16 Daring Female Movie Characters

She is Tough, Uncompromising and Intimidating! It’s not just about physical prowess, but how mentally and emotionally strong you are! We are not talking about the perfect role models, but those who don’t mind being a baddie. She stands a cut above everyone else!

The list focusses only on lead characters. Protagonists, Anti-heroes and Grey shaded ones – Serving justice, fighting for survival, vengeful hearts, or simply pure evil!

Genre: Action/Horror/Thriller

16) Cassie (Carey Mulligan)

Cassie goes to a bar every week and pretends to be drunk. She patiently waits for an apparently kind hearted man to indulge in a conversation and take advantage of her. Then, she reacts! Initially seemed as a miscast, Carey Mulligan delivers a solid performance as the disturbed and vengeful Cassie.

15) Grace (Samara Weaving)

On her wedding night, a bride is forced to participate in a seemingly innocent game by her eccentric in-laws. Soon, she finds out that she has to do a lot more than an average bride to make her in-laws happy and get accepted in the family. But, will she survive the night? Weaving as Grace, with her expressive eyes is full of energy, hilarious and wickedly smart offering fast paced entertainment.

14) Jennifer (Matilda Lutz)

A romantic getaway turns into a nightmare for Jen. Left for dead, but back for a bloody revenge is what the movie is all about. Revenge has a 70’s exploitation feel with plenty of shock value, amplified by vibrant cinematography. From a ‘Lolita’ type girl to an avenger, Lutz does a convincing job as Jen.

13) Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)

Although the Marvel Universe is full of Gods and Super heroes, Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha aka Black Widow has her own space! She operates at the peak human condition. Black Widow can hold her own alongside any Superhero and Johansson’s brilliant character portrayal is the reason for the same.

12) Erin (Sharni Vinson)

The key thing that works for You’re next is the unlikely protagonist Erin played by Sharni Vinson. A family reunion is taking place when a gang of masked invaders wreak havoc. Easy pickings, right? Nope – Enter Erin, who has a special knack of fighting back using everyday appliances as deadly weapons. Sharni Vinson aces the role!

11) Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike)

After finding out that her husband is having an affair, Amy stages her own disappearance, goes into hiding, while leaving out clues to suggest that she’s murdered. The plan is to frame her husband for wasting her life. In what works as a dark satire on modern relationships, Pike is brilliant as the twisted and wickedly sarcastic Amy.

10) Geum-ja (Lee Young-ae)

All she wanted was a peaceful life! Lee is charming and fearlessly brave as Guem-ja, the protagonist. Guem-ja is looking to settle a score against the person who is responsible for sending her to prison, for a murder she did not commit. She’s out for revenge, but has a daughter to take care of. Lee shines as Lady Vengeance!

9) Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss)

The Matrix is one of the most influential Sci-Fi Thrillers with jaw dropping action and special effects. It boasts of some memorable characters like Neo, Morpheus and Smith. The understated Trinity’s role is as important and crucial for the film’s plot and Moss delivered it with style. Apart from being a hacker and programmer, she is quite capable in martial arts.

8) Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt)

Cage is caught in a time loop, fighting aliens unsuccessfully till the warrior Vrataski steps in. Emily Blunt nails the character! She trains Cage (Tom Cruise) to fight the aliens. From full metal combat suit warrior to the normal human side – Blunt aced it!

7) Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie)

The Goofy Action-Adventure ‘Tomb Raider’ part 1 and 2 were talked about only because of Angelina Jolie. She was universally accepted as Lara Croft, the archaeologist/treasure hunter who races against time, deadly traps and villains to recover ancient artifacts. Jolie made the fantasy come to life especially for the fans of Tomb Raider games.

6) Beatrix Kiddo aka The Bride (Uma Thurman)

She once was a part of the deadly viper assassination squad. A situation during a mission changes her mind and she decides to get away from the gang. Things don’t end well and the body count rises in this 2-part action saga. Uma Thurman is magnificent as ‘The Bride’. She is fierce, vulnerable, crazy at times and as the movie says ‘the deadliest woman in the world’!

5) Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone)

Manipulative and Seductive – Stone’s character in a nutshell! Catherine is the prime suspect of a brutal murder. A detective is on the hunt, but finds her irresistible. Stone is fantastic as Catherine who is provocative, mysterious and pure evil!

4) Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron)

Contrary to the film’s title, it is Furiosa’s story and the one-armed female road warrior is played splendidly by Charlize Theron. In this post-apocalyptic action film, she will do anything to save the women she is protecting. Theron is perfect as the damaged soul Furiosa, who is a hardened warrior but equally compassionate.

3) Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara)

Lisbeth is computer hacker who teams up with a journalist to solve the mystery of a woman who has been missing for forty years. She has suffered severe emotional and sexual abuse to a point where she doesn’t trust anyone, until the journalist Mikael arrives. Rooney Mara is a revelation as Lisbeth! She brilliantly portrays controlled rage, vulnerability and the efforts to channelize her energy to bring a positive impact.

2) Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton)

When we are introduced to Sarah Connor in Terminator, she is an ordinary woman, a waitress desperate to make a living. Out of nowhere, a Cyborg starts hunting her and she is confused and frightened not knowing why it’s happening to her. On the run, she gets help from a human soldier sent back in time to protect her. She relies on the soldier throughout the movie to get her out of trouble until the very end where she shows some fight.

The first part made it clear that Sarah Connor was going to be a fighter responsible for turning her son into a leader of resistance movement against the machines. The character transformation that we see from her is incredible. In one of the best action movies ever made, Hamilton’s Sarah Connor stands toe to toe with the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and one of the best villains of all time. Without a doubt, one of the daringly fierce characters ever, portrayed by a spectacular Linda Hamilton!

1) Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver)

In terms of character development and transformation, there are similarities between Sarah Connor and Ellen Ripley. You could say Ripley was subdued, but assured and tactical.

In the 1979 ‘Alien’, we are unsure as to who the lead will be? Each and every character felt important and doesn’t reveal the lead until late. Here, the hero is not invincible and does not start as the typical “Yeah, I’m the one” but evolves through the different situations presented before her throughout the movie. Ripley is just a part of the crew who becomes the lead when the Alien kills all the others.

Alien focusses on fear and survival while the 2^nd part Aliens is action packed and also shows the maternal instincts of Ripley. The range of emotions, intensity and character transformation is exceptional! Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley remains one of the most iconic character in film to date.

Will be back soon with my favorite Indian Characters.

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Image Source: IMDB, Unsplash, Public Domain

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