Hit Girl: Out of the Mouths of Babes Comes the C-Word

While I agree that we should not make kids grow up too fast, the idea of a teenager - or anyone over about 12 - being considered a child is very recent historically speaking.

This movie should not be being marketed at children. Lionsgate is no small distributor in today's market, either.

Here is the reality, the entire idea of late childhood is new. It is something that society is still trying to figure out. It used to be those 12 year olds were farmed out as apprentices or laborers as soon as possible. Even 8 year olds were known to be treated as adults.

The new phenomenon is that childhood is being extended. And, considering what we are learning about brain development, that is not completely untoward. We, however, have not yet figured out how best to deal with this age range and so society continues to muddle through.

Movies that are truly for an adult audience should not be taken to task for some inattentive parents who see "superhero" and decide that means kid's movie. That indicates ignorance on the part of the parent. The superhero genre left kid-friendly in the 1980s with Frank Millers Dark Knight series. Of course, it can even be argued that the original Batman and Superman were much darker than Miller.

MLO / Melissa

Books, Movies, Games, Ovarian Cancer, and Life in General at http://www.mloknitting.com/

Thank you for saving the souls of our children! No really people I mean it. Who are we to drag them into the ugliness of adulthood so quickly? Who are we to take what little innocence remains of our kids. I am horrified that people are Ok with this, that they don't see the damage that violence and total lack of morals does to our youth.

As a mother of a 12 yr old I struggle with the argument that he is old enough for games like modern warfare. Have you been online lately and listened to how these KIDS talk to one another? Its deplorable. Its frightening and it makes me disgusted.

As a mother to a 4 yr old daughter, I do my best to shield her from the commercialization, the excessive violence and the sexualization (Bratz dolls etc) going on. I fear there is nothing left but to sit in her room and color (which I think is just fine)but my point is that we corrupt our kids at every chance we get!

There is nothing redeeming in this movie and people that HAVE children know that. And its NOT enough to say, well just don't go see it.

Lionsgate should be ashamed of themselves! The BIG name studios passed for GOOD reason its unethical to show a child cursing to her father and shooting people at point blank range with a firearm.

Where we draw the line now? How far is too far? A child committing a sexual crime? This is NOT OK people.... NOT OK.

I'm of a few minds. I don't necessarily mind the C-word and I've said it ( http://www.blogher.com/podcast-bloghers-interview-... ) myself. I only dislike it when it is used as a weapon of misogyny but many words can be used that way - it's the sentiment not the word. And a girl kicking ass is always awesome (says the huge Buffy The Vampire Slayer fan). And I was that kid who defied her mother's efforts to protect her from growing up too fast and read/watched grown folks books and movies.

But, I also feel a little sad that kids seem so much more worldly and grown up than when I was a kid. I know that every generation is nostalgic in that way but I'm always a little sad by the increasingly coarse, vulgar, sexualized and violent world of entertainment kids are exposed to at younger and younger ages. There's plenty of time to be grownup and deal with all that.

I must confess though that the clip above made me smile and totally want to see the movie :)

BlogHer Contributing Editor ( http://www.blogher.com/blog/maria-niles )
PopConsumer ( http://consumerpop.typepad.com/popconsumer )
Beyond Help ( http://mariax.vox.com/ )

Japan and Hong Kong have had many, many teen and preteen assassins who were raised to be assassins or become assassins to take vengeance. Of course, there is a very different cultural bias.

I won't be seeing this movie until it is in DVD form - or Netflix WatchItNow!

MLO / Melissa

Books, Movies, Games, Ovarian Cancer, and Life in General at http://www.mloknitting.com/

Even when grown women use it. I don't think a child assassin is funny or revolutionary at all. We have enough violence. Enough! Enough!
Words have tremendous power. There are no - just words. Even non-cuss words can change a person's relationship, i.e., "I don't love you any more. I can't stand you. You did a crappy job." All are just words - and depending on who, how and when they are delivered they can cut one to the core.

C*nt is one of those words that makes my blood boil. Can you tell?

http://blog.candelariasilva.com ( http://blog.candelarisilva.com/ )

Good and plenty!

I love it! I'll never understand why anyone cares about cussing. It's certainly TOTALLY different than racial slurs.

The movie looks fun. If people bring their kids to it, that's their business.

But for what it's worth, if I had a little girl, I'd certainly rather she wanted to be Hit Girl than some silly princess. I LOVE girls that kick ass. :)

Liz Rizzo ( http://blogher.org/blog/liz-rizzo )

I blog at Everyday Goddess ( http://everydaygoddess.typepad.com/ ).

And personally, I'd rather see this than Bella Swan giving herself over to her controlling ice cube of a boyfriend.

The only issue I see is 7 & 8 year old girls thinking that speaking this way makes them a hero - but that is what good parenting is for. It's not like boys don't already grow up with potty mouthed heros, right?

~ Karen ~ 

Craftastrophe ( http://www.craftastrophe/net/ ) |MamaPop ( http://www.mamapop.com/ )

I don't like it. I don't like that word when ANY character uses it, regardless of age.

And I also don't get who this movie is aimed at. I have no desire to watch a foul-mouthed, violent 11-year old myself. And with language like that, I can't let the kiddos watch it. (I don't let them talk like that, why would I shell out $$ for them to watch someone else talk like that?)

I don't see teens being horribly interested in it either.

And...this is another great moment to share...

http://www.themachoparadox.com

One Friday night, I loaded up my life and headed out... ( http://isledance.blogspot.com )

From what you're saying, I'm horrified. And I was raised to speak like that. Not a good thing, at all.

One Friday night, I loaded up my life and headed out... ( http://isledance.blogspot.com )

Some of the funniest comments I've ever seen on the net. One comment said they couldn't see teens interested in this movie. Teens not interested in swearing, ass-kicking, horny, violent (who ultimately are fighting evil, not creating it) teens? Of course not! It's more Bible time and Wednesday night Christian youth group for them!

After seeing enough My Little Pony and Princess Rip-Off-A-Lot deface enough little girl's lives, it's bewildering how anyone couldn't be empowered by a little girl kicking ass. OH WAIT! It's a MOVIE that you can choose to watch or not watch.

Trust me, your teenage kids are going to see it no matter how much you put them in lock down.

T "c" word is nothing compared to two simultaneous wars and a complete financial meltdown/selling out of your children's futre caused by greedy white guys on the Republican's watch.

Now THAT'S something kids will have nightmares about in the future when the bill comes due.