Over the holidays, I saw the new James Bond movie with my dad. We had been waiting to see it together, and it was worth the wait. I was so happy that [SPOILER] no women died!!! A first since like the 70s. But it made me think back to the previous movie, Skyfall. That movie is one of my favorites ever. There's one scene in it in particular, however, that caught my attention, and that I will be discussing here. Right after Bond meets Silva, the main villain, on his island, he is tied up and caressed by the villain. It is a very sexual scene, and yet, it is unwanted. Bond did not consent to the touching, so it is sexual assault, which is very unique for men to be shown this way, especially in an action movie.
James Bond is a staple of American childhood. Even if you haven't seen any of the movies about him, or read the books, and I had not until I was 16, you grow up hearing his name. You know his drink (martini, shaken, not stirred), his infamous way of saying his name (Bond, James Bond), his credentials (Secret Agent 007 for Mi6, License to Kill), and the fact that he is a suave ladies man (the Bond Girls). He is a symbol of what true masculinity is, strong, clever, well-off, debonair, and a myriad of other things. So for him to be sexually assaulted is a huge thing. This thing normally happens only to women, and a man has to save them. No one saves Bond, he is forced to go suffer through, and Daniel Craig's acting was so amazing at this point. He's pretty much helpless, and has to just keep going forward, and he tries so hard to stay strong, and clever with his little quips and remarks, and that really resonated in me. I think we definitely need more of this multi-dimensional action hero, who can be tough and strong, and still be hurt, in more than an 'oh this girl I've known for 30 minutes and had a short relationship with has gotten killed because of me' kind of way. This shows more of a real character than the typical manly-man, and shows that men are and can be sexually assaulted, and can help people speak out about such a topic.
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