Asian Women in Hollywood Action/Crime Films

This paper examines the representation of Asian women in U. S. action/crime movies from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. It focuses on the tradition of action/crime films in light of the cinematic portrayals of Asians and Asia, and explores how Asian women have been depicted in relation to their existing stereotypical images and the genre conventions. Closely looking at the representation of Asian women in Charlie’s Angels (2000), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Red Corner (1999), and The Art of War (2000), the paper reflects on the articulation of differences of race, gender, and ethnicity in consideration of the influences of Hong Kong action movies, the cinematic discourse of Oriental femininities, and the contextual specificities. Given the marginality of Asian women in the mainstream U. S. cinema, the increasing presentation of Asian women in mass-oriented action/crime films may offer an important site where Asian women are visible. The representations of Asian women in action/crime films can illustrate the ways in which the Western discourse of Oriental femininities is transformed, negotiated, or perpetuated, and allow for an understanding of how the Hollywood industry incorporates the trend of “Asiaphilia” in relation to global marketing strategies.