The question of whether women can kick butt in anaction filmhas already been answered, and furthermore, it is a stupid one to ask to begin with. There have been many great women to grace the screen in performances that define genres. But some are still quite overlooked. Either it’s a movie that just hasn’t found its audience, or it has a god-awful marketing campaign behind it. There were and still are many underrated female-led films, specifically in the action genre.
With this past weekend’s release ofThe Marvels, all eyes are on the ladies of the MCU being front and center of high adventure and incredible action. But in honor of the most recent female-led action extravaganza to hit the big screen, let’s take a look at some of the other underrated ones we have or haven’t seen in the past.
10Magnificent Warriors (1987)
Magnificent Warriors, a film that can also be found under the nameDynamite Fighters, is a late 1980s Hong Kong action film about an adventurer named Fok Ming-Ming (Michelle Yeoh), who arrives at a Chinese town to help the rebels fight the Japanese during their occupation of China during the late 1930s.
What Makes it Underrated?
For starters, it stars Michelle Yeoh, who is currently at the top of Hollywood with her Oscar win earlier this year forEverything, Everywhere, All At Once. Like most Hong Kong action films, it is scene after scene of incredible stunts and fight choreography, and let’s just say it is a bit of a hybrid movie. It’s part martial arts action film, and yet it also feels like it’s being done in the vein of anIndiana Jonesmovie.
Stream on The Criterion Channel
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9Haywire (2011)
Haywirewas one of Gina Carano’s earlier roles that helped launch her into the stratosphere. In it, she plays Mallory Kane, a spy who gets double-crossed on a mission but then eventually seeks retribution for what was done against her. As she falls under the magnifying glass of an international investigation, it’s up to her to fight her way back and get even.
Yes, Gina Caranois a polarizing figure these days for the public.But back in 2011, this breakout role of hers had people wanting to know more about her.Haywireis directed by Steven Soderbergh, who mixes elements of an old 1960s spy thriller with powerhouse mixed martial arts fight scenes. Plus, the supporting cast in all of this helps make the movie even better. Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, and Channing Tatum. A fun fact about the film is that Carano’s voice was digitally altered to sound deeper.
Stream on Peacock
8Revenge (2017)
In Revenge (2018), a woman seeks retribution after surviving a brutal assault, turning the tables on her attackers. Set against a stark and unforgiving desert landscape, the film delves into themes of resilience and empowerment, maintaining a relentless pace and visceral intensity throughout. The narrative’s meticulous structure and striking visuals contribute to its compelling portrayal of vengeance and survival.
Revengeis about a woman named Jen, who is enjoying a getaway with her wealthy boyfriend. The trip seems to be going perfectly until his sleazy friends show up. The tensions rise between her and the group of men, and then finally everything comes undone, and a horrible act takes place that leaves her for dead. But she returns to get her vengeance against those who stripped her of dignity.
Just a heads-up:Revengehas sexual assault in the movie. It does play on the trope of a woman done wrong in that aspect, as she seeks retribution for the act. Most people now think that the plot of a woman who is assaulted and then goes on a killing spree is played out and, frankly, disrespectful. No argument there.Revengedid get a lot of praise for how it handled this material, though. It’s a great blend of action, horror, and suspense and also brings in a strong commentary on gender norms, making it a strong story about survival.
Stream on Shudder
7Underworld (2003)
Underworld
Kate Beckinsale plays Selene in the filmUnderworld.An orphaned vampire who works for a clan of vampires as an assassin of sorts. She is caught in the middle of the war between werewolves and vampires, as she must rescue a doctor from the grasp of her enemies.
The wholeUnderworldfranchise is a bit overlooked. Four more films would spawn over the next two decades that were built around this world. Kate Beckinsale is known for her beauty off-screen, but in the universe these films take place in, she definitely carries the franchise on her back. Plus, in this original film, the damsel in distress is the doctor (Scott Speedman), so there are some gender reversals in who saves who. Although loaded with CGI from the early 2000s,Underworlddeserves some praise for its major gothic aesthetic.
Rent on Prime Video
6The Assassin (2015)
The Assassintakes place during China’s Tang Dynasty. It’s about a female assassin who is given a mission to kill a high-profile political leader. However, upon failing a mission, she is sent back to her hometown by her master, where she confronts the ghosts of the past and the repression that follows her around.
