That fantasy is at the core of 6 Underground in all of the film’s high action scenes, the Ghost crew shoot endless bullets from the latest firearms, crash and demolish expensive luxury cars, drive through buildings, and have access to private helicopters and boats. Cornell explains that “fantasies associated with white masculinity and the easy privilege that comes with” are often at the core of films directed for and by white males. Certain genres emphasize specific themes or stereotypes that will appeal more to a male audience. These film genres focus on themes of violence, revenge, and justice. The author addresses the “man’s man” character that dominates genres such as westerns, spy thrillers, boxing, and war movies. More specifically she studies the male depiction in movie genres with a primarily white male demographic. Drucilla Cornell analyzes Clint Eastwood’s directing style and film choice in her book, Clint Eastwood and Issues of American Masculinity (2009). One seems egocentric and daring in this moment as he intellectually challenges the dictator. Later in the film, he has a heated discussion about Shakespeare and the meaning of his work with the antagonist. One indicator of this is when he references avoiding the “Apollo Daphne,” statue while they drive cars through a museum destroying everything else. He is perceived as mysterious and highly educated.

Played by the Hollywood celebrity Ryan Reynolds, One’s character is the stereotypical white, male hero and upholds the dominating image of the classic Hollywood protagonist. One, the billionaire, is the leader of the Ghosts. Michael Bay, director of Pearl Harbor and Transformers, and the investors of the film, created it to be the perfect modern-era masculine movie, equivalent to the Hollywood Westerns of the 1930s. These anonymous individuals, known only by their recruitment order, form th Ghost crew of vigilantes that assassinate the evil elite. A basic introduction to the plot is that a billionaire fakes his death and recruits several others to do the same.

Intitleindex of 6 underground 2019