Part 8/14:
The debate extends into how Hollywood deals with gender narratives. For instance, in the series Reacher, attempts to subvert gender roles—such as showing a character dispassionately avoiding emotional attachment—are sometimes viewed as forced or superficial. Meanwhile, older male action heroes like Liam Neeson in Taken or John Wick exemplify characters defined by rugged independence, often devoid of romantic or sexual complexity, reinforcing the idea that the most successful action heroes are those who embody strength and self-reliance without romantic entanglements complicating their moral landscape.