Nope.
It has nothing to do with me as a writer, and everything to do with me being a reader.
The latest series I've been devouring isn't one you may guess. I've been reading The 5th Wave YA series, by Rick Yancey, and as you may know, the first book has been bastardized for a movie now.
Can you feel the rant boiling?
Yes, the book was better than the movie. The book is ALWAYS better than the movie, but that is not what stuck in my craw. Although, I did find myself getting more and more annoyed by every new altered scene that was more butchered than the last. Not even Alex Roe's applaudable good looks could save the stink fest they made the plot into.
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| His genetic compilation is working for him. |
No, the detail that tipped my scales, the one thing that had me muttering obscenities under my breath, was the girl they cast for the character Ringer.
The movie has Cassie, an all American, awkward, strawberry blonde teen girl as the main protagonist. In the book there are four main characters and their stories are actually divided more evenly than portrayed. In the second book Ringer, who is a bad ass Asian, Native American girl, is the main protagonist.
Yeah. If you haven't read the books, but watched the movie, you may have noticed that Ringer is a goth girl. Not Asian.
Here's what annoyed me about this: They changed so many details about the plot, why bother trying to Asian this girl up? I'm not even upset as an AmerAsian woman--which I am. I don't mind when Hollywood envisions something completely different. They changed eight-year-old pudgy character, Poundcake into a fit teenager. That's great. Live your dreams Hollywood. But if you want the actress to look more Asian, why not just hire an Asian actress?!!!
And I know Asia is a big place. Ringer is described as being 3/4 Asian and 1/4 Native American with shiny, raven black hair and porcelain skin. Maybe she's not Chinese. Or Indian. Maybe she's Russian, and all us readers are assholes for thinking she's the kind of Asian that we all associate with Asia. But I think we all know in our hearts she's not Russian.
Also, goth makeup? Really? Because six months or so after the Alien-Apocalypse a girl who is described as naturally strikingly beautiful, without any makeup, would be concerned about putting on her eyeliner every morning?
Hollywood producers can suck a bag of dicks.
So that's it. As rants go, it's not long winded or overly inflammatory. I'm just really sick of the strong, Asian female roles being tricked out to blonde American girls the director and producers plan on making look more Asian. That's just a load of crap.
I've not read this book or seen this movie, but to feed your rant, there was also Emma Stone in Cameron Crowe's movie Aloha. She was supposed to be Asian. Emma Stone. Yeah. Let that sink in. Like there is no other actress on the planet. Or really, if you're using your creative license, change her freaking name and don't make her Asian! (I have no idea if she needed to be Asian for plot purposes, I didn't actually see the movie because it looked terrible)
ReplyDeleteAt least they let Emma be an all American looking gal. That's what killed me about T5W. There was no reason Ringer had to look a certain way, other than naturally strikingly beautiful. She's the kind of girl that gets head turns. Ben Parish, one of the main protagonists has an automatic attraction to her looks. IMO the girl that played Ringer looked super plain and ugly w/ black hair and pasty makeup and black eye liner. She looked awful, and sickly. She's supposed to look beautiful and strong. Any other female lead can be badass without being made up like some goth/anime girl, unless you're meant to be an Asian character. It's a trend that has been growing and growing and it's bullshit.
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