Gone

With a spouse and daughter with modern feminist values, I am big on female empowerment movies.

Trouble is, they are few and far between.  Most Hollywood films still portray women as helpless underlings, dependent on males for protection.  This sad fact is most true of crime and thriller genres, where women find themselves the victims of ruthless attacks.

Recently, the Hunger Games gave us a nice new view of today's female: bold, cunning, wise, fearless, and above all, a warrior supreme!  Jennifer Lawrence...you go, girl!  We might have to go way back to Jennifer Lopez' portrayal of an abused spouse in Enough to find an equally empowered heroine.

Step aside, you wannabe female toughies!  Here comes Amanda Seyfried!

Amanda?  Isn't she the one who plays the sweet young rebel on Big Love?  Isn't she the one who does soppy love stories, like Mama Mia, Dear John, and Letters to Juliet?  Isnt' she the helpless victim in the wild sci-fi flick, Jennifer's Body?

NO, folks!  Here comes a new Amanda Seyfried!  Check her out in the picture above.  Doesn't she look tough?

OK, no spoiler, as usual, but here's the basic gist of the film:  The young female protagonist has been terrorized by a bad guy, and darn it, the police just don't buy her story!  So she has to take matters into her own hands.  And does she ever!  Can't give anything away, but suffice it to say that Amanda metes out justice in her own special way!

For viewers who like revenge motifs, and for those who seek strong female characters, this film is a must.  Don't expect profound messages or sophisticated dialog.

Mostly, the gun does the talking!  Haha!