Rape and revenge films generally do not delve deeply into psychological distress. Films like the infamous I Spit On Your Grave focus on a simple plot structure where a woman is raped, left suffering or near death, and then executes revenge on her rapists with little psychological examination between each event. Ms .45 sets itself apart from these movies by putting the spotlight on protagonist Thana’s trauma throughout much of the film. Instead of being a one-dimensional protagonist who we only see bludgeon her rapists to death, the effects of Thana’s rapes on her psyche are shown within the film itself. Her trauma is even given precedence over the murder and sex that mark a standard rape-and-revenge movie. Throughout the course of Ms .45, we are given time to understand the reason behind her quest for revenge. It is not simply motivated by a basic instinct to punish, it is driven by her trauma and the mental distortion that trauma has caused.
One of the most striking ways Thana’s PTSD is depicted comes after she kills her second rapist. The scene begins with Thana going into the bathroom to take off her bloody clothes while staring at herself in the mirror, symbolizing her dissociation after what has happened to her. Thana’s self-examination in the mirror after her murder is a way of grounding herself to reality, of convincing herself she is truly present in her surroundings despite what her mind is telling her. As she begins to take her shirt off, there is a quick flash in the mirror of a man’s hand on her shirt, as if he is trying to rip it off. After this mental image, Thana’s fractured mind causes her to collapse. Of course, dissociation and flashbacks (and in severe cases, hallucinations) are hallmark signs of PTSD. This scene is the first scene where we see how Thana’s quest for revenge, not only against her rapists, but against all men who prey on women, begins. We see her worldview start to become warped due to her trauma - it causes her to become scared, equate all men with her attackers, and seek vengeance. Having not just a clear, but also complex reason for our protagonist’s drive beyond revenge and simple justice, as well as the film’s horrifying spotlight on PTSD after sexual assault, is a diversion from the simple motivations of the typical rape and revenge film protagonist.
Because rape and revenge films only center on the protagonist’s righteous quest to kill her rapists, they often do not explicitly invite any morally ambiguous interpretations. There is a clear-cut dichotomy between right and wrong in these films - the rapists are obviously in the wrong (despite the typical exploitation director’s sexualization of the act of rape), and the woman’s quest for revenge is essentially morally right. Ms .45 seems to take this route at first - Thana kills her second rapist in the act itself, saving herself from further harm. However, this all changes when she shoots a man who doesn’t appear to be an immediate threat. This scene is a turning point in the film and is where Thana’s path to vengeance starts to take a more morally ambiguous turn - the man, while he is seen catcalling, genuinely wants to help Thana. In the end, her obsession with killing men consumes her, and she no longer acts out of justice. The act of murderous vengeance that is usually empowering in most other rape revenge films instead becomes a tool for Thana’s own self-destruction.
Sexualization of women and the act of rape is at the core of both the exploitation genre and the rape-and-revenge subgenre that stems from it. These films are aimed at men, despite their so-called empowering themes - women are almost always scantily clad, rape is extremely graphic and barely focuses on the woman’s distress during the act, just the sex of the act itself. However, Ms .45 intentionally subverts this hallmark quality of rape and revenge films by refusing to sexualize anything about Thana’s trauma. Unlike most other films in the genre, nudity is not showed at all during the rape scenes. Instead, Thana’s face is the focal point of both rapes - the effect is horrifying as Ferrara treats her as a human in these acts, not simply an object that is being assaulted. Humanizing the victim proves to be much more powerful and interesting than dehumanizing the abuser. Ferrara’s way of framing these two scenes is an acknowledgment that rape is first and foremost about exerting power and aggression by inflicting terror on another person. Actress Zoe Lund’s horrified face in both scenes shows that she is not “having sex”, she is being robbed of her self-agency.
Typically, rape and revenge films spin a woman’s self-sexualization after sexual trauma as empowering. These women show skin in order to attract the men they want to kill. In Ms .45, Thana does not dress in scantily clad clothing because she knows that women do not have to dress revealingly in order to attract lecherous men - in a previous scene, her and her co-workers are seen walking down a street in plainclothes while hordes of men harass them. Instead of dressing revealingly, Thana dresses in all-black and red lipstick - two important symbols of power. She looks sensual instead of sexual, and doesn’t have to risk feeling vulnerable via exposed flesh. Ms .45’s more subtle subversion of the this kind of sexualization is perhaps due to 17-year-old Lund’s involvement with Ferrara in developing the film. In an interview, Lund says “being that my face is on camera, without dialogue, for something like 98% of the time, I was involved very much [in the characterization of Thana]”.
Since its release, Ms .45 has gained cult film status, and has been celebrated as a feminist take on the rape-and-revenge genre. The film has also cemented Ferrara’s place as a true artist that uses the exploitation genre to expose the humanity that underlies the shocking elements of such films. Ferrara’s understanding of the female experience within such sleazy and violent films makes this one of my all-time favorites. To me, Ms .45 isn’t just a refreshing twist on a genre or an interesting character study, it is a masterpiece.