I’ll just get to the point – the movie Live Free or Die Hard could have been a great action movie, but instead – because of its racist language towards Asians and Asian women – it’s racist moviemaking at its best – and I’m proud to say I walked out of that piece of trash before it was done.
Maggie Q – a great actress in her own right – plays one of the villians in what seems to be a great multicultural cast – but alas the screenwriters – and indeed Bruce Willis himself, just couldn’t resist throwing in some of the most offensive language I’ve heard towards Asians and Asian American women in a major motion picture.
Here’s the rundown of language:
1. When Bruce Willis is relaying to Timothy Olyphant (who plays the movie’s main villian Thomas Gabriel) that he just killed his partner/girlfriend Maggie Q he refers to her as his little bitch Asian girlfriend whom he just killed. Now – while I’m all for the hero of the movie kicking the villians ass – nowhere else in the movie is there a line which refers to someone’s race. It’s just for the Asian villian. The plain fact is that in this context, no screenwriter would have written, and no white actor would have agreed to say something to the effect of I just killed your little bitch black girlfriend.
But if they’re Asian – it’s O.K.
2. And that just sets you up for the most horrible line towards the end of the movie where Bruce Willis says to Timothy Olyphant that he killed his “Asian bitch hooker girlfriend” and that “she was hot” and that “he should’t have a hard time finding another one”.
WTF?
This is complete bullshit racist language which keeps the ideas alive that:
1. Asian women – and Asian American women – are whores. They deserve to be sold and traded as commodities. Plain simple hookers. Objects.
2. Asians are expendable. Hey – we’re all alike – don’t worry – you can mame and kill a couple of us because there are more of us where we came from. We’re not individuals – we’re all a collective.
Asian women? They are there to be fucked, raped, and killed – and don’t worry – there’s millions more where they came from.
And the audience – they didn’t laugh either – there were hushes and ohhs - and it makes me wonder if the studio executives – like Bert Livingston who called the character Bruce Willis plays an “everyman” – used a group of white racists for the focus group.
BOTTOM LINE - AVOID THIS MOVIE AND DON’T GIVE 20th Century Fox or Bruce Willis any of your money – SPREAD THE WORD.
32 responses so far ↓
profbwoman // 070207 at 3:06 pm |
I watched the interview with Justin Long on the Tonight Show and was surprised to see that most of his segment revolved around doing a bad Asian “accent” and making fun of the way Asians [supposedly] speak English. It was painful. Reading your review puts his comments in a context that is becoming all too familiar these days. Thanks for the warning!
links for 2007-07-03 at Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture // 070307 at 10:17 am |
[...] Live Free Or Die Hard #1 – Racist Moviemaking – Slant Eye For The Round Eye “the movie Live Free or Die Hard could have been a great action movie, but instead – because of its racist language towards Asians and Asian women – it’s racist moviemaking at its best – and I’m proud to say I walked out of that piece of trash before (tags: asianamerican asia racism movies) [...]
ccch // 070307 at 2:24 pm |
I sent this article to all my friends and they will definitely give it a miss. Thanks for enlightening us. I unfortunately sat through it, but cringed at those parts (plus the whopping he put on Maggie Q). It took your article to open my eyes and hopefully others.
Kenny // 070307 at 3:30 pm |
I wish I could say I was surprised. I am also not surprised that the Asian actors in the film apparently did not protest the script. Sometimes I wonder if Jackie Chan reads his scripts thoroughly before agreeing to some of his roles. Don’t get me wrong though , the focus should indeed be on those studio heads greenlighting this stuff.
ben // 070307 at 5:30 pm |
First of all, I’m Chinese. But I gotta say Minorities in America are too sensitive and are too trigger happy to pull the race card on any little thing. it’s a huge double standard… for example, how many times are White people portrayed as goofy, nerdy, lacking in rhythm in Black sitcoms, movies? ALL THE TIME. How often is the term redneck/white boy thrown around? ALL THE TIME. But yet you cna’t make one little statement about Blacks or Asians without their groups causing a ruckus and making a scene.
You Asians being upset at the stereotype are hypocrites. I don’t see you complaining about the stereotype that “All Asians know kung fu”. The filmmakers made Maggie Q RIDICULOUSLY TOUGH and was able to beat McClane in a one on one fight, I bet it was her being Asian that had to do with the filmmakers making her a kung fu expert, right? But I don’t see you complaining about that stereotype… becuse THAT’S A POSITIVE ONE. But you will make a big deal about Mcclane throwing his usual insult… and for the record, judging from McClane’s character and past films, he would have insulted the girl regardless of if she was Asian, White, or Indian. McClane made cracks about German terrorists in Die Hard 1, no? Sam Jackson made cracks about White people in Die Hard 3 no? So why is the one with the “asian” such a big deal?
