As a follow up of sorts to my action romance novel reads… I thought maybe you want to also watch some badass chicks killing it! Because we all need role models! (Just kidding… kind of.)

So Badass Chicks or Action Chicks as I am calling them for lack of a better term; are adventurous ladies who can be any of the following: Detectives, Cops, Assassins, Warriors, Femme Fatales, Double Agents, Spies, Hunters, Grifters, Con-Artists, etc.  These are females you just wouldn’t want to mess with and definitely want on your side. I love watching action flicks with a female lead! Some are funny some are gritty… but all are at least a little “badass” and definitely adventurous.

Note: Some of these titles may not have a female LEAD but at least a female who is has a large amount of screen time who is super badass or strong-willed. All titles are Alphabetic order within their sections, not including the word “The”. Also all of these titles are Live Action, no cartoons here or we’d never finish this post.

KEY:

C= Comedy or Lot’s of Comedic Elements

S= Serious, meant as a serious action film

I=Intense there’s some brutal fight scenes & carnage

*= a personal favorite

(Once again this is not an exhaustive, just movies I have seen that fit this category that you may enjoy!)

Category One:

Non-Action Chick, Action Flicks: Films where the female isn’t really an action chick but gets swept into the action and is a major player in the story line. The character may before the end credits become an “action chick” but didn’t start out that way and isn’t throughout the majority of the film.

• The Italian Job (2003) S (Charlize Theron’s character)
• Knight and Day (2010)* C? (I guess it’s more of a romance, but it’s funny)
• The Net (1995) S
• Red (2010)*C (Mary-Louise Parker’s character)
• Red 2 (2013)*C (Mary-Louise Parker’s character)
• The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) C
• This Means War (2012) C (the action mostly happens around the main female but she is still strong and fun)
• True Lies (1994)* S, I (has a lot of comedic elements)

Category Two:

Female Leads who either start off as badass action chicks or become an action chick by mid-point of the film:  

• Artemis Hotel (2018) S
• Atomic Blonde (2017) * S, I (one of the most realistic fight and action scenes out of any action movie)
• Charlie’s Angels (2000) S? Okay, to be honest I feel like this was intended to be serious but is a little spoofy/goofy, the second one is so ridiculous, yet somehow enjoyable that I can only assume that was meant to be comedic in nature?
• Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003) C
• Colombiana (2011)* S, I
• Hanna (2011) S
• The Heat (2013) C
• Kill Bill 1 & 2 (2003/2004) S,I (I personally do not like these, physically strong women who have been brutalized or brutalize each other in the name of some creepy male overseer… just not my thing.)
• The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)*S,I
• Miss Congeniality (2000) C
• Miss Congeniality 2 (200 ) C
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) C?
• Ocean’s Eight (2018)*S
• Red (2010)* C (Helen Mirren’s character)
• Red 2 (2013)*C (Helen Mirren’s character)
• Salt (2010)* S, I
• Spy (2015) * C, I

Category Three:

ACTION CHICKS IN AN ALTERNATE REALITY (Think: Paranormal, Superhero, Fantasy, Dystopia, or Science-Fiction):

