The film's satirical edge is sharpest when exploring the premise of "female dictators" and the potential for any revolutionary movement to mirror the structures it seeks to overthrow.
Ultimately, The Misandrists functions as both a salute to the kinetic power of collective action and a warning against the narrowness of exclusionary politics. It remains a polarizing entry in LaBruce’s filmography, utilizing a "dread carnival" aesthetic to force audiences to confront the messy intersection of gender, revolution, and identity. 'The Misandrists' Review - Santa Fe Reporter The Misandrists (2017)
Bruce LaBruce’s The Misandrists (2017) is a satirical, campy exploration of radical lesbian separatism that simultaneously celebrates and critiques feminist ideologies. Set in a fictionalized "Ger(wo)many," the film follows a cell of the Female Liberation Army (FLA), a goddess-worshipping commune led by the charismatic "Big Mother". While the film is wrapped in a "dirty eye" aesthetic typical of LaBruce's "queercore" roots, it delves into complex questions regarding gender essentialism, trans-inclusion, and the cyclical nature of oppression. The Satirical Lens of Radical Separatism The film's satirical edge is sharpest when exploring
One of the film's most critical themes is its scrutiny of trans-exclusionary radical feminism (TERF). 'The Misandrists' Review - Santa Fe Reporter Bruce
The narrative challenges a movement that defines "woman" solely by anatomy.
Critics from Film Inquiry and itp Global Film note that the film's graphic sexual and surgical content—including a detailed reconstructive surgery sequence—serves to shock and provoke discussions on bodily autonomy.