Stop the double standards. Do you think you’d be getting upset if Denzel called someone a White dumb ass in a film? Probably not.
ben // 070307 at 5:34 pm |
Thank goodness Maggie Q ’s character spoke fluent English, eh? Because lord knows what a big deal you would make if she spoke accented English.
By the way, Maggie Q is not a good actress. You’re blindly praising her cause she’s Asian? Hae you seen her HK films? She was a joke in Hk because she couldn’t act.
And if you think her being cast in “action roles” in Hollywood has nothing to do with her being Asian, you’re naive.
But let me guess, you have no problem with “those stereotypes” , since they’re positive stereotypes (that Maggie Q was more likely than a White actress to be tough kung fu bad ass), right?
DanTresOmi // 070307 at 6:32 pm |
wow. thanks for the heads up. thats crazy!
Go // 070307 at 7:54 pm |
ben honestly, your so disillusioned, being the fact that she was being normal and treated like a piece of meat doesn’t bother you? The fact of the matter is, she was only called so because she was asian.
And you don’t realise either that people DO protest the big kung fu shit being thrown around.
There is always “some” double standard, only because it’s impossible to be absolute. When “whites” as you called them act silly, theres always a positive image to counteract it.
Where’s the positive asian representation in the media? There is non, its so unbalanced, and trying to tell me all that kung fu crap compensates, your so lost. Just supporting the stereotypes.
Go // 070307 at 7:58 pm |
model minority is not a good stereotype for a number of reason, all of which you can find out by spending 5 minutes of google search, the fact of the matter is that “asians” make up less then like 6 percent of the population so if there was a minority to pick on it’s them. It’s harder to organise anything because of sparser numbers. It’s not like other ethnic groups (ie. everyone white, black, etc.) who could bolster numbers without a problem, yet you seem to enjoy just ignoring that fact don’t you?
Xofis // 070407 at 8:37 am |
Yeah, that was damn racist.
eminemshomie // 070407 at 4:14 pm |
Not racist at all its not like the asian chick didnt kno that he was saying that, its just a fucking movie get a life
ben // 070407 at 4:37 pm |
Go, given McClane’s character, he would have insulted the villain regardless of she was asian or whatever. Yeah she would have said something else other than “Asian hooker” if she wasn’t Asian, but that still doesn’t change the fact McClane the character is known for making snappy insults that are mostly un-PC. He clowned Germans in Die Hard 1, he made fun of people for being overrate, for having small feet, he called that one guy hampster boy, it’s his character.
What was said was in the context of the film, and McClane’s character was obviosuly upset at the evil character.
Stop being dumb, if you think that line had any ill intent towards Asians and somehow the filmmakers put that line in because they like to pick on Asians, you’re just reading too much into this.
There are million movies with things that would upset a minority. I’m sure a fat person can complain about fat jokes or negative portrayal of overweight people in hundreds of films. White people can complain about being portrayed as goofy on Black sitcoms/movies, there were insults at the Irish in die Hard 3, insults at the Germans in Die Hard 1, and I’m sure if people wanted to, they can find a line in die Hard 2 that’s “insulting too”. The only difference is Asians and Blacks comlpain the most and are most likely to pull the “racecard” because they overreact.
I guarantee you if Denzel called a white villain “dumb ass white boy hick” in a movie no one would bat an eye. But if it’s “Asian hooker” you guys get all riled up.
And how exactly was Maggie Q treated like a piece of meat? Was she not actually the second-in-command, highest order of the henchman? If she was being treated like a piece of meat what about all those hackers that were used and then killed by the main villain? Oh wait, but you don’t care cause they White, right?
Man get outta with your paranoia crap. There was no intent at Asians from the filmmakers, Bruce Willis, script writer, whatever.
Jeremy Pierce // 070407 at 9:20 pm |
Could it be part of an attempt to show that the character isn’t really a very nice person? It might take seeing the whole film even to know that (and even then you don’t necessarily know for sure what’s in the mind of the screenwriters, who may have just been pretty poor at executing something that was supposed to have come across in the film but didn’t).
