Note: This is a work in progress as I transfer movie / villainess reviews from my sister site Action Woman Fan. For now, only the introduction and 101 entry are viewable. Eventually, all reviews and ranking tables will be accessible from the Action Girl Books website.

Ranking the Deadliest Women in Cinema

It was a female unmasking that started it all.

Picture the scene: a red-garbed ninja sat on a golden throne in an island lair, surrounded by henchmen and burning skulls. As a child in the 1980s, I never suspected it was a woman under the hood. I fell for the ruse completely, and experienced my first surprise villainess as she revealed her face to the stunned male hero. I imagine gamers who played the original Metroid and earned the true “Samus is a girl” ending will appreciate the impact of such a moment.

Since then, I’ve sought female villains, but that introduction has rarely been surpassed. A fan for over thirty years, I’ve been delighted with many women foes, grudgingly content with others, and had my fair share of disappointment. In 2021, I had the idea to review and summarise my favourites, and so came up with the idea for Movie Villainess 101.

101 is American terminology for an introductory course, so might seem an odd choice given I’m British. But the overall tone of this series is educational, and I’m hoping to introduce readers to at least one example they didn’t know before. I’ll be summarising a hundred movies on the ranking tiers, plus the introductory villainess to start things off. Who else could that be but China / Scarlet Leader from Unmasking the Idol?

After researching other internet sites, I’ve found many articles about female villains and a plethora of top lists. These vary in quality, but all focus on mainstream movies, and the same names come up repeatedly. While this is understandable, I feel not including other sources (direct-to-video, TV movies, lesser-known cinema releases) is a mistake, as so many “unknown” villainesses outshine A-list counterparts.

The problem – though a good one to have – is that my DVD / Blu-ray / digital collection is extensive, and there are too many female villains to cover. But I wanted to include as many as possible, so I eventually decided on themed reviews. These focus on one primary villainess (or pairing) with honourable mentions for others that are linked. It could be the same actress in another role, other movies in the same franchise, or an overarching theme (such as female cat burglars, witches, or tournament fighters).

For example, I cover the Connery era James Bond villains at #70. Fiona Volpe from Thunderball (1965) is the main ranked entry, with honourable mentions for female villains in the same era. James Bond is a substantial source (or was until the recent movies) that multiple series entries that feature on the list. A lot of my choices are subjective, and I haven’t seen everything, so apologies if your favourite doesn’t make the cut.

The List

I published written reviews on my blog between 2021 and 2023. These summarised the overall movie, any female villains of note, and themed honourable mentions. I’ve reproduced the content here, with edits to clean up grammar, spelling, and flow. And there have been a few additions and changes, too.

To avoid potential copyright issues, the reviews are text-only, with no images. My blog posts include screenshots, but those are inappropriate for a commercial publication. To compensate, I will provide descriptions of outfits and key visuals.

A few points to cover before we begin:

• Most genres are featured. The exceptions are pornographic or softcore flicks, which I consider detrimental to females. Some erotic thrillers with “real” plots and actors, such as Basic Instinct (1992) which features nudity in relative moderation, are on the list.
• Most entries are about female antagonists, but some are notable anti-heroines and female criminal protagonists such as assassins or bank robbers. While debatable, my overall aim is to cover as much material as possible, and I felt the need to include those examples.
• Whether I could add meaningful commentary was the major factor when choosing villainesses to rank. Those without sufficient screen time or notable scenes feature as honourable mentions. Lifetime films about jilted ex-girlfriends rarely make the cut, but those with more original storylines or great confrontations do.
• Movies are mostly from the 1960s onwards, with only a couple of classic “golden oldies”. Double Indemnity (1944) at #26 is the only black and white movie. This is a personal taste, but I’m mostly a fan of modern material. Old films can have memorable female villains, but I prefer to discuss what I know best. There’s also a bias towards my favourite genres: action, thriller and science fiction, and a tendency to favour the golden age of 1990s B-movies.
• My original list included only movies from 2022 or earlier. There are a few recent ranked entries and honourable mentions, but a limited selection from 2023 onward (after a few revisions).

