Last Saturday, I watched Dark Phoenix. I loved every minute of it. Sophie as Jean Gray/Dark Phoenix was a total bad-ass. Not just because of her powers, but because she took charge of her own life. She recognized that she was dealing with a power unlike any other she’d ever had and made attempts to understand it. I admit her actions weren’t always good ones, but she ultimately made a huge sacrifice and I thought that was very brave of her.
After I watched the film, as I was driving home, I started thinking of all the bad-ass females I’ve seen onscreen. Naturally, it inspired me to put a list together of my top 5 bad-ass females in movies.
Diana Guzman from Girlfight
This movie will always have a special place in my heart. I was 17 years old the first time I watched it after my brother rented it one summer. This was the film that turned me into a Michelle Rodriguez fan. I can remember being reluctant to watch at first. The idea of a boxing movie sounded so boring to me, but I am so glad I gave it a chance. I discovered the film was about so much more than boxing. Diana was a female boxer, yes, but she wasn’t just conquering the ring. She was dealing with high school, her controlling father, and experiencing falling in love for the first time. While in the ring, she had to show her male counterparts that she was just as strong if not stronger than they were. She didn’t let anyone stop her and that determination is what made her such a bad-ass.
Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Now, I realize several actresses have played Lisbeth Salander but for me, Rooney Mara will always be mine. I don’t even want to tell you how many times I watched this movie in the theater when it came out. Trust me it was a lot. I loved the book, and the film was done so well. Lisbeth is a bad-ass computer hacker, who also happens to be one of the top freelance investigators for Milton security. People (mainly men) come to her when they need help solving difficult cases. She’s been on her own for years and learned to take care of herself. Lisbeth went through a lot of trauma and abuse growing up but she never let it break her.
Mallory Kane from Haywire
Mallory is a black ops super soldier and quite possibly one of my absolute favorite bad-ass females. She takes risks and is not afraid to go out and get shit done. She works alongside nothing but men, but it doesn’t stop her. She’s not afraid to get deep in the trenches and she hits just as hard as the men do. Don’t believe me? Just check out her fight scene with Paul (Michael Fassbender). It’s one of my favorites in the entire film and It shows you can still kick ass even in an LBD.
Shuri from Black Panther
Shuri is a Princess and T’Challa’s little sister but she is much more than that. In my opinion, Shuri is basically the brains of his operation. She is an inventor and created every piece of armor Black Panther uses. She’s got a state-of-the-art lab where she does all her work. She has taken vibranium which is one of the most valued assets in Wakanda and put it to use in so many ingenious ways. Not only is she a tech-genius, she can also fight with the best of them. She does not shy away from a fight and always has her brothers back.
Alita from Alita: Battle Angel
Although she is a female cyborg, Alita has a human like quality. She exhibits selflessness and kindness and she’s willing to do anything for the ones she loves. Having those qualities as well as her being a cyborg were a winning combination. She struggled to figure out who she was and once she realized her purpose in life, she went for it. Alita didn’t back down when obstacles got in her way and she was not afraid to fight.
Are any of these your favorites? Who would you pick? Tell us in the comments below!
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