8 Best Action Movies With Female Leads to Watch After 'Ballerina'

The long-awaited action movie Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, was finally released in cinemas on June 6. It is the first full-length spin-off of the John Wick franchise set in a world where everyone is a trained killer.

As Ballerina triumphantly continues its journey with a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, we look back at other action movies with female leads.

1. 'Atomic Blonde', 2017

IMDb Score: 6.7/10

When things go badly, Agent Lorraine Broughton comes to the rescue. Her next assignment is to retrieve a list of international intelligence agents that was stolen by KGB agent Yuri Bakhtin. At first, the job seems easy, but a web of intrigue complicates matters to the point that not even the closest people can be trusted.

The incredibly stylish film adaptation of Antony Johnston's graphic novel The Coldest City is directed by David Leitch, who gave us John Wick and knows a lot about spectacular action.

2. 'Underworld', 2003

IMDb Score: 7.0/10

A brutal war between vampires and werewolves rages on, hidden from humanity. Vampire Selene devotes her eternal life to destroying her enemies.

Victory for the vampires seems very close, but you can never predict the secret traps the enemy is hiding. The involvement of an innocent human, Dr. Michael Corvin, only adds to the problems.

3. 'Hanna', 2011

IMDb Score: 6.7/10

Hanna, a young blonde angel, is ready to fight back against any professional fighter. She spent her childhood in the Finnish forests, far from technology. There, she learned several languages and self-defense.

When the time comes, Hanna must use all her skills to avenge her father. However, the road to retribution will lead her to discover terrible secrets about her origin.

Hanna is a spectacular mix of fight scenes, a soundtrack by The Chemical Brothers, and an impressive cast – Saoirse Ronan stars in the lead role alongside Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana.

4. 'Ava', 2020

IMDb Score: 5.5/10

The elusive hit woman Ava masterfully changes masks and hunts victims scattered around the globe. Like no one else, she knows that frequent changes of location are an escape from oneself and one's tragic past.

An unexpected failure on a new mission forces her to lie low and visit her family, with whom she has had a strained relationship for a long time. She does not suspect that she is being hunted or that she may endanger her loved ones.

5. 'Ready or Not', 2019

IMDb Score: 6.8/10

Whenever a Le Domas gets married, all the relatives gather at the family estate. In the evening, the newlyweds draw a card with the name of a game written on it.

Some games are harmless, but not all. In hide-and-seek, for example, you have to kill the newcomer, otherwise, the whole family will die.

Unfortunately, Grace gets hide-and-seek. Although she doesn't immediately realize the danger, she will spend her entire wedding night in a locked mansion where everyone, even her husband, will try to kill her.

6. 'Lucy', 2014

IMDb Score: 6.4/10

Lucy came to Taiwan to study, but she gets into big trouble. The local mafia uses her body to transport drugs, but the package containing the substance in her stomach breaks.

Lucy transforms from a frightened victim into an uncontrollable superhuman, and her brain begins to function at an apparently impossible 100 percent capacity.

The sci-fi action movie by Luc Besson is based on the hypothesis that the average person uses only ten percent of their brain. Having absorbed the substance, the main character gains unlimited intellectual power.

7. 'Revenge', 2017

IMDb Score: 6.4/10

Three friends go on their annual hunting trip to a remote corner of the prairie to take a break from their worries and families. One of the friends, Richard, brings his charming girlfriend, Jen, along.

After a wild night, Jen becomes a victim of abuse. Her attempt to escape ends with her falling from the cliffs. While the friends ponder how to dispose of the body, Jen regains consciousness and sets out to get revenge.

Before turning body horror into a festival favorite, Coralie Fargeat made Revenge. Like The Substance, Revenge is Fargeat's manifesto, a scathing statement that prioritizes the female gaze.

8. 'Anna', 2019

IMDb Score: 6.7/10

Moscow, late 1980s. Young Anna is a blonde with sky-blue eyes who inspires unconditional trust. She accidentally gets into the modeling business and receives an invitation to go to Europe.

However, her hidden skills go far beyond the catwalk – she is trained in martial arts and is a secret weapon of the KGB. Political games gradually turn into a game of chess, and Anna will do everything to ensure she makes the final move.