The Beguiled

This is the latest film from Sophia Coppola - she won Best Director for it at Cannes last year. During the American Civil War, a wounded Yankee corporal (Colin Farrell) is found by a young girl, who is a student at a nearby posh girls school. There are only half a dozen girls of varying ages, a teacher and the director (Nicole Kidman).

They take him in, just in order to heal him before he can be sent off with the local troops, but every one of the females - girl and women - are taken by the idea of having a man in the house. Even he and Nicole Kidman have a moment. It's more than a little far-fetched, but of course it sets off tension among them. He's clearly an idiot - he makes a big play for the teacher (Kirsten Dunst) and promises to come to her room. Instead he goes clomping about on a wooden floor in his boots and visits one of the girls (Elle Fanning).

There's a struggle, he falls down the stairs, his leg needs to be cut off and he cuts up rough. Now the women, except the teacher, are united against him (she takes the chance for a bonk!). I think, maybe, the movie's a bit crazy - Sophia Coppola apparently wanted to present the womens' take on the story, but they don't come out looking too good. Not until the end, that is, although their way of dealing with him is very feminised. All in all, it isn't a particularly good horror or a particularly good example of female power.