Jessica Chastain is not happy with how “Justice League” changed the Amazon warriors’ outfits
Some celebs remain silent on social issues, but Jessica Chastain is not one of those celebs. The actress has never backed down from confronting matters that range from the lack of diversity on TV, to the importance of having female directors and execs on set, to the depiction of women in movies. This time around, Jessica is taking aim at Justice League. The DC movie, which has so far received mixed reviews, is being released this Friday, and Jessica took to Twitter to express a major, glaring issue.
Is it the plot? Nope, that’s not it. Is it possible problematic language in the film? No, not that we know of. Instead, it’s all about the costumes the Amazon warriors wear in the male-directed Justice League versus the blockbuster Wonder Woman helmed by Patty Jenkins.
There’s clearly a disparity in the costuming. The Patty Jenkins version included breast plates, knee guards, and badass wrist gear. Contrast that with the Zack Snyder Amazons, who have exposed abs and seemingly no armor. Not exactly ideal for war.
Here is a fantastic example of the difference between the male and female gaze.
Patty Jenkins' Amazon warriors on the left. Zack Snyder's on the right. pic.twitter.com/fRDkV8dFLe— Melissa Silverstein (@melsil) November 12, 2017
Jessica weighed in on the visual difference.
Hey men, what would you wear to fight? Hint: dont expose your vital organs.
Ugh I miss @PattyJenks https://t.co/O8sZlnmE8Y— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) November 14, 2017
One person pointed out that it’s not simply the difference in directors, but the gender of the costume designers as well.
In case you wonder: Here's a picture of how the Amazons looked in Wonder Woman...next to pic how they look in Justice League. First designed by Lindy Hemming, second by Michael Wilkinson.
Some steps backwards, methinks. pic.twitter.com/IVqeX7PBso— Atte Timonen (@Rosgakori) November 12, 2017
This seems like another example showcasing the danger of having a lack of diversity on set.
I'm glad we have those new amazon outfits for #JusticeLeague because now there's visual evidence of what happens when you don't have diversity behind the scenes, in the process of creating a story.
— Priscilla Zorzi (@Priscilla_Zorzi) November 13, 2017
While the initial photo immediately raised eyebrows and the ire of Twitter, some put a halt on the over-sexualization of the Amazons.
One only needs to think back to the Spartans in 300 (also directed by Justice League’s Snyder). Those dudes practically wore Speedos during hand-to-hand combat. Also, it’s noted that the Wonder Woman Amazons and those in Justice League are from different time periods, which may account for the change in garb.
Since the costume controversy started, a few of the women who play the Amazons have come out in defense of their ensembles.
Samantha Jo is a professional martial artist and plays Euboea in both Wonder Woman and Justice League. She had nothing but praise for the new costuming and even said she appreciated that it allowed her greater mobility for fight scenes.
“I think it’s important to remember that the fighting style of the Amazons is quite different than that of a Knight, a Samurai, a Kryptonian, etc. We’ve been able to see that the Amazonian fighting is a little more acrobatic and larger than life requiring armor that allows for that kind of articulation in the body.”
Also, fellow Amazonian (and real life CrossFit champ) Brooke Ence expressed her approval. She told USA Today that not every woman wore a two-piece and “the girls on set, we never thought of (the new costumes) as a sexy version. It felt a little more glamorous, if anything, because we had bigger, beautiful hair, which I loved.”
A post shared by brookeence (@brookeence) on Nov 7, 2017 at 7:31am PST
Hmm, case of empowerment? Or, case of over-sexualization?