Slanty Slant // 070507 at 7:24 am |
From past experience I’m going to take a stab and say Ben is a white guy who is trying to pass himself off as an Asian guy to help his argument – or he’s in serious need of therapy because he uses the same subtle rhetoric as white racists do (just read their manifestos and the literature) , and then I think he needs therapy because he’s probably been brainwashed.
Either way though – if his excuses for the movie and his point of view in general have you going “Hmmm….maybe he’s got a point” – then welcome to the world of subtle racism – it’s easy to get hooked.
For everyone else that gets it – keep on spreading the word.
blackromancereader // 070507 at 9:32 am |
I’m black (as obvious by my username) and I have learned, based on my experiences dealing with racism and sexism against black women that Ben, if someone is offended, they have a right to be offended. This world has too volatile a history with minorities for people–even if you’re of the same race–to deride someone if they are offended due to their disappointment over ethnic stereotypes and/or racism (however underhanded) has passed beneath the radar. Even if you’re Asian and don’t understand why some of the people on this blog are offended, it doesn’t give you the right to accuse them of being “sensitive”–after all, is that what white people say to us minorities when we speak out about racism?
m foster // 070507 at 12:04 pm |
dear ben,
The issue at hand here is not whether the filmmakers are racists or had an agenda to “keep the yellow man down” as it were. The issue here is how totally oblivious, how insensitive they appear to be and that they need to be informed of this lapse in judgment. They made choices about the dialogue that really didn’t need to be, they were lazy, and as a result they are informing people of a really terrible model of what is acceptable language (sic) to use in regards to Asian women, and implying Asian women as inferior to women of other races. Their apparent lack of knowledge or awareness is perhaps even more disturbing than if they were active members of a racist organization.
First, the counter examples you provide aren’t really reinforcing negative stereotypes – For one, Samuel L. Jackson’s insults in DH3 compete with the heroic image provided by John McClain. This contrast effect really makes null any insult. I can’t comment on every film ever made, but while the contrast nullification effect can explain away a lot, I will grant you that you are correct in stating that there is a double standard – white people have more power in American society as a whole. Consequently, to really insult takes some effort. Seriously – insulting German heritage? Making cracks about German heritage would probably land more laughs than anger from German-Americans. Even Germans could care less. Still, there is a line and if it’s crossed then I will speak up about it. In regards to DH1? The debate is European vs. American, race is not of issue, national identities are at stake.
And let’s keep this to action/drama films, comedy is an entirely different animal.
Now, let’s look at what John McClain says. I will even give him a pass on the first comment, explaining that he killed the “little bitch Asian girlfriend” – let’s just assume that John was aware of the bad guy’s latin, white and black girlfriends on the side and was trying to be specific. I could have let that slide if they left it at that, but they didn’t.
Per the article above, in round two, John says: “Asian bitch hooker girlfriend” “he should’t have a hard time finding another one”
In short, he strikes at identity so as to strike at Mr. Olyphant’s masculinity. It is unequivocally clear, by saying “Asian” and “hooker” in the same phrase, that John is referencing the sex industry in East Asia. If you don’t see this, then good for you, you are oblivious and it must be nice to be so unaware. Unfortunately for you, a large number of people are aware and get the insult and know why it should sting Mr. Olyphant. John basically is saying, “Hey, you are so desperate for a girlfriend that you had to go to Thailand and buy one. Given this, you shouldn’t have a problem purchasing another.”
Mr. Olyphant’s masculinity is busted! He had to settle for an Asian whore!
Basically, the hero of the story, the guy with whom the audience is supposed to identify with and understand/commiserate with has indirectly told us that Asian women are second rate. The insult is premised on her being Asian – it would not be effective or mean enough, if he just called her a whore, the implied reference to the East Asian sex trade, adds that extra something to make Mr. Olyphant look like a sex tourist pervert. If she was black, white or latino the line about “you can just get another one” would have been remarkably less potent. The implication is there whether you see it or not: if Mr. Olyphant had not been such a rice-chasing pervert and dated a “superior” white or black woman, John’s ability to lash out would have been more tamed and Olyphant’s masculinity might have remained in tact.