The review format changed several times, and my prototype was The Mummy Returns (originally ranked at #42). My second effort – The Hunstman: Winter’s War (#57) – was much better. Because of quality issues, I started a redux series in April 2023 to clean up content and work in some additional honourable mentions.

Ranking different genre villainesses is difficult, so ultimately I put them in the order I enjoyed them. The ranking table got long and clunky as reviews piled up. So I split the list into four tiers. Superior, Epic, and Legendary and Goddess, using a video game style breakdown.

With that preamble out of the way, it’s time for the opening villainess review. No ranking since it’s part of the introduction and sits outside the list. But it needs a number: Movie Villainess 101.

Movie

Unmasking the Idol (1986)

Judged as a movie, this bizarre spy adventure is dire stuff. However, its villainess is a “must include” since she started my love affair with female baddies. I remember watching this film on VHS rental in the 1980s (back when we rented videos from brick and mortar stores) and never seeing it again for years on TV. It took me almost two decades – and help from the online community – to put a movie title to my early childhood memory.

It’s hard to describe what the film is actually about, with so many elements in this “throw in the kitchen sink” approach to filmmaking. Secret agencies, ninjas, a secluded island with horror-themed decor, an informant dressed like a 1930s explorer, a pet baboon with martial arts skills… and those are just the highlights. Previously on DVD only, the title is now available on Blu-ray thanks to Vinegar Syndrome.

The film plays like a parody of James Bond, straight from the opening sequence where ninja hero Duncan Jax recovers a microcassette from a hotel room safe. Hardly grand stuff, but there is a stunt jump to a swimming pool and dramatic escape via an inflatable balloon. Then come the title credits, complete with a cheesy song, and a casino scene where the tuxedo-wearing hero places bets on 00 and 7 at roulette. And of course the good guy has to deliver the “Jax. Duncan Jax.” introduction.

Ninja movies are also spoofed with masked men (and the occasional female) duking it out. Perhaps continuing the roulette theme, the good guys wear black and the baddies red. Jax is a reluctant agent for a mysterious organisation based in a high-tech building with old-fashioned computer systems. There’s also a pool room for relaxation with women in bikinis for company.

Plot elements appear out of nowhere only to be discarded. The secondary antagonist is a guy in a white suit named the Baron / Goldtooth. Jax wants revenge against him, but that’s forgotten, and the Baron has a dastardly plan to exchange gold for nuclear weapons that we never see. There’s hidden treasure on the island (the titular idol) that Jax somehow knows about, but it’s never explained how. While this mess is a must-watch for any female villain aficionado, it’s best to switch your brain off.

Villainess

What makes this woman so special? Picture Ernst Stavro Blofeld replaced by a masked villainess (who nobody knows is female), and you get the Scarlet Leader. Like the iconic Bond foe, this criminal mastermind has an inner sanctum with a piranha pool for body disposal. Add in an army of ninja henchmen and a throne adorned with golden skulls, and it’s a great lair. There’s also a treasure vault and a control room, as you’d expect.

Before the Scarlet Leader is even mentioned, the unimaginatively named China meets Jax at the roulette table and later sleeps with him. The Chinese woman enquires about ninjas and watches the hero in action with a sinister expression, so attentive viewers will peg her as the masked villain. Especially since the bad “guy” uses a voice disguiser, and China mysteriously vanishes after the prologue. But those viewers who’ve never experienced female unmasking (like this child in the 1980s) will fall for the ruse.

The villainess shows how evil she is when two old folks crash-land near the island. Too bad the piranhas are hungry, so the woman gets a wheelchair ride down a water slide and a muscular henchman tosses her husband in soon after. The fish get a second meal when the Scarlet Leader uncovers a traitor – a woman in tribal attire who’s far too clumsy. Her fate: lowered into the death pool while the villain laughs sadistically through her voice box.

