Casey Chong with seven female-led action movies that are worth your time…
Action movies may have been traditionally dominated by men but the opposite sex have also had their fair share of notable efforts. From Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley taking down the Xenomorphs in the Alien movies to Uma Thurman’s The Bride slicing and dicing her way in her bloody quest for vengeance in the two-part Kill Bill, and let’s not forget Gal Gadot playing the invincible Amazonian princess in Wonder Woman and Angelina Jolie bending bullets with her unique shooting skills in Wanted. Here, we’re looking at a selection of female-led action movies that may have slipped under your radar and are well worth a watch…
Point of No Return (1993)
Between Luc Besson’s genre-defining La Femme Nikita and the two respective TV series starring Peta Wilson and Maggie Q, the 1993 American remake Point of No Return (or internationally titled The Assassin) is often seen as a lesser movie. The movie received mixed responses and didn’t do well at the box office upon its release, which is a shame because journeyman director John Badham does a competent job translating Besson’s 1990 iconic French movie into a stylish Americanized version.
The action is well-choreographed with enough verve and clarity, notably the earlier shootout scene in the restaurant, while Hans Zimmer produces one of his best works with his evocative score. It helps the movie boasts the stellar Bridget Fonda, whose versatile acting range is put to good use as we see her Maggie Hayward’s character transformation from a reckless drug addict to a femme fatale assassin. Point of No Return also features strong supporting roles from Gabriel Byrne as Maggie’s handler and Harvey Keitel as the remorseless Cleaner.
Hanna (2011)
Hanna feels like an odd one out for both director Joe Wright, who is primarily known for making period dramas including Pride & Prejudice and Atonement at the time, and Saoirse Ronan in an… espionage action thriller. Ronan plays the titular character, a teenager who’s been living off the grid deep in the forest with her father Erik played by the perfectly stoic Eric Bana. Hanna isn’t just any teenager as she shows impressive tactical skills in self-defense and weaponry and is even fluent in multiple languages. Under the guidance of martial arts veteran Jeff Imada, he successfully groomed Ronan and Bana convincingly like skilled fighters.
Joe Wright proves he can transition effortlessly from period dramas to something as different as a contemporary action thriller like Hanna. He knows well how to frame the action scenes with his crisp, yet dynamic camerawork while the story boasts a unique coming-of-age angle revolving around Hanna’s character arc, which may be a turn-off for those seeking a straightforward genre fare. But that’s what sets Hanna apart from the usual espionage action-thriller template, thanks to Wright’s fresh perspective on the oft-seen genre.
Atomic Blonde (2017)
Charlize Theron and David Leitch. Now that’s a combo worth watching. Theron is no stranger to action-oriented roles in movies like Aeon Flux and Mad Max: Fury Road and here, she certainly means business in Atomic Blonde. As a platinum-blonde undercover M16 agent, not only does she rock the stylish ‘80s fashion (it was set in the Cold War era) but also shows tremendous commitment in the action department. At one point, Leitch upped the ante by pushing Theron’s character to the limit in an impressively staged, long-take action set piece in a building as we see her fending off the assailants using martial arts skills, guns and even a corkscrew.
Theron is undoubtedly a scene-stealer with her committed performance in Atomic Blonde, even though the story tends to get overwhelmed by its convoluted storytelling. But Leitch’s overall stylish direction made Atomic Blonde a cinematic thrill ride with Jonathan Sela’s stunning cinematography capturing the distinct 1980s aesthetics while the movie features eclectic eighties-heavy needle drops from New Order’s Blue Monday to Depeche Mode’s Behind the Wheel and George Michael’s Father Figure.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
Renny Harlin was on top of his world during the early ‘90s, boasting back-to-back hits with Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger. But by the mid-90s onwards, his career begins to take a tumble. Still, it’s a pity that The Long Kiss Goodnight wasn’t as big of a hit as expected. Harlin cast Geena Davis again after the Cutthroat Island mega-flop that infamously sunk once-prominent Carolco Pictures and here, she plays a mild-mannered schoolteacher who turns out to be a CIA assassin. Davis does a great job playing the action hero as she takes down the bad guys with guns and knives.
The Long Kiss Goodnight also benefits from an effective buddy-movie angle between Davis’s feisty lead performance and Samuel L. Jackson’s solid supporting turn as private investigator Mitch Henessey. Working from Shane Black’s witty screenplay which combines acerbic wits and the familiar Christmas-set action-comedy territory, Harlin is in fine form with his assured direction navigating Davis’s amnesiac character journey blending with top-notch action sequences. The latter is especially true with the climactic third act in the Niagara Falls International Bridge.
Cutthroat Island (1995)
It was a painful end for Carolco Pictures who gave us some of the most iconic Hollywood blockbusters from Rambo: First Blood Part II to Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Cliffhanger. Then Cutthroat Island happened, which was supposed to revive the long-dormant pirate genre at the time but it ended up as one of the costliest flops in Hollywood movie history.
Sure, the story is nothing to write home about but it’s hard to deny Harlin’s bold move in casting his then-wife Geena Davis in the lead role as he subverts the traditionally male-dominated pirate in favor of a female protagonist. Perhaps it was too ahead of the time that the ‘90s audiences found it hard to root for a female pirate. Looking back at Cutthroat Island, Davis’ performance as the roguish pirate Morgan Adams shows she can handle the action scenes like a seasoned pro. And Harlin doesn’t disappoint here, giving us thrillingly staged set pieces from the horse-and-carriage chase to the epic battle between the two pirate ships.
Salt (2010)
Okay, Salt may have been a box-office hit and yet, the once-talked-about sequel failed to materialize. This turned out to be a pity because Angelina Jolie’s impressive lead performance could have given us a female James Bond-like franchise. Jolie’s magnetic star power, coupled with her physically demanding performance continues to prove she’s a natural playing an action role after the two Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movies.
Whether engaging in a fight or handling a weapon, Jolie is the reason that made Salt an entertaining action thriller. Phillip Noyce, who directed Kurt Wimmer’s screenplay about Jolie’s titular character on the run while trying to clear her name, effectively blends espionage thriller with action-movie tropes. Apart from Jolie, Salt equally benefits from supporting actors including Live Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Doomsday (2008)
Neil Marshall’s first two directorial efforts including Dog Soldiers and The Descent proved his worth as one of the most exciting directors who knows how to make exciting genre fares. His third outing in Doomsday sees the director venturing into the post-apocalyptic genre territory made popular by the Mad Max movies. But instead of casting a male lead, Marshall turns to Rhona Mitra to play Major Eden Sinclair, a Department of Domestic Security soldier leading her team to find a cure for the deadly Reaper virus that has caused a mass outbreak in Scotland.
Mitra’s icy, no-nonsense lead performance is spot-on in Doomsday while Marshall’s genre know-how direction not only blends Mad Max but also takes cues from movies like Escape From New York, 28 Days Later and even Paul Verhoven’s Flesh + Blood. The action is well-staged with The Road Warrior-like highway chase quickly comes to mind. Marshall doesn’t shy away from graphic violence and gore – severed heads and crushed bodies, just to name a few – are all on full display to satisfy genre fans.
What are your female-led action movie recommendations? Let us know over on our socials @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong
