is the fight scene between Sanborn and

James which is just fun after the team has been drinking

20

heavily. Eldridge draws circles on the men’s stomachs and

they proceed to punch each other as hard as they can. James

takes it a step too far when he pins down and pulls a knife

on Sanborn, creating tension in the room. James is

reaffirming his masculine dominance over the less hyper

masculine character. James releases Sanborn after telling

the pair it was a joke (Boal and Bigelow, 2008).

Later when the team raid a warehouse, James comes across

the body of a young boy, the boy has been surgically

implanted with an unexploded bomb. James believes it to be

of a young Iraqi kid he had previously befriended. As they

evacuate, the camp's psychiatrist who councils Eldridge

earlier in the film, is killed in an explosion. Eldridge

takes it hard and blames himself for the psychiatrist’s

death. Later, James leaves there base camp seeking revenge

for the young Iraqi boy, and breaks into the house of an

Iraqi professor, but gathers no information and he leaves

(Boal and Bigalow, 2008). Gates (2005) believes there is a

new type of war hero emerging unlike Eldridge who shows

great vulnerability throughout the film seeing a

psychiatrist. James shows little sign of fear or regard for

21

anyone but himself but when James comes across the body of

who he thinks is the young Iraqi kind he befriended, he

takes it very hard. This may also re-iterate Boose’s (2006)

assertion of the boy eternal seeking revenge for his fallen

friend. James struggle when the team are called to a truck

explosion. James proceeds to search for the insurgents

responsible by himself, believing them to still be in the

area. The rest of the team protest, but when James

continues his search Sanborn and Eldridge are forced to

follow. They decide to they split up, after which Eldridge

is captured by insurgents. James and Sanborn manage to

rescue him but accidentally shoot him in the leg while

doing so. The next day, James meets the young Iraqi boy,

who he thought was dead. The young boy tries to play with

James and sell DVDs to him, but the soldier walks by

without saying a word. He also meets Eldridge airlifted for

surgery outside of the base. Eldridge is angry with James

and believes he is responsible for his injury. Following

this James in the shower fully uniformed washing the blood

off, he sits down and starts crying (Boal and Bigalow,

2008). Although Gates (2005) point that war heroes are

22

becoming more feminised in there display of emotions this

may not be the case here, although James does break down he

is only doing so in private, only the audience see this as

he hides it from his team. Although this does not fully

confirm Boose’s (2006) point relating to hyper masculinity

as he shows real emotions and vulnerability.

Sanborn is different. James and Sanborn have only two days

left on their tour when they are called out for a mission.

An Iraqi civilian has a bomb vest strapped to him

unwillingly. James finds out the bomb is timed and tries to

cut off the locks to remove the vest, but get them all

undone in the given time. He has no choice but to leave the

man, who is ultimately killed when the bomb explodes.

Sanborn does not handle the man's death well, he later

confesses to James that the pressure is too much and he

wants to return home and start a family (Boal and Bigalow,

2008). We learn James has a family at home. At the end of

the tour James returns home to his wife, Connie and their

toddler son. However, he gets visibly more agitated by the

boredom and the routine of civilian life. One night, James

tells his son that there is only one thing that he knows

23

and loves. Soon after he starts another tour of duty

starting with another bomb disposal unit as they are

starting their yearlong rotation. This makes James as the

fatherly figure longed for in war films as discussed by

Boose (2006). Not only is James a father figure at home but

demonstrates fatherly instincts out in the field. On their

way back to the camp from the blowing up of explosives in

the desert, the team encounter armed men dressed in Arab

clothing. After a tense encounter, the men reveal

themselves to be British mercenaries, who had a flat tire.

They are in the process of bringing two prisoners featured

on the most-wanted Iraqi playing cards back for a reward.

The entire group come under fire from snipers. The

prisoners attempt to escape in the confusion, the leader of

the mercenaries shoots them, believing the contract for

them being dead or alive. The snipers kill three of the

mercenaries, along with the leader. Sanborn and James take

a sniper rifle from one of the mercenaries in a long

standoff between them and the snipers, ending with Sanborn

and James killing all three attackers (Boal and Bigalow,

2008). During this encounter the men have to wait an

24

undefined amount of time for the snipers to show

themselves. The men become dusty and thirsty. James

demonstrates his compassion by giving a drink to Sanborn

and calming down Eldridge when he panics at seeing another

sniper. This again confirms Boose’s (2006) belief in the

fatherly figure but in this case a more positive light then

through the Vietnam War films. In the case of Hartsock’s

(1989) view of the masculine man needed for war is also

portrayed in the film, , the only reliable soldier is James

who does not let fear effect his work or public domineer

unlike the more effeminate Sanborn or Eldridge.

