There is absolutely no doubt that I love a weapon wielding kick-ass babe but every list I come across is the same old names, yes I absolutely marvel in the on-screen presence of Ellen Ripley and bow down to the brilliance of Nancy Thompson but I feel like it’s time for a re-vamp, with more and more final girls on the big screen and women gradually gaining more control behind the camera, I present to you BABES OF HORROR: THE NEW BREED.
WARNING: WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS AND HEAVY TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.
1. I Spit On Your Grave-Jennifer Hills
The mother of all revenge films, while the original came out in 1978 the 2010 remake was more brutal and bloody than ever before. Jennifer Hills’ savage, merciless and quite frankly brilliant revenge on the group of men who raped her while she was taking time out in the country to write her next novel, is nothing short of note-worthy.
To me Lola Stone is misunderstood, rejected from prom each year she holds her own prom style bash at her house. Of course first that involves capturing the guy of her dreams first, then tying him to a chair and carving her initials into his chest? Oh well, each to their own.
Lucie wants revenge on the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child and she will stop at nothing to get it until she is led into a dark and depraved world into the study of martyrs and personal torture.
4. The Descent Part 1 & 2- every. single. one. of. them.
The Descent films are absolutely some of the best female led horrors out there. An all-girl group of cavers brave the unknown and head into a never before explored caving system where they are met by dwellers of the underground. Each woman is admirable in some way whether its Juno’s athleticism, or Sarah’s determination these girls put up a brilliant fight against the creepers.
5. All The Boys Love Mandy Lane- Mandy Lane
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane is not your typical ‘quiet girl gone hot’ flick. Mandy is both shy and popular and after returning from summer vacation, all the boys want to sleep with her. She is ‘the untouched one’ and after an invitation to stay with some of her classmates on a guys ranch, nothing goes to plan.
Michonne is possibly my favourite Waking Dead character ever. Silent, ruthless and bloody good with a samurai sword Michonne makes up one of the most racially diverse zombie survival groups ever depicted on the screen. And she’s actually still alive! The Walking Dead is pretty notorious for killing off black men and then replacing them with another only to kill them off again but Michonne’s still going strong and I really hope she makes it out the other side.
Mary is a medical student who is running seriously low on cash (aren’t we all?!) and get’s involved in the underground world of extreme body modification with a wide range of bizarre clients, and after Mary is raped by her college professor she get’s to work on her final masterpiece….
Ginger Snaps is the story of two sisters, Ginger and Brigitte who like to fake their deaths and make suicide pacts until Ginger is bitten and starts to transform into a werewolf. I chose Brigitte over Ginger because she’s quiet, she deals with Ginger’s hormonal angst and werewolf problems but never leaves her side. Sisters doing it for themselves.
Oh the French do horror so well! When Marie is on a visit to her friend Alexia’s country home their reunion is disrupted by a mysterious killer. Marie is silent and resilient, hiding from the killer and trying to free Alexia, but things aren’t always what they seem.
While Zombieland is a comedy I don’t think there’s any doubt that Wichita is someone to look up to if there was ever a zombie apocalypse. While sometimes unreliable her primary focus is her sister, Little Rock and their goal of reaching an amusement park. She is incredibly loyal to her family, has a sharp wit and is pretty darn handy with a gun.
Hayley Stark could be one of the youngest and most cunning on this list. After her suspicions about an internet predator she lures him to a cafe and back to his house where she exacts her sweet revenge.
12. American Horror Story- Everyone
American Horror Story is at times incredibly f***ed up and confusing but one thing it isn’t short of is a pretty good gender balanced cast. In the most recent series, Coven, we’re even blessed with some POC characters (although one flaw is that they often play into the ‘angry black woman’ trope). The witches often fight and bicker but each one is unique and multifaceted with their own talents (literally).
Spanning 5 films so far with 6 on the way Resident Evil could be the most popular female fronted horror going but I don’t feel like Alice is praised nearly as much as she deserves. Alice wakes with amnesia and it is her mission to fight a super-computer named ‘The Red Queen” and the hoard of zombified staff members along with it. She does most of this in a dress which is a feat in itself so give the gal some credit.
There’s riots in France and pregnant Yasmine and her friends flee to a nearby inn to escape the chaos. They are captured by a cannibalistic family of Neo-Nazi’s who want to carry on their family line. Yasmine escapes not once but twice from the clutches of the family and gets hella bloody while doing it.
By far one of the bloodiest British horrors going, Jenny from Eden Lake starts off as the annoying girlfriend who can’t seem to do anything for herself. That is until a gang of youths terrorize her and fiancée Steve’s trip away resulting in horrific consequences. Jenny’s character transformation is astounding, while still remaining apathetic she encounters all sorts of trouble as she strives to save Steve’s life.
16. Planet Terror- Cherry Darling
Cherr Darling was a go-go dancer who was looking for a new occupation and after zombies tear off her leg, she gets one: ULTIMATE MACHINE GUN BADASS. After an unfortunate stint with a wooden leg Cherry has a M4 Carbine attached to her stump instead, obviously incredibly useful in a zombie attack. With a combination of her dancing skills and new found weaponry Cherry is most definitely the hero of this movie putting all the guys to shame.
Eli Roth stepped up his game in Hostel 2 with bloodier deaths and a female focused cast! Following the same storyline as the first films 3 students are back-packing and end up staying in a shady Slovakian hostel where an under-ground network of filthy rich people pay to murder. Whilst all the girls in this movie deserve an honourable mention, Beth flips the tables and plays the owners of the organisation at their own game in the particularly amazing scene pictured above, trust me, you will not regret it.
‘The Woman’ is one of the last members of a savage clan of outsiders who live off the land. That is until the walking definition of ‘middle class white guy’ captures her and locks her in his garage, to ‘rehabilitate’ her. The story was written by Jack Ketchum who is absolutely no stranger to misogynistic acts in his writing so it’s safe to say that she is not treat well, but boy does she get her just desserts in the end.
Ah, laugh as much as you want but there is no doubt that Brenda knew what was going down. Despite her hilarious screams and remarks regarding all the things she encounters within her 4 movie run, Brenda undoubtedly talked the most sense out of any character in the franchise.
20. Battle Royale- Takako Chigusa
Despite her rather un-enventful death in the film, Takako Chigusa is by far my fave Battle Royale Babe. A sharp way with words and tongue like a knife she won’t be dealing with any misogynistic shit from fellows BR competitors (see: ‘Shouldn’t you be worried about your life, instead of that useless micro-penis of yours?’).
By Chloe
Categories: Anything and Everything
Screen Queens 