Megan Fox, The Male Gaze Theory

In this scene the character of Mikaela is subjected as a sexual object through the use of micro-elements, according to Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory. The theory comes into effect immediately in the scene through the use of cinematography. The camera shows a medium shot of Sam by his car as he appears to be looking at something in the distance. The next shot shows a medium shot of Mikaela walking. The audience take the view of the male character here, meaning everyone is looking at Mikaela. Since Sam’s body language suggested he was looking at something in the distance, the medium shot of what he was looking at connotes that Sam is voyeuristically looking at Mikaela, almost as if she is being viewed through binoculars. Another piece of cinematography that highlights Mikaela’s character as an object to be looked at is when Sam is trying to convince her to get in the car. When the camera is fixated on Sam in this scene, Mikaela’s abdomen is emphasised in the foreground. The fact that it’s in the foreground suggests it’s more important than what Sam’s saying. But it also means that the view of her body is closer to the male audience, appealing to them.

Another micro-element that emphasises Megan Fox’s role in this scene is the mise-en-scene, most notably her costume. She’s wearing a small top that stops just above her abdomen and shorts that don’t cover up much of her legs. The male audience are almost teased in a sense here. Mikaela has had no dialogue in the scene so far, which means any connection made from the audience to the character is based solely on the appearance of the character. The editing of the scene is very slow paced, connoting no real tension in the scene. A more justified reason for the slow edits for the male audience may be to just simply have the appearance of Mikaela on the screen for longer.

There is one scene in particular that supports and criticises the Male Gaze theory. When Sam’s car breaks down, Mikaela gets out and looks at the engine. Here, the audience take the perspective of Sam through a POV shot, looking at Mikaela’s figure as she looks at the engine. Sam looks to be almost in a trance by looking at Mikaela’s curves, an aspect of the Male Gaze according to Mulvey. This reinforces the idea that the film was made through male eyes. However, Mikaela’s knowledge of cars and dominance in the situation breaks the conventions the rest of the scene seems to be meeting. She challenges the stereotype of the “blonde bombshell” that someone like Marylyn Monroe would once play.