Colonialism:

The name itself reminds one of a horrible situation or

place of emotional pain. The pain of war is highlighted in

the opening scene when Sergeant Matthew Thompson is killed

by a radio controlled improvised explosive device (IED)

in Baghdad, illustrating the intense danger of the job and

the intense risk in operating in civilian areas. The scene

25

begins with Thompson, Sanborn and Eldridge in Bagdad, they

usher the civilians off the street so they can detonate the

explosive. The town is dirty and has many people watching

the men, making them nervous pointing out that the

civilians are a threat. An Iraqi man with goats walks past

them as the men laugh at him (Boal and Bigelow, 2008).

This would seem to verify Rivkin’s (2010) view of the

stereotyping of people. This image of the goat herder right

in the middle of a city portrays a backward society with no

complete roads, filthy and decayed buildings all around

them. Rose (2001) asks how you are supposed to portray the

scene and as the audience, the mood is very tense while the

perspective is that of the soldiers. Campbell (2005) talks

about 9/11 having the feeling of a Hollywood blockbuster,

this scene seems to have the opposite effect of a Hollywood

blockbuster, a feeling of realism is prevalent throughout

the scene with close angle shots of the soldiers along

with a shaky style of shot, making it feel like it was shot

with a camcorder. The discourse through which this is

portrayed emotionally is that of fear of the outsider. The

team are not the men invading, but are the ones we feel

26

danger for. This is a continuing theme throughout the film.

We never engage with the Iraq people, they always appear as

figures hovering around always in the background as seen

most prominently in the scene just discussed. This scene

illustrates that Thompson is killed and James, Sanborn and

Eldridge are called to disarm a car bomb outside a U.N

building, as James dismantles the bomb Sanborn is keeping

an eye on the roof tops but can’t due to the number of

people watching. The Iraq people watching are ghostly

threatening figures, through Sanborn’s fear and the quick

jerking camera movements trying to keep an eye on people,

the audience feel the panic of Sanborn (Boal and Bigalow,

2008, Rose, 2001). The film illustrates these methods

according to El-Khairy (2010) completely, ignoring any kind

of debate on American interventionism in Iraq. McAlister

(2004) makes a similar point with the film Black Hawk Down

describing how Ridley Scott stated it was not a political

film. It goes down the same lines as the Hurt Locker in its

use of shooting the action at very close quarter’s kind of

scenario, along with its sense of comradely between the

soldiers. This narrative showcases the soldier’s point of

27

view. The viewers are shielded from the indigenous view

examining the invaders, rather embedded with the American

ideology. It is their struggles and their belief that

provide good motives to pursue any course of action

(Eberwein, 2005). The Film has the power to talk the

audience out of the war but in to the soldier’s point of

view as the victim of the war rather than a cog in the

machine that brought this war (Huppauf, 2006).

Chapter Two:Zero dark thirty is the second film by Kathryn Bigelow and

writer Mark Boal. It is based on the capture of Osama Bin

Laden, claiming to be the enactment of real events during

the capture of bin laden. It follows the real life

intelligence gathering operation to capture Bin Laden

28

beginning in 2003 and leading up to the Navy Seal raid to

capture him in a compound in Pakistan.

Feminism:

Unlike Bigelow’s previous film the Hurt Lock the main

protagonist is not a hyper masculine male but a female

lead. Maya is a young C.I.A (Central Intelligence Agency)

agent fresh out of high school. We begin by meeting her in

2003 as she is being reassigned to Pakistan in the hunt for

Osama Bin Laden. At the beginning we see Maya sit in on

torture sessions with her fellow officer Dan as they

interrogate a detainee named Ammar at a C.I.A black ops

site. They use torture methods such as water boarding and

humiliation to extract information from the suspect (Boal

and Bigelow, 2012). Maya steps outside of the expected role

of masculinised society such as U.S military or

intelligence communities for women. Maya does not fulfil

the expected role of women in this maculated society as

Rose (1993) deduces. She appears to come more in line with

Hartsocks (1989) view of war creates the masculine men

29

needed to fight, Maya seems to have met this even though

she is female, still producing this masculinity. At first

we see Maya she is a bit squeamish at watching the torture,

Dan suggests she wait outside while it is done saying there

is no shame of wanting to go in; Maya says no she wants to

be there while it is done. As mentioned by Gates (2005)

