by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

CW: Rape, violence

Abel Ferrara‘s masterpiece Ms. 45 turns 40 years old this week, and there is a reason this rape revenge piece as stood the test of time. Although this particular subgenre of exploitation can be difficult for some audiences to digest, Ferrara manages to craft a film that makes for a poignant damnation of toxic masculinity. While many of these films have their issues and have a plethora of problems Ms. 45 is shockingly progressive in its message and its filming. It still feels relevant and is one of the reasons I have grown to love the rape revenge film so much. From the story to its lead actress, this film has so much going for it. 

Ferrara’s heroine Thana (Zoë Lund) is a mute seamstress working in New York. One day she is raped by a masked man, still in shock she goes home only to find another assailant in her apartment. She is raped a second time but this time is able to kill her attacker. These two incidents set her on a mission to clean up the streets from New York and to track down more men who victimize and abuse women. She becomes a vigilante seeking justice for herself and all the other women in New York. However, this mission consumes and she becomes a vessel for violence, the sweet young seamstress can never go back to the life she had before. 

First and foremost if depictions of rape like this are too triggering this might not at all be your thing. I truly did not believe there were any rape revenge films I liked until I started going a little deeper into the subgenre and finding what actually can work abou these films. This one in particular is done in a way that made me feel comfortable watching it, and gave me ample enjoyment. The rape scenes are not sexualized or sensationalized. They are quick with little to no nudity and the horror of the scenes makes it clear that one should not be sympathizing with the attackers. Once you get past the two rape scenes–which both occur at the very beginning of the film–the rest is a vengeance quest with one of the most badass heroines out there. 

One aspect of this film that is so chilling is that the rapists and abusers literally could be any man. Given the fact that Thana’s first attacker is masked she never gets a chance to find out who he is, therefore her quest for vengeance will never truly be satiated, she will never be certain that she “got” every single one of these dangerous men. Considering that today we still have to justify our fears to the “not all men” folks out there this film seemed to have understood the essential problem 40 years ago. We get that it is not all men but there is no way for us to be sure which men are the abusers so we can be fearful of all of them. Thana will never know which men she can trust, yes her assailants may have been strangers but we see men she knows and even trust that could easily cross this line. 

This film also avoids some of the class conflicts that other rape-revenge films seem to utilize. Films like I Spit on Your Grave and Deliverance pit the city slickers against the country bumpkins. Although these make for interesting social commentaries in their own way, I like the fact that Ms. 45 tries to show that there are a variety of men from all backgrounds, social classes, races, who are rapists. There are many ways that men can abuse and hurt women, and sometimes those can be the people who are closest to us. The final scene of the film is set at a party that Thana goes to with her boss, and it shows varying degrees of men abusing their power. The scene cuts to conversations with random people at the party. One is two men talking about buying young virgins for sex in other countries. Another conversation involves a woman arguing with her husband who backed out of getting a vasectomy after promising he would. I think these short moments of dialogue really go far to show the various ways that abuse of women is present in our lives. 

Thana is ultimately a tragic hero whose quest is an impossible one in a world where so much abuse and toxic masculinity are normalized and engrained in our society. Unfortunately for her, even the other women around her do not necessarily understand her quest so there is no one for her to really confide in. It is especially difficult because she does not talk at all throughout the film so how can she possibly explain what happened to her or her reaction to it. She seems to represent many of the women who feel like they have no voice when it comes to rape and abuse and who are not able to speak up for themselves. Luckily Thana does find some voice and way to express herself in a .45 caliber revolver. Zoë Lund is perfect in this role; her face and eyes are so expressive that the terror and rage she feels throughout the film are perfectly understood without needing to be explained. 

It also helps the film knowing that behind the scenes Zoë Lund and Abel Ferrara got along well and he eventually directed a film that she wrote in 1992 called Bad Lieutenant. It happens to be another film that centers around and explores rape and the law in New York City. Ferrara also plays the first rapist in the film whose face is completely covered. This is an interesting choice that could have made Lund feel more comfortable with the scene and also makes Abel part of the system of abuse with his power and privilege. Lund herself was a social activist who was only 19 when she gave this incredible performance. 

The revenge scenes in this film are legitimately fun and they give Lund so many opportunities to be a deadly yet gorgeous hero. Her transformation in the films makes her look stronger, more beautiful, and empowered. There is something that is awe inspiring about a woman finding her power, even if it is through murdering a bunch of people. Also for being a low budget film it looks beautiful. Luckily thanks to its cult status it has received some love over the years in dvd and blu-ray transferring that enhance Ferrara’s vision. I love the way that Abel Ferrara shoots and explores different aspects of New York in his films, it is one of the things that makes him such an interesting director. 

Ultimately Ms. 45 brought to light what is essential about telling these stories as well as making them fun and entertaining. It manages to show the the scary realities of being a rape victim. It takes Thana’s trauma seriously while finding her a fantastical way to unleash some of her rage and pain. The catharsis I get from watching this film is one of the reasons it stands out compared to other types of revenge stories. The rape revenge in general and this one in particular are an important fantasy that is both enjoyable and tragic.