Victim mentality

Elle has been described as ‘a rape revenge comedy’, which seems unlikely, and also as ‘post-feminist’, which is likely as, in my experience, that simply means anything goes so long as you acknowledge that feminism has happened. The film stars Isabelle Huppert, who was Oscar-nominated for her performance, and who has repeatedly said that her character, Michèle, is not ‘a victim’ although, as you have to watch Michèle being raped or near-raped several times, I don’t know how we can be so sure about that. Perhaps I’m just not sufficiently in touch with my ‘post-feminist’ side to fully comprehend.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct, RoboCop, Total Recall, Showgirls) and written by David Birke from a novel by Philippe Djian — correct me if I am wrong, seriously, but have any women ever made a ‘rape revenge’ film, comic or otherwise? — it opens with a black screen, a scream, then the sound of sexual congress.