Recently, Shadow and Act writer Sergio Mims pondered on the whereabouts of the manly man in film:
“It started with a conversation I had once with one of my friends, and she brought to my attention an article by the African American film critic Wesley Morris, while he was writing for The Boston Globe (and who is now writing reviews for the website Grantland) about the lack of real, genuine, masculine men in movies nowadays, that are both American and under 40.
Think about it. Practically all male movie stars that are both American and under 40 are really just over-sized boys who maybe haven’t really grown any pubic hair yet. They seem to lack a solid presence and, what I like to call, that “masculine weight”. So my friend and I started to think about what well-known established Black American actors could fill that bill, and I’m afraid, we couldn’t.”
My favorite black action star is Michael Jai White. He is not just my favorite because his body is straight-ridiculous and makes me think scandalous thoughts. He is also my favorite because he is a kick-a** professional martial artist in real life and does all of his stunts in his movies. If you have Netflix or access to YouTube, you can catch some of his handy work in the film, Blood and Bones. The film itself is kind of campy and the dialog is at times laughable, but White’s fight scenes are pure magic. However, despite how awesome White’s kick-a** persona is, his type of flare is no longer wanted in Hollywood. Oh sure, action films are still big, however, the action stars themselves are much smaller, younger, and not really “into” the whole violence thing.
The new visual era of masculinity marks the rise of the anti-hero. Gone are the days of the hyper-masculine, thick-necked Neanderthal drop-kicking a villain through the wall. Instead, we are in a new, more gentle era of manhood, particularly heroism, where ingenuity and creativity outweighs brawn. If anything, the new image of a “manly man” is kind of reflective of what is happening in society today. Today’s modern men are all becoming more vain than ever. In addition to personal grooming habits like manicures, haircuts and pedicures, men today have become more concerned about their personal emotional growth and well-being. You know, the guys that are all about their feelings and can have something to talk about and other interests outside of meat-headed topics like sports and farts? We are talking about men that are less about thug-loving à la Bobby Brown, and more about sitting around in silk pajamas discussing our days, in the vein of Ralph Tresvant.
As such, this new masculinity is reflected back to us in our sub-cultures, including music and television. No longer do He-Man like figures get the girls in the movies; today’s heartthrobs are scrawny and awkward nerds, who use their brain to ward off danger rather than their muscles. Hollywood is no longer about Wesley Snipes in Blade, but instead, our vampires are more akin to the soft-skinned boys in films like Twilight. This new age of the beta man is the reason why actors like Seth Rogen, Jesse Eisenberg and Zac Efron even have careers right now. And we see this more emotionally nuanced man in other areas of popular culture, including in hip hop. Big Daddy Kane, with his chiseled build, street savvy grit and bedroom eyes used to be the epitome of bad playboy swag. Nowadays, that image belongs to rappers like Drake, who while not physically intoxicating, are emotionally expressive enough to talk you right out of your panties.
I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with this new version of the “manly man.” I also like seeing more nuanced versions of manhood on television too. As much as I would like to see more Michael Jai White, bare-chested, karate kicking dudes all across the screen, I kind of like him in the roles where he has his shirt on too. I just hope that pop culture, and society in general, doesn’t decide to move past the beta male and embrace the omega male. That’s when we should begin to worry.