• Alien (1979)* S,I (Ripley is a super boss, enough said)
• Aliens (1986)* S, I (Ripley bringing it but with PTSD, also, my personal recommendation is to stop here the other Alien films I did not like, and I have found that many agree with me… but once again up to you)
• Black Panther (2018) S (primarily Okoye)
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) C? (personally I am more a fan of the TV show but this is still fun)
• Captain Marvel (2019) ….. I haven’t seen this yet so, no clue!
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) S
• Fifth Element (1997)*S (Leeloo is awesome)
• Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)* C (a lot of people hating on this movie, I love this movie, my husband loves this movie… honestly, I think everyone who watched this and hated it either they are people who don’t like paranormal stuff or movies like the original Ghostbusters, is someone too hung up on the original, or is a chauvinist )
• Hunger Games ( 2012) S (series of films Katniss saving the day and other strong females too)
• Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) S
• Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life (2003) S
• Lucy (2014) S,I (Just so you know this movie starts creepy, then gets action-like, then get’s utterly metaphysical, this is more mind-bendy than it is action)
• Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) S, I
• Kick-Ass (2010) (primarily Hit Girl) S, I
• Kick-Ass 2 (2013) (primarily Hit Girl) S, I
• Suckerpunch (2011) S (this is actually a sad movie, but some really cool action scenes)
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) S,I (primarily Sarah Conor,… there are some badass chicks I think in the other  terminator films, but to be honest I have only seen 1 & 2 in their entirety)
• Tomb Raider (2018) S
• Wanted (2008) S
• Wonder Woman (2017) S

Honorable mentions

okay so these are some badass chicks that aren’t on the main list for one of (or a combo) of the following reasons:

1. They were present in several movies
2. Didn’t have enough screen time to fully develop their character
3. Their movie didn’t fit any of the categories/genres above
4. They aren’t necessarily an Action chick, but they are still a Badass Lady

• Alice in the Resident Evil movies
• Laurie Strode in the most recent Halloween (2018) & her granddaughter too
• Dana in the Cabin in the Woods (2011)
• Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy (1 &2)
• Black Widow in a ton of Marvel movies
• Leia Organa in Star Wars original triology and then some
• Letty Ortiz in the Fast & the Furious series
• All the ladies in Machete Kills (2013) (especially Luz, Desdemona, & La Camaleon)
• Selene in Underworld series
• Ladies from the Xmen movies (especially Storm)
• Trinity from the Matrix triology
• Michelle Yeoh in pretty much any movie
• Ewoyn in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
• Hermoine Granger in the Harry Potter movies
• Elvira, Mistress of the Dark from her self titled films and horror hosting other films
• Marge Gunderson in Fargo (1996) (this lady is badass for nothing phases her and she keeps up with all the boys on the squad whilst be super pregnant)
• Domino of Deadpool 2 (2018) she definitely didn’t have enough screen time to fully develop her character although this movie was a delight
• Clarice Starling of Silence of the Lambs (this lady holds her own against some creeptastic people)
• Thelma and Louise (of course)

 

 

Once again all the titles I included above were movies I have seen that fit the categories listed. There are probably a bunch I am forgetting and many more I have just yet to see. (I hope to update this post & add more as I see & recall them.)

Any recommendations? Feel free to leave them in the comments! Or post comments to my Instagram feed for this post. @yougotdisblog

SO GO KICK SOME ASS, YOU BADASS CHICK!!! errr… umm… I mean, Happy Watching! You Got This!

-Heather

 

 

LINKS:

https://www.imdb.com/list/ls003456810/  Best Female Lead Action Movies

https://www.thecut.com/2016/06/20-greatest-female-onscreen-spies.html 20 Greatest On Screen Female Spies

https://spy.com/gallery/best-spy-movies-female-spies/ The 12 Best Fictional Lady Spies of All Time

https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/news/g4767/best-action-movies/ 18 Action Movies With Kick Ass Women Front and Center

https://www.ranker.com/list/best-female-action-movies/ranker-film The Best Female Action Movies Ranked

http://collider.com/best-female-action-movies/ 10 Great Female Fronted Action Movies Worth Revisiting

https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/gallery/24-best-and-worst-female-action-movies/ 24 Best and Worst Female Action Movies

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/22/licensed-to-have-a-female-point-of-view-spy-who-dumped-me Breaking Cover: Spy Films listed to have a female point of view

https://variety.com/gallery/wonder-woman-most-badass-female-film-characters-princess-leia-ripley-hermione/#!14/leia-organa-star-wars Variety’s most badass female characters in film

https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/fearless-female-movie-heroes-who-inspire-us/    72 fearless females movie heroes who inspire us