Arguably,The Assassinis one of the most beautifully shot films to come out of Asia in the last ten years. The lead performance of Shu Qi is mesmerizing, and the direction under the helm of Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-Hsien is spot on. The film is not your usual hitman (woman) kind of movie, as it deals a lot with the psyche of a trained killer and their patience, due diligence, and duty.
Stream on Tubi
5Death Proof (2007)
Death Proof
Death Proofis two separate films that center around a group of women stalked by a slick, handsome, yet menacing serial killer called Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell). The first half of the film is a slow-burn slasher film that tries to feel like an old exploitation film of women being murdered. But in the second half of the film, the targeted women take it to Stuntman Mike.
Death Proofis Quentin Tarantino’s biggest flop to date,and yet it keeps finding its audience year in and year out. With an all-star cast that includes Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell, Kurt Russell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and many more.Death Proofis clearly inspired by 1970s car chase movies you caught at a drive-in, mixed in with exploitation slasher movies of the era, while also being a great girl team-up movie where we are reminded of something likeThe Swithchblade SistersorDirty Mary Crazy Larry.
4Atomic Blonde (2017)
Atomic Blonde
Atomic Blondeis about an MI6 agent who is sent to Berlin, right in the middle of the Berlin Wall coming down. Her mission is to uncover a list that has many double agents' names on it. While in Berlin, she partners with an officer who helps her through the spy games in Germany.
Atomic Blondeis one of the more recent films on this list that is both a box office hit for the studio that made it and gets the respect of cinephiles as well. Charlize Theron is in one of her best roles here, and James McAvoy is a brilliant number two on the cast list. It’s a great Cold War spy thriller based on a great graphic novel that really encapsulates the time it is taking place in quite well. Fingers crossed for aJohn Wick/Atomic Blondecrossover
3Run Lola Run (1998)
Run Lola Runis a late 1990s German-produced thriller that changed the way some of us looked at how movies were made going into the new millennium. The film follows Lola, a woman who has 20 minutes to get 100,000 German dollars for her boyfriend, who is in danger of being killed by the man he owes that amount to. We see Lola work through this heart-racing issue via three separate scenarios and how they play out.
Run Lola Runteaches you a lot about filmmaking and storytelling in its eighty-one-minute runtime. It’s a heart-racing story that has you leaning forward, clenching your sweaty palms. Franka Potente is unforgettable in the role of Lola. The title of the film is more than just that; it’s a rally call for its audience to yell at the screen during the film.Run Lola Runmay be one ofthe best international filmsof the 1990s in American audiences' eyes.
2The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
The Long Kiss Goodnight
The Long Kiss Goodnightis about an amnesiac suburban woman (Geena Davis) who has a past that begins to haunt her more and more, until one day she has no choice but to uncover the harsh realities of her double life. She utilizes the help of a private investigator (Samuel L. Jackson) to help her discover the conspiracies in her past.
Shane Black was killing it with screenplays in the late 1980s and into the 1990s. His writing inThe Long Kiss Goodnightis just another great addition to his resume. Geena Davis goes from homemaker to action star in thirty minutes or less in this film. She and Samuel L. Jackson’s chemistry is unparalleled.The Long Kiss Goodnightwas pretty forgotten about upon its release, but now many people are discovering it to be one of the biggest hidden gems of the decade in which it was released.
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1Lady Snowblood (1973)
Lady Snowbloodtells the tale of a woman who has had vengeance on her mind since birth. A film based on the manga series by Kazuo Koike and Kazuo Kamimura is about a woman whose mother is sexually assaulted and left to die in jail. As the child grows older, she seeks out the people responsible for her hard upbringing that she never asked for.
Why it’s the Most Underrated Film on the List
In terms of underrated, this may be the most underrated on this list, and yet it inspired many films and pop-cultural themes in storytelling for years to come. Quentin Tarantino washighly inspired by this while makingKill Bill.It is a film that blends genres like noir, horror, martial arts, and great drama so incredibly well. There isn’t a bad frame in the movie. And the screen is commanded by the performance of its lead, Meiko Kaji. There is a very good chanceLady Snowbloodhas had an effect on some of the films that are also on this list.
