In particular, the last paragraph was killer:
But the modern Irene Adlers are morally bankrupt puppets deploying their sexual wiles to lead men into the power of an infernal master - and are justly punished for it. That goes all the way back to Eve. These are deeply, deeply old-fashioned women in deeply old-fashioned stories. Letting them throw a punch or carry a whip doesn't update that archetype. It takes something stronger. But why bother with that when Irene Adler can get naked on camera, bat her eyes at Sherlock Holmes, and be rescued at the end?
In response to one of the comments, "I'm at a loss as to why a woman can't use her sexuality to get what she wants":
The problem with this is that it's about as boring, original, and unstrong as "a man beats up someone to get what he wants." To make a strong character implies taking the hard way. "Strength" is the ability to overcome an obstacle or opposing force—physical, emotional, spiritual, etc. Taking the easy way out is not strong. A woman selling herself short to get what she wants is not as strong as a woman who gets while she wants while maintaining the moral high road. A man just beating up the bad guy isn't as strong as a man who defeats the bad guy without falling to his level (see: "why doesn't Superman just put his fist through Lex Luthor's skull").
