Poor Things

society (men) has always infantilized women. telling them what not to do, what not to wear, imprisoning them, telling them what is right and what is wrong. and yet, they want women to be these toys, models, miniatures, diminutive things that will always be at men’s disposal when it comes to sexual needs. they cant say no, they cant have a bad way, they always have to be in the mood. they cannot displease their husband, or else they’re seen as capricious and unladylike. family is what a woman wants. they are seen as an extension of their husband.  but at the same time, if women want to be free and explore their own sexual needs and desires, they will be condemned. called and deemed as ‘whores’ ‘sluts’. the moment a woman is not the perfect image that men want her to be, she is a ‘cunt’. men are allowed to expose themselves and show off, but women must cover up and hide away as they are cocotte otherwise. the point of the movie is not that whoring yourself or that sex is liberation. bella is a creature free from the graps of society and its rules, since she is first an experiment. this is a story of self discovery that comments, at the same time, the flaw of man. men will always see women, especially the ones who are naive, young and vulnerable, as something they wanna posses and can take advantage of for their own needs. the moment women do not comfort to their ideals, they have to be censured. and men will always be selfish, taking away a woman’s autonomy for their own egocentric goals.  bella is not a person that was created out of goodness, but out of the self centered gains of a man. yet, her journey just encompasses the flaws, the good and bad, the nonsensical and sorrow of mankind. humans are an inherently defect species and that will never change. there is so much to explore to life, so much to find out and learn and women should not be bound and taken out of that joy for some sad and grim ‘duty’ they have to fulfill for men. a movie does not need to tell you outright that the things happening are bad, as bella herself shows confusion, disgust and disappointment at the actions of men and how society treats women. the movie is a commentary and a fantasyland reality, told through self discovery and self reflection. it is not a feminist story, but just a case of an ‘what if’, that is way too close to reality.