Bruce Willis Can Escape Danger, But Not His Hegemonic Masculinity.

I’ve seen a decent share of action/adventure and science fiction/fantasy films to understand the “hierarchy of masculinities” (Meyer, 456). I want to focus on one of my personal favorite actors, Bruce Willis and how he is always depicted as the type of hegemonic male figure. As Elizabeth J. Meyer describes the hegemonic man to have, “…heterosexuality, power, authority, aggression and technical competence,” I will briefly examine some of the movies Willis has starred in and how he plays the same role in them.

Die Hard (one through 4), Pulp Fiction, The Fifth Element, and Sin City, are all films that Willis was casted in. In all of these movies Willis fights, rescues other people, and has issues with his very heterosexual relationships (Meyer, 457). Bruce Willis seems to be this man’s man with his muscles, baldhead, and ability to kick some evil butt to save a pretty girl.

I think what really stands out for me is that in The Fifth Element, Bruce Willis is sort of like the equivalent of an ex-Marine turned taxi driver who happens to be the only one who could save the most powerful being in the universe (the fifth element, who just happens to be an attractive woman). So, just to clarify how hegemonically masculine Bruce Willis is, he can save a mumbling, aspiring baker (16 Blocks), an element, which saves the world, and all other complicit male side kicks he encounters in any of his movies by fighting the other either with his own hands or weapons (whatever gets the job done).

I don’t care if Willis keeps playing his hegemonic role, although he is not getting any younger, I will still see his movies and enjoy all the action there is. Although, I do have to say that after reading the Meyer article, I never realized just how much Willis plays the same hegemonic character in his films. So in any future movies I see of Willis’, I’ll be on the lookout to see if his increasing age affects the hegemonic role he plays.