Ranking Female Lead Films

I’ve mentioned on every platform I have that female lead and female fronted are two separate things. Before we embark on this list I wanted to clarify that this only includes female lead films. That means not just films with female leads but also with female writers or directors. In order to be considered a female lead film, there needs to be women on both sides of the camera.

5) Wonder Woman 2

Now I really don’t think anyone is going to fight me on this, but despite some truly wonderful scenes and some moments of brilliance in the acting, the story and the actual writing was shaky at best. The general idea of having The Cheetah in the second film was fantastic, combining the three different origins for her however was weird and unnecessary. Using an ancient wish artifact was again weird but it could have worked if the writing was simply better. I love Patty Jenkins and I think she is a brilliant director but very few directors have the capability to be writers and she is just not one of them.

4) Captain Marvel

This movie got a lot of shit when it was first released, mostly from butthurt, asshat, fanboys who have never gotten a woman to touch them but there were (very few) valid criticisms of this movie. Brie’s acting was as good as it could have been when she was also filming Endgame, the writing was as good as it was going to be when it was thrown into development on a short timeline. The pacing was a bit slow and that left competent audiences bored at times but the character development and Buffy the Vampire Slayer inspired final battle scene was beyond brilliant and it was a beautiful way to introduce Maria and Monica into the MCU.

3) Black Widow

These middle two really gave me a hard time so you could also consider them tied. Black Widow as a part of the MCU was not good, it was given to us too late and releasing it after the characters death in the context of the universe was a waste. Using what was supposed to be Natasha’s film as nothing more than a way to introduce Yelena was insulting and only supported the complaints of fridging in Endgame. However as a stand alone film it was an incredible commentary on sex trafficking, the patriarchy and sisterhood.

2) Birds of Prey: The Emancipation of Harley Quinn

I went into this movie prepared to hate it, Harley Quinn was never a part of the Birds of Prey, had hardly any interaction with them and without Poison Ivy had absolutely no connection to them whatsoever. So when I found out this was the title I was more than a little skeptical. However all concerns were waved the second that movie started and my skepticism seemed silly as the movie went on. It was also the movie that made the difference between the male and female gaze click for me. The women that brought this film to life did such an incredible job of portraying these incredible characters in a realistic, fun and down to earth way. Watching it was truly an amazing experience and I continue to be pleasantly surprised by this film.

1) Wonder Woman

Ranked first perhaps because it was the first, or because it had the largest personal impact on me. Wonder Woman changed something in me. I have always been a very outspoken and opinionated person. Especially about things like feminism, things and causes that are important to be. And watching Wonder Woman for the first time felt like I was finally being heard. It felt like I was finally being seen. Seeing a woman front and center who wasn’t there for eye candy and was just entirely, unapologetically herself inspired something so beautiful in me and that experience can not be changed or replaced.