there is a new type of war hero emerging although he never

mentioned a women as this new type of hero. Maya shows just

that as James before her she is hard to break down. She

does not follow the narrative of the weak female in the

masculine arena of war. The film sets to deliberately

gender the narrative, at the start of the film we hear

voice recording from victims of the 9/11 attacks. The

voices we hear are predominately female this sets the scene

for a female character to get revenge for all the women

that died that day (Cornell, 2013). So even though we see a

bit of squeamishness in Maya at the sight of torture, we

soon realise that this does not necessarily mean she does

not condone it. When asked for help by the detainee she

just tells him to give up the information or his treatment

30

would not improve (Boal and Bigelow. 2012). This lets the

audience know she is durable.

Even though Maya does not inhabit the same Role as James in

The Hurt Locker as Boose, (2006) describes as the boy

eternal, she does have the lone wolf attitude and sheer

determination at what she does. Shown by mainly male

characters this gender reversal is nothing new (Welsch,

2001). But the point Gates (2005) makes about the

feminisation of the war film has taken place here it is not

fully feminised, even though there are several important

female characters here. The moral war is not visible to the

audience, as there is no protest from the female character

about the use of torture when she observes it and even uses

it herself to interrogate a suspect. She reaffirms Furia

and Bielby’s (2009) belief that most women within a

military context in film become more masculine. This is

present at times throughout the film but is prevalent as

well when she is pleading the case for the compound that

she uncovers. She believes Bin Laden to be hiding in

Pakistan. During a meeting with the heads of C.I.A, the

head of the C.I.A Leon Panetta asks her who she is, she

31

replies “I’m the motherfucker who found this place, sir”

(Boal and Bigelow, 2012). This is as Welsch (2001)

describes as the switching of the gender role. The

aggressive nature of the comment immediately maculated her

in his eyes, while he is surrounded by emasculated men who

cannot make a decision on whether or not Bin Laden is in

the compound or not. She is confident in her ability to

tell if he is there or not. Although she is maculated in

parts of the film it is an argument she does not take up

the role of the passive female in a male orientated world

although this is nothing new as Grauntlett (2002) explains

with past female lead roles once only reserved for men.

Colonialism:

The film starts with a black screen with the voices of the

phone calls from victims of the 9/11 attacks (Boal and

Bigelow, 2012). It is a striking and emotive as we hear the

panic and terror of the victims of 9/11. This is a

deliberate response by the filmmaker to reengage memories

of real people who died that day. This is for an American

32

audience or a broader western audience. Putting people into

the mind set of how they may have felt that day (Rose,

2001, Coultard, 1985). The action begins with CIA

Operative, Dan walking into a dingy room called a black op

site where a detainee is being held captive. A number of

other CIA members are there all wearing balaclavas except

Dan to shield their identities. Dan sets out rules to Ammer

(the detainee), If he doesn't do exactly what Dan tells him

to do, like look at him when he's being spoken too, Dan

says he will hurt him. Along with these rules if Ammar

steps off the mat he's on, or lies to Dan about anything,

He will hurt him. Dan has Ammar put in tighter restraints

and signals to one of the masked men to come with him

outside. He orders his men not to talk to Ammar (Boal and

Bigelow, 2012). The scene evokes shock at the treatment of

the man who is clearly Middle Eastern and in already bad

shape from previous beatings (Coultard, 1985). Once they

are outside one of them removes the mask to reveal it is

Maya. Dan tells her she does not have to go back in and

they should go for coffee. She declines and insists they

should go straight back in. Dan tells her this process of

33

extracting information takes a while, that the detainee has

to know how helpless he is. Dan tells Maya to put her

balaclava back on, she declines stating Dan is not wearing

one (Boal and Bigelow, 2012). This establishes what

Schuhmann (2006) says about the white liberated women, not

only is she watching the torture but she is actively

involved in what is happening. She is a metaphor for the

liberated white women fighting for the women still

oppressed under the regimes of the Middle East. Showing

this symbol of that oppression her power now liberated by

the far superior culture of the west (Mohamed,2004). The

two of them go back in to the room. Dan tells Ammar that he

needs to understand what the situation is. He tells Ammar

he knows all about him, and has had a lot of chances to

kill him, but let him live so they could talk. Ammar

angrily exclaims that Dan is nothing more than a “garbage

man for his corporation”, Dan tells Ammar he helped fund

the 9/11 attacks and was caught with explosives in his

house when they found him. Dan points out he doesn't want

to talk about 9/11, but really wants to know who are the

“Saudi Group” that Ammar has links too. Ammar will not talk

34

so Dan and his men place mats behind him. Dan and the men

force Ammar to the ground. Dan asks Maya to get him a

bucket of water and a towel. With the towel over Ammar Dan

tells him to give him an email address, and demands to know

when the last time Ammar saw Bin Laden. When Ammar doesn’t

answer Dan precedes to water board him. After a while when

Ammar has not given up any information, Dan tells Ammar

that in the end everyone breaks (Boal and Bigelow, 2012).

It is not often we see situations in which the U.S soldier

is torturing others, it is usually the other who is

torturing U.S, many Vietnam films shown the hostage taking

like The Deer Hunter (Boose, 2006). As Schuhmann (2006) says

these are narratives that are useful to shape the

representation of people. Also Rose (2001) asks about the

production of an image this portrays the west as engaging

in torture practices but if we think back to the start of

the film. We remember the voices of the victims of 9/11

this is emotionally engaging bring images of death and pain

but also revenge. Although the torture can be justified

through the pain of 9/11, it also can be through the way it

is portrayed; in all instances it produces results that

35

lead the team to the capture of Bin Laden. Even when

torture does not work and she is given the wrong name. Maya

gets onto a boat in Gdansk Poland, which is revealed as a

black ops site. She meets a man hand cuffed and an

interpreter. She asks him some questions, he claims that he

only had contact with a man only known as Fahraj. Maya is

thinks the suspect could be making it up asking him to give

more, the prisoner names all of Fahraj's children. He

confirms what they found out earlier that there was a

network in place to pass messages from top to bottom. Maya

brings the information back to Bradley the head of

operations and gives him a report. Bradley believes that

the hunt for Abu Ahmed has been a waste of time because she

doesn't know his real name or where to find him. She

replies that the fact that everyone has heard of Abu Ahmed

means that he is important and the detainee on the boat

went to great lengths to hide him (Boal and Bigelow,2012).

The fact the detainee on the boat would not give up the

name meant that even though torture did not give up a name

it confirmed information. Through this narrative of

colonial discourse the coloniser establishes and

36

legitimises their presence and continuing war through film

(Eberwein, 2005, Rose 2001, Huppauf, 2006).

Conclusion:The idea behind the study was to identify changing

masculinities and femininity along with narratives of

colonialism in Kathryn Bigelow’s War films. The research

has found that these films have created new complex

masculinities. While the character is not only in a war he

is also fighting an internal struggle while maintaining the

hyper masculine eternal boy mentality. Whereas in her

second film Zero Dark Thirty Bigelow provides a female lead

character, despite none of the feminine quality’s

associated with war films. She is a strong lead never

undermined by the male bosses. Although strong female

characters have been witnessed before, this is the first in

a film on the war on terror. The film breezes through her

involvement in torture normalising it for an audience.

Leading to the Production of the narrative that this is a

necessary measure to get people responsible for the

37

September 11th attacks. The emergence of this female lead,

who not only shows the superior culture of the west through

its liberation of women but that if we come looking for you

we will find you. Both films also use displacement as a

means of disengaging you from politics, by placing you in

the narrative of the soldier. Leaving you disengaged from

the people there are fighting. There were significant

limitations to carrying out this research as with any

academic paper. With more time the researcher could have

had more time to look deeper into the subject. Also

subjectivity was also an issue as the paper was done

through the researchers point of view.

38

Appendices:

Please refer to. http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/academy/media/zerodarkthirty-screenplay.pdf. For Script to Zero Dark Thirty.

Please Refer to. http://wiscreenwritersforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Hurt-Locker-The.pdf. For Script to The Hurt Locker.

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