The Misandrists (2017) <UHD 2025>

Bruce LaBruce’s The Misandrists (2017) is a satirical, campy exploration of radical lesbian separatism that simultaneously celebrates and critiques feminist ideologies. Set in a fictionalized "Ger(wo)many," the film follows a cell of the Female Liberation Army (FLA), a goddess-worshipping commune led by the charismatic "Big Mother". While the film is wrapped in a "dirty eye" aesthetic typical of LaBruce's "queercore" roots, it delves into complex questions regarding gender essentialism, trans-inclusion, and the cyclical nature of oppression. The Satirical Lens of Radical Separatism

The commune’s idyll is threatened when a male fugitive is secretly harbored in their basement, exposing the cracks in their absolute separation. The Misandrists (2017)

The film's satirical edge is sharpest when exploring the premise of "female dictators" and the potential for any revolutionary movement to mirror the structures it seeks to overthrow. Bruce LaBruce’s The Misandrists (2017) is a satirical,

A trans enlistee within the FLA forces the group to broaden their narrow "essentialist praxis". The Satirical Lens of Radical Separatism The commune’s

LaBruce uses the film as a "plea for female solidarity" that transcends biological determinism, advocating for a feminism inclusive of all women regardless of their gender assigned at birth. The Threat of the "Oppressed Becoming Oppressor"

While some reviewers from Film Threat argue the film contains "more shock than substance," others praise it for using a salacious premise to tackle "big, knotty questions" about patriarchy and power.

Critics from Film Inquiry and itp Global Film note that the film's graphic sexual and surgical content—including a detailed reconstructive surgery sequence—serves to shock and provoke discussions on bodily autonomy.