While it seems like a throw-away remark – it isn’t. This is NOT is an offhand statement, it is still a conscious decision written into the dialogue that didn’t need to be, the writers didn’t have to do choose those lines. They chose to make an issue of her race so they could make it sound all the more nasty and bad-ass and get that “Damn! he told that fool!” from the audience. Using this type of dialogue, in turn, has repercussions. Not everyone is an idiot and going to immediately run out and imitate Willis, but with a huge star like Willis using this type of language, others see that it is ok, they imitate and eventually it becomes commonplace – it is subtle, consistent jarring like this and a lack of acknowledging the implications of John’s words that will make it ok for people to insult you, Ben.
And if you seriously think that her ten lines of dialogue and bad-ass kung-fu cat fighting in stilettos really rounded her out as a character and made null international superstar and action hero Bruce Willis’ jabs, then you are kidding yourself. You point it out yourself, she’s not that great an actress.
This isn’t about PC or not PC – it’s about saying something dumb and racist when there are a million other, better punchy lines that are not offensive to be had. The writers/creators should be made aware of this and have it explained to them why it was wrong so that they can do better.
movie watcher // 070507 at 7:22 pm |
I saw this movie in Texas. When the line about jamming the car up Gabriel’s Asian girlfriend’s ass came up, it got the biggest response from the audience. This is pathetic and irresponsible scripting/directing, at it’s best, stirring up people’s latent racism/insecurities for the sake of a cheap laugh. Boycott Wiseman’s (director) movies!
brad // 070707 at 4:00 pm |
Gotta agree, Ben, you really haven’t clue about the reality for people of color, in particular, women of color. The racist stereotype of an Asian woman as a whore has been used for decades whether Suzy Wong, geishas, Vietnamese women in Vietnam war films, or the me-so-horny crap.
Telling someone that he or she is being overly sensitive is bull. It’s really the fact that you’re unsensitive to other people’s feelings.
Racist Remarks in Die Hard 4.0 - Volconvo Debate Forums // 070907 at 1:47 am |
[...] a few days ago worldwide, but for those who have seen it, is it true about the racist remarks? Live Free Or Die Hard #1 – Racist Moviemaking Slant Eye For The Round Eye 1. When Bruce Willis is relaying to Timothy Olyphant (who plays the movies main villian Thomas [...]
Racist Remarks in Die Hard 4.0?? (Spoiler Warning) - Volconvo Debate Forums // 070907 at 2:16 pm |
[...] a few days ago worldwide, but for those who have seen it, is it true about the racist remarks? Live Free Or Die Hard #1 – Racist Moviemaking Slant Eye For The Round Eye Last edited by tinybear : Today at 06:30 [...]
Isabel // 070907 at 6:15 pm |
I sat through the whole thing and, generally, enjoyed it a lot, though I did cringe at the lines about the Asian bitch hooker. I find your read of “you shouldn’t have any trouble finding another one” interesting, as I remember the line taking place in his little shpiel about dialing 1-800-Henchmen, the idea being that he’s pretending like he thinks she’s totally dispensible like the other goons to make Gabriel feel worse, because he senses that Gabriel didn’t find her dispensible at all. Sort of, “Hey, well, it’s not like she really matters to you, right? Right?” while knowing that she does. Your read is interesting, and I definitely don’t think you’re being oversensitive (hate that word a LOT) and agree about the rest of the stuff you say being cringeworthy, but I’m not convinced on this one.
SOLCALIBER // 070907 at 8:29 pm |
Alright, a lot of people seem to think that the racist comments were striking ,which they were, but what about the brutal and vicious way he treated her in the fight. It seemed way too ugly and misogynistic for a major Hollywood movie. I’ve seen a lot of movies in my time but I have never seen such brutality of an woman by a man in a film before. That was the most disturbing part. The racist comments at the end was like putting salt into a open wound.
Racist Remarks in Die Hard 4.0?? (Spoiler Warning) - Volconvo Debate Forums // 071007 at 3:49 pm |
[...] a few days ago worldwide, but for those who have seen it, is it true about the racist remarks? Live Free Or Die Hard #1 – Racist Moviemaking Slant Eye For The Round Eye Last edited by tinybear : Yesterday at 06:30 [...]
ocho2520 // 071107 at 8:03 pm |
I’m a Japanese-American female and agree with ben. People seem to look for reasons to be insulted. I am not a docile walk 10 paces behind and speak up when I need to. There are alot of things in movies that are racist, sexist, violent etc. But – they are just movies. If one finds them offensive, the best response is not go and go see them. Money talks. There are so many things other things in life and reality to get upset about. I feel that movies are just that, not real life and not all true. Michael Moore’s so called documentaries have alot of fiction in them and should be called docu-dramas, but people don’t seem to get so upset and attend in droves. My statement is to not go see his movies. I go to movies either for learning or entertainment not to find the meanings in life.
