Misogyny is a culture of violence against women. Whether the woman is Black or brown, queer or trans, or dresses a certain way, her body is the focal point of the hate. This particular phenomenon is found across literature translations and on public access sites like Twitter and film sites like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. Actresses in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in particular, have furthered the way women are portrayed in film and television. They have followed the path paved by their fore-actresses by playing characters who kick ass and are properly clothed for battle. Yet, misogyny on public access sites persists, specifically in the form of review bombing.
Review bombing is a phenomenon where white male "fans" will purposefully leave a bad review of a project prior to its release. These phenomena are most common with women-centric superhero productions. The MCU is in a place where they have made great strides in diversity and representation, but they still have a long way to go in supporting their talent when they face xenophobic and misogynistic backlash. Often, these "fans" are upset the series focuses, in one instance, on the struggles of a Muslim teenager from New Jersey or, in another, that Black Widow’s suit is zipped all the way up. The misogynistic comments and reviews disproportionately occur when women are centered in a progressive way.
History of Review Bombs
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Many of the MCU's ‘firsts’ projects have been the gateway for fan reviews to be littered across IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. Ant-Man and the Wasp was the first MCU title naming a female lead. A majority of the 1-star reviews are empty and baseless. Making a film is a grueling process with many hours spent choosing the best actors or actresses, which is why MCU films stand out. Empty comments tend to undermine skillful actresses, like Evangeline Lilly, who easily portray quick-witted and smart women leads.
Similarly, with WandaVision, the first MCU series on Disney+ and the first woman-led MCU series, Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Wanda Maximoff, got to flex her funny muscles and her expansive emotional range. Typically, when women lead in a comedy, their humor can be punched down or derogatory, something WandaVision did not do. This change doesn’t land well for those who rely on bullying to be funny. Finally, with The Eternals being the first MCU film to have diversity in a myriad of ways, it was another refreshing ‘first’. The film is more representative of the world at large. One thing is certain with review bombing: they lack the substance they claim is missing from these projects. Pot, meet Kettle.
Roots in Misogyny
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The Verge discussed how review bombs reveal two disturbing reactions to films like Black Panther and Captain Marvel: films with more women and Black or people of color are major targets. We Forum found that women are sexualized more if they are the leader or boss across 56 films from five different countries and three continents. Additionally, UN Women discovered several disturbing aspects regarding violence against women; particularly how 1 in 3 women, globally, have been victims of physical and sexual violence from known and unknown men. The connection between film and real life is found in the trope sex is violence: two people physically fighting will become physically intimate. Due to the gravity of misogyny in Hollywood and in real life, the MCU needed to approach their first solo female superhero film differently.
When Brie Larson accepted the role of Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, she revealed to The Nerds of Color, “I didn’t realize how vital [having the script written by women was] until I read it for the first time and realized little things, like there’s little moments that I went ‘oh, those have always been like snags’ and things that I’ve had to fight for.” Just as Captain Marvel made headway, much to the male fans’ dismay, the first female teenage superhero needed to be just as out of this world. Iman Vellani, who portrays the delightful Kamala Khan in Ms Marvel, admitted on The Kelly Clarkson Show that she felt no pressure in being the first Muslim, female superhero in the MCU.
Impact on Female Driven Film and TV Series
Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, portrayed by Scarlett Johansson, is the first female superhero/spy in the MCU. As one of the most tenured actresses in the MCU, Johansson was subjected to sexist questions, next to her male co-stars who were asked well-thought-out questions. While these interviews were by professional outlets, the line between misogynistic review bombers and misogyny in the real world is practically non-existent, especially when interviewers repeat the misogynistic comments in interviews. One way Marvel fought back against the hyper sexualization of Black Widow was to change her superhero suit. In an interview with Variety, costume designer Jany Temime discussed the process of designing the suits for the cast of Black Widow. Front and center was the costume being tailored to a woman’s real body, meaning comfort was key.
Just as Black Widow paved the way for the following female superheroes in the MCU, Jen Walters/She-Hulk, portrayed by Tatiana Maslany, is breaking the fourth wall in a new, refreshing way. Between her comments straight into the camera or twerking with Megan Thee Stallion, She-Hulk is adding more dimension to how women are portrayed. Particularly when she enters the bathroom of a strange bar and a group of women helps clean her up. This scene is warm, safe, and magical, but it almost didn’t happen. Head writer Jessica Gao told Screen Rant, “I had to really go to bat for that scene because a lot of people didn't understand why it was so important.” MCU projects centering women superheroes are attacked by bored fans who leave empty comments because their fantasies are unfulfilled. Each woman superhero is an evolution, adding to the narrative created by their predecessors. It’s marvelous to witness.