Empowering female characters are the backbone of terrific storytelling. Focusing on the fabulous females of movie history, users onLetterboxdhave cast their votes for the “Wonder Women: Fictional Female Characters” in film. The poll notes that extra points go to films that fit the Bechdel Test, and the Mako Mori Test, a metric requiring a female character with a plot arc that is independent of a male character’s. In other words, films where sisters are doin' it for themselves.
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It would be remiss not to take note of the lack of racial diversity presented in this top ten. As representation becomes a more widely appreciated necessity, cinephiles can reasonably hope that more fantastic, diverse female characters continue to find their deserved home in the canon of classics. Happily, there is a wide range of stories, roles and occupations of the wonder women who appear in the Letterboxd list. From an ass-kicking assassin to a cunning linguist, a flight officer to a femme fatale, the best fictional females of film empower and challenge, shattering glass ceilings and stereotypes.
Amy Dunne – ‘Gone Girl’ (2014)
The intelligent and manipulative Amy Dunne seems to have been murdered by her husband inGone Girl- but there’s a lot more to the story, and as the intrigue unfolds, she’s not the ‘Amazing Amy’ that she seems.
Amy is a problematic character, and it’s important not to read this tale as an indictment of women, or to assume women falsify victimization maliciously for their own terrifying ends. For entertainment’s sake, it’s best to viewGone Girlas a twisting, turning thriller that has a deceitful, self-serving character at its core, who happens to be a woman. Perhaps, as thewriter of the adapted novelsuggested, there’s an important aspect to feminism that involves showing women can be more complex than the ‘good girl’ roles of yore - sometimes, a story can show a good girl turnedGone Girl.
Diane – ‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)
First-time viewers ofMulholland Drivewill likely need to do some independent reading to tackle the dense symbolism and confusing, interwoven narratives of the film. In trueDavid Lynchfashion, the film follows dream logic (or perhaps in this case, nightmare logic) and unravels the fantasy narrative created by Diane (Naomi Watts) to rationalize and mentally protect herself from a horrifying act of jealous rage.
Seeing both the real Diane and her idealized self (Betty) allows the audience a unique insight into her psyche – how she sees herself, and how she wants to see herself – adding dimensions to the character not often afforded in linear narratives. With more than one incarnation of Diane to explore, the complexity of the character can be indulged in and layers of her meaning unpacked.
Rey – ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ (2015)
Played byDaisy Ridleyand entering theStar Warsfilm franchise in 2015, Rey’s arc inStar Wars: The Force Awakenstakes her from scavenging on the planet Jakku, to slaying in the name of the Resistance.
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There’s more to Rey than meets the eye – she’s an adept pilot, has advanced knowledge of mechanics and though untrained, she is strong with the force. Her instincts are on point, and more than once she surprises the characters who initially underestimated her.
Carol Aird – ‘Carol’ (2015)
Carolexplores the love story between the titular Carol Aird and aspiring photographer Therese Belivet. Carol is immaculate and glamorous, and she knows exactly what she wants – from her lunch order to her lovers.Cate Blanchettplays the character with dignity and poise againstRooney Mara’s delicate and curious Therese.
Up against the harshly unjust discriminatory attitudes of the time, Carol refuses to betray herself, and relinquishes full custody of her daughter in favor of not denying her own sexuality. Winner of the Cannes Best Actress Award and lauded by critics and audiences alike,Carolis aqueer love story for the ages.
Dr. Louise Banks – ‘Arrival’ (2016)
Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) from 2016’sArrivalis a linguistics expert sent to assist military and government officials in understanding aliens who have rested on earth without apparent cause. Where other characters (read: male characters) are quicker to suggest using force and aggression when a threat is perceived, it is Dr. Banks who encourages communication as the first line of defense. Encouraging connection over combat, Dr. Banks is the epitome of a valuable lesson: “Use your words”.
Dr. Banks is clever and creative, using visual aids to build the basis for communication with the aliens. Her work sets in motion the process of deciphering and translating the aliens' complex form of communication, and it’s through her quick thinking and strong will that disaster is ultimately averted.
Marge Gunderson – ‘Fargo’ (1996)
Waddling around Brainerd solving crimes right up until her third trimester, Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) isthe perceptive police chiefwith an eye for detail and a low tolerance for liars inThe Coen Brothers' cinematic masterpiece,Fargo.
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She’s delightfully chipper conducting her investigations, but she’s a human lie detector with a finely tuned radar for deception: nothing gets past Margie. Carrying life as an expectant mother, and protecting life as an excellent policewoman, Marge is one mighty Minnesotan mamma – criminals won’t go far when she’s on the case.
Clarice Starling – ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)
One of the best students in her form at the FBI training academy, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is engaged to speak to a cannibalistic killer to gain information on a string of recent murders inThe Silence of the Lambs. Clarice is persistent, clever and calm in dealings with Dr. Lecter, using her vulnerability as her most valuable bargaining chip.
On plenty of occasions throughout the film, Clarice is the only woman in the room - a familiar feeling to so many women in male-dominated fields. Yet there’s never a moment when Clarice doesn’t hold her own. In another triumph for feminist storytelling, the most meaningful assistance she gets in solving the case comes from her only female colleague, who is also supportive of Clarice’s graduation.
The Bride – ‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1’ (2003)
Surviving a cold-blooded attempted slaughter at the hands of her former lover, Beatrix Kiddo (alias Black Mamba) rebuilds her strength and seeks revenge. Expertly trained in techniques not even possessed by the great masters of combat,Uma Thurman’s Bride inKill Bill: Volume 1deservedly ranked highly for users of Letterboxd.
Responsible for one of the bloodiest scenes in cinema history,she’s an unstoppable movie assassinwho makes “girl power” sound like a quaint notion.Quentin Tarantinois known for writing female characters who break the mold, and The Bride is arguably the best example of a strong woman in the Tarantino oeuvre.
Rescuing oppressed concubines from a tyrannical despot in a post-apocalyptic future,Charlize Theron’s 2015 turn as Imperator Furiosa inMad Max: Fury Roadpresents viewers with a masterful motorist making a brave escape. As an aesthetic feat with spectacular, well-executed stunts, the film does its job and then some. As a beacon of hope for great female characters, the framing narrative is solid, but the text is sparse.
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Theron doesn’t show much range as Furiosa – she’s generally just serious-a. The film is intended as a visual spectacle more than being known for biting dialogue, so viewers looking for a well-written female character will be disappointed. But, viewers looking for a female character who can drive will be in luck.
Ellen Louise Ripley – ‘Alien’ (1979) & ‘Aliens’ (1986)
Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley is a flight officer in theAlienfranchise. With Letterboxd mentions for her appearance in both 1979’sAlienand the 1986 sequelAliens, Ripley was the only human survivor of the Nostromo who then returned 57 years later, using her expertise to assist an expedition to a colony that was conquered by the aliens.
Brave, savvy, strong and quick thinking, there’s no reason not to believe Ripley is the fiercest femme of film. Weaver plays the role to perfection, creating a three-dimensional character who isn’t unemotional, but doesn’t bend to any stereotypes of women as being ruled by their emotions. Logical but not insensitive, brave but not cold, Ripley is a complex character capable of kicking some serious alien tail, and ultimately saving the most important male in the franchise: Jones, the cat.NEXT:10 Strongest Female Characters From Pixar Films