James // 071207 at 11:34 am |
Racism? Yeah, right. If he had been non-white, he probably would have said something about the “white bitch girlfriend”, and nobody would have said anything. Most of the non-whites in the theater probably would have laughed even. But when it’s someone else, it’s racism. Not everything that mentions race is racism. Another issue in the United States of the Offended.
DAB // 071307 at 12:18 am |
Uh, ocho2520, I don’t know where you’ve been but Michael Moore will tell you himself that he upsets a lot of people. He gets a ton of criticism every time he releases a new movie, and the people who go see his movies are not likely to be his critics.
You also say “it’s just entertainment” but a lot of people are influenced by entertainment. For crying out loud, look at people like Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah. They would never have been accepted on TV 60 years ago! Whether or not you like it, things like movies and TV do have the power to change feelings and attitudes in society.
And Ben & James, wake up. Look at movie sites like IMDB if you have to. There are plenty of white people complaining about the things they don’t like to see in movies. Besides how hypocritical are you to complain about people complaining?! You’re annoyed that people feel offended but then you get all offended enough to post! Hilarious!
Aregular Human // 071607 at 12:00 am |
As a black American, I thought that what John McClain (Bruce Willis) said was racist. The first line about Asian women was bad enough. The second one had to go. I was really into the movie at first but when you here lousy crap like this then I feel that people should stand up and say something. I can understand being a black American woman. Every time people turn around there’s some stereotype . I think people have seen enough. Dab and Ocho2520 can say that people can not take things too seriously and people are making double standards. How can you decide or tell someone not to be offended if they are?
If there are people in the Asian community and outside that are offended then they have the right to complain. People do have feelings. We all have eat, sleep, and live just live everyone else. Bruce Willis is no better than anyone else and should have not agreed to say these lines. He should have worked more closely with the script writers and studio heads. Why the hell did he choose to pick on a particular racial group? That’s stereotyping alone. I feel that certain people feel that certain prejudices and racism are the acceptable norm. This is beginning to seem like the good ‘ol American way. So to the studio executives he really must be the everyman’s man. It seems like stereotypes sell more tickets than non-stereotypical roles. I really wonder what Maggie Q thinks.
brian // 072307 at 9:35 am |
I am a white American guy and just saw this film in a large theater in an East Asian country, and guess what? During all the aforementioned scenes, the entire audience, which was nearly all Asian and about half female, exploded with laughter. Lighten up, western civilization.
Racist Remarks in Die Hard 4.0?? (Spoiler Warning) - Page 2 - Volconvo Debate Forums // 072307 at 4:59 pm |
[...] a few days ago worldwide, but for those who have seen it, is it true about the racist remarks? Live Free Or Die Hard #1 – Racist Moviemaking Slant Eye For The Round Eye The attempt to cast this movie in a racist light, based upon this single line of dialogue, is a [...]
John // 080907 at 9:17 pm |
Brian,
I wonder if the version of this movie you saw in that East Asian country was dubbed or subtitled? You’re assuming that they translated the dialogue accurately OR that the entire audience is fluent in English. I am writing from a major East Asian city (Beijing) and I can tell you that is not even close to being the case. Your argument in defense of those racist lines makes not a lick of sense to me.
nutter // 081607 at 6:16 pm |
I saw Die Hard 4 a few weeks back. I’m in the UK of Indian parents and eventhough I enjoyed the movie I did find those lines offensive. When I heard the first one I just thought ‘oh well’ but it didn’t stop at that.
Let’s say the hero here had been Asian or whatever and referred to some white lady as a white bitch and the rest, trust me, there would be a major stink about it.
The film was otherwise great, why the need for all the racist crap?
thirdflooruk // 090207 at 6:59 am |
not gonna wath it now, VERY suprised that hollywood is still like this after recent world events and attempts to bring peace. I thought they’d never write such racist dialogue after Lethal Weapon 4 with Jet Li, anyone see THAT?? Mel ‘I hate Jews’ Gibson mocking Jet Li’s Chinese accent and other racist comments towards Asians. It’s true, orientals are easy targets as they put with more shit than the rest, a lot of people would quite happily mimick an Asian accent but to mimick a black persons accent would be frowned upon (quit rightly).