Today we will look briefly at the history of modern action heroines. We’ll also look at the importance of this development and its impact on gender representation within the industry more broadly.

Here Come The Girls

The 2010s saw a growth of interest in women-led action films after the release of titles like Alice in Wonderland (2010) and The Hunger Games. These films were hugely successful, had heroines leading the action and showed them rebelling against the established order. Showing that audiences wanted to see lead actresses challenging the blockbuster status quo.

From there women-led YA action films became box office regulars. Films like Mad Max: Fury Road and the new Star Wars trilogy also shifted their franchises to focus more on the strong ladies in their worlds, with Furiosa and Rey providing good examples of capable and emotionally complex women action leads. During this time pressure also mounted for successful franchises like the MCU and DCEU to make films for their iconic superheroines. This later bore fruit with the success of Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel.

And the hunger for genre heroines is still present, with films like Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Woman King, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever carving out more space for woman actors of colour in leading action roles.

Heroic Recruitment

Because strong and complex action heroines are now more prominent women viewers are able to feel less marginalised by popular action films. These films also help to shift hegemonic ideas about womanhood. Showing that more opportunities are available to women than simply supporting a man’s story. Additionally, sources have shown that greater representation leads to better self-esteem by allowing underseen groups to feel more valued and it also helps to promote understanding between groups through humanisation. 

This uptake could positively affect the film industry as well. Research has found that having role models in the media can help women become more ambitious and assertive. Meaning that the more the industry showcases strong and complex leading ladies the more encouraged women will be to pursue their dream careers. Like making and starring in films.

Women in Film

The number of action heroine leads rose from 3% in 2016 to 10% in 2022. Meaning there is now a greater chance for woman actors to have leading roles and be seen by big audiences. Thanks to the many successes of the past few years, we have also seen a rise in women directors and writers. Particularly since 2017 (writers rose from 11% in 2017 to 19% in 2022 and directors rose from 11% to 18%) when Wonder Woman (at the time the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman) was released. While correlation doesn’t equal causation it’s certainly conceivable that a successful woman-driven film in one of the most popular genres opened producers to the power that women-led and fronted productions can have. Thereby opening the industry to more women creatives. 

But the fight for representation is not over. In 2022 only 10% of the top-grossing action films had a solo woman as the protagonist. While men accounted for 30%. Additionally, women of colour, LGBTQ and disabled women are still underrepresented in these stories. As they account for 51% of UK cinemagoers it’s only right that women should see themselves reflected and headlining popular genres. The past few years have brought great progress. But if audiences and artists continue fighting even better possibilities will follow.

Also Read: Class Rules: The Representation of UK’s Social Class in Film

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Spoiler Warning – massive spoilers ahead for all Hunger Games films

The Hunger Games

The film’s central character is Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a very capable young woman, who essentially is the person running her family, looking after both her mother and little sister. Katniss is a skilled hunter and brings in food from illegally going on hunting trips and trading it for things they need. When the selection for The Hunger Games happens it is Katniss’ little sister who is randomly selected and so Katniss volunteers to go in her place.

Throughout her first Hunger Games Katniss refuses to play the game of the authorities, she immediately heads out into the wilderness, away from the other competitors, not wanting to fight anyone. She meets Rue, a 12 year-old girl also competing and they help each other, and when Rue is killed it is a devastating moment for Katniss. These Hunger Games end with joint winners of Katniss and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), District 12’s other tribute after they agree to both take their own lives so there would be no winner and ruin The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

With rising unrest in the country, President Snow makes plans for a special Hunger Games coincidentally every 25th Hunger Games has a change to the rules. This time the change is tributes will be drawn from previous winners – this means Katniss will have to compete. There is a rising feeling of injustice amongst the tributes and some of those involved in the games. The games are incredibly brutal and heartbreaking and shows the strong relationships that exist between some of the victors. As the height of the fighting rebels rescue Katniss, who has become a symbol of the rebellion and it is revealed many of the other victors have been working together for her rescue.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and 2

With a full-blown rebellion underway there are no Hunger Games but as the rebel forces move on to the Capital it is announced that the people who make the games have booby-trapped much of the city, almost making the Capital a huge version of the games. The rebellion is led by District 13, which was believed to have been destroyed years before, and wants to capitalise on Katniss’s connection with the people.

The World

The world of The Hunger Games is an interesting one, the nation is Panem (built on the ruins of America), and clearly some terrible calamity has befallen society. The country is divided into 12 districts and the Capital, Katniss is from District 12. Most of the districts are known for a particular industry, such as mining in District 12. The country is ruled by President Snow, a ruthless dictator, and their rule is best shown in the Hunger Games, brutal and harsh but with a clever understanding of how the games help him control society.

The Capital is fascinating. Whilst most of the districts are desperately poor Capital is exceedingly wealthy, drowning in a decadence that puts 18th Century France to shame. Indeed the fashions of the Capital are reminiscent of old aristocracies, elaborate, colourful, often ridiculous. There is talk of eating so much that you take an emetic to throw up so you can eat some more – this while people starve in the other districts. Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) is a good example of a Capital citizen (she is the handler of the District 12 tributes), smiley, happy, shallow, dressed in elaborate and impractical clothing with makeup covering her entire face. Interestingly Effie is not cruel, she is not a bad person as such, and is clearly upset when the “rules” of the Hunger Games are broken to punish Katniss. Another interesting character is Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci), the TV host of the Hunger Games – again, not someone who seems actively evil, when interviewing the tributes he wants them to do well, he wants to build them up. Through Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) the audience sees what happens to the victors, ostensibly set up for a life of luxury as their reward, he is racked by guilt and trauma. Haymitch is the only other District 12 victor and so coaches Katniss and Peeta but is often disagreeable with a severe drinking problem.

President Snow (Donald Sutherland) is the primary antagonist, a scheming ruthless politician, running the country through a combination of fear, violence and carefully managed hope. Snow is the central character of the upcoming film, a prequel showing his rise to power.

The Hunger Games are excellent young-adult adventure films that manage to walk the fine line of dealing with such a dark concept without tipping over into Battle Royale horror or failing to deal with the sinister implications of the world. There hasn’t been space in this article to get into the relationship between Katniss and Peeta, the great performances and the fantastic cast with a load of Oscar winners, or The Running Man style television spectacle of the whole thing.

Also Read: Why We Are In A (New) Golden Age of Fantasy Television

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