Dishonored

The masculine essence of the spy drama is tempered by a feminine element in Dishonored. Those who are truly weak and vulnerable (and also childish) are the men, not Marie, who is self-confidently flirtatious even in the face of death. The men mistakenly believe that they can control a sensual woman-vamp by turning her into an object – with a code name instead of her real name. Marie accepts her humiliating role and all of the belittling disguises that come with it not because of her coquettish nature, but for the opportunity to infiltrate the world of men (in some particularly bold scenes, she directly infiltrates the world of their erotic fantasies) and sabotage it from within. Accentuated by her choice of costumes, her femininity destroys men. She is peculiarly at her most vulnerable as an ordinary woman in her civilian clothes at the beginning and end of the film (and the camera exploits her vulnerability immediately in the first shot, when an immodest close-up of her legs reduces her to an erotic object).  Like Sternberg’s other female protagonists, Marie changes from a victim into a hunter whose body is her weapon. She uses it to overpower her prey, whom she invites to undress or kiss her. And also like Sternberg’s other heroines, Marie cannot succeed in a world controlled by men. Her love does not stand a chance against their war. 75% (12/10/2013)