Most other scenes are rather bland. The masked ninja meets with the Baron to discuss the never-seen nukes and issues radio orders after Jax and his army invade the island. This leads to a confrontation between the hero and villainess. She gets the upper hand, but Jax asserts himself. Eventually, the Scarlet Leader quits and reveals herself to be China. Cue wide-eyed surprise and a dumb “Scarlet” joke before the villainess drops a smoke bomb to make her escape.

Jax and his team clean up the opposition – including a tough henchman who’s dealt with too easily – and recover the secret treasure. They escape in hot-air balloons, providing a comical sequence where the unmasked China flies past with a playful wave. Jax returned in a sequel named Order of the Black Eagle, but this is Scarlet’s only appearance.

Honourable Mentions

Theme: Ninjas

2012: Supernova (2019) – Kwang Ye (Allura Lee)

The first honourable mention is almost a dishonourable one and proves that even a masked villainess can’t save a dire movie. Produced by Asylum, it’s no surprise the result is a poor-quality mockbuster, a sci-fi disaster in more ways than one. Expect to see woeful special effects, cheap action scenes, and a beautiful woman meditating during a meteor shower.

When the title supernova threatens Earth and lays waste to the solar system, our only hope for survival is a team of international scientists. The “experts” are an American named Kelvin, a vodka-drinking Russian, and a smart Chinese woman. Stereotypes, anyone? Their plan hinges on antique computers and nuclear weapons, while a digital doomsday clock ticks in the background.

As the hero’s wife and daughter evade bad guys and cheap CGI weather, a ninja spy (all in black, of course) sabotages computers in the base. It’s obviously a woman behind the mask, so her identity is obvious long before the reveal. Attempts to make the Russian alcoholic seem guilty are laughable, and the two fight scenes are dark and poorly staged.

After seventy minutes of mind-numbing drivel, the Chinese scientist is revealed as the traitor we all knew she was. The third fight (in space this time!) is an improvement in that we can actually see the action. And there’s a half-decent scuffle before the hero finishes the villainess with an electrified cable.

Mask of the Ninja (2008) – Kisei Shirasuna (Crystal Kwon), Kumioko (Jodi Long)

A made for cable actioner that sadly doesn’t include any unmasking scenes despite the promising title. Kisei gets a grand introduction during an intro montage sequence that names the primary villains. Dressed in revealing attire and carrying a colourful war fan, she doesn’t seem a fearsome ninja lieutenant, but this woman is deadly.

In this movie, ninjas operate in plain sight and go up against police officers in force. Detective Jack Barrett (Casper van Dien) has his hands full protecting a young woman named Miko (Kristy Wu) after her father is killed during an attack on their mansion estate. Stakes become even more personal when the assassins kill Barrett’s partner.

The evil ninjas are after dangerous technology, and Miko is the key. That leaves a couple of loose ends to tie up: a corrupt security officer and a hacker. Kisei deals with both men, starting with the security guy, who she attacks in a parking lot and tortures for information. Of course, she is a sadist who enjoys mutilating her victim while grinning in delight. The hacker, who likes female company, is a much easier target. Unfortunately for him, Kisei interrupts her seduction with a deadly poison-coated fan and a snarky comment.

The biggest set piece is a full-on ninja assault on a police station. We’re talking about a complete massacre with a bunch of armoured baddies slaughtering their way through offices of cops. Bullets have no effect on the ninja, leaving the police defenceless against katanas and throwing stars. Kisei is annoyingly not involved much, dressed as a cop to gain access but no kills. Miko and Bennett escape, so the boss is angry, and it looks like that will end the villainess’ involvement.

However, Kisei gets a reprieve. She fights the hero in a brief encounter and leaves him alive, only to get knocked off a motorcycle and die without a word. There’s also a secondary villainess: Miko’s stepmother, Kumioko. This isn’t much of a reveal since we knew somebody was feeding the bad ninjas information and there was nobody else in a position to do so.

Kumioko fights with Miko, who’s suddenly proficient in hand-to-hand combat. And the bad girl ends up with a knife in her chest. Uninspiring stuff with a weak villainess.