Authors like Ian Fleming of the James Bond franchise and Robert Ludlum of the Bourne franchise have always cast Black women as damsels in distress, as opposed to portraying them as heroines.
Critics would call this a cliché, as is the norm with many movies.
But once in a while, the Black women become the story’s heroine.
So, here are some awesome movies where Black women are the heroines, not the damsel in distress.
The Woman King
The Woman King is a 2022 movie that stars Viola Davis as a general tasked with fighting her kingdom’s enemies and training the next generation of warriors.
The idea for the movie came from one of the writers, Maria Bello after she visited Benin to learn about the Agojie.
The film revolves around the protagonist, general Nanisca, who liberates women under slavery.
The film tells the story of how she overcame adversity, discrimination, and bias to become the woman king of her kingdom by King Ghezo.
The movie received critical acclaim for the casting ensemble and for changing the narrative that Black women are helpless.
Gothika
Gothika is a 2003 horror film that stars Halle Berry as the heroine.
Ghosts haunt her, and she plays Dr. Miranda Grey, a prison psychiatrist who finds herself in jail after being suspected of killing her husband.
As she struggles to adapt to life in prison, she is haunted by visions of a ghost who carved the words “Not Alone” into her arm.
Grey bonds with a fellow inmate who was her patient at some point.
Together, they try to get to the bottom of the haunting as she witnesses her friend getting sexually assaulted.
Gothika is an example of a Black woman who has overcome adversity and succeeded.
Us
Us is a 2019 psychological thriller starring Lupita Nyong’o.
It follows her and her family as they are harassed and attacked by a group of people who call themselves the ‘Tethered.’
She becomes withdrawn after encountering her doppelganger in a house of mirrors as a child.
The film fast-forwards to the future, where she vacations with her family.
While on vacation, her friends and her family are attacked by doppelgangers.
The film sees Nyong’o and her family overcome adversity and escape.
Nyong’o is praised for putting so much dedication and heart into her performances, capturing her role as a heroine.
28 Days Later
28 Days Later is a 2002 apocalyptic film that sees the deuteragonist Naomie Harris thrive as a heroine.
She is depicted as a formidable zombie killer, intelligent and ruthless enough to dispose of her friends if they are infected.
Despite the calm nature she elicits, her grit and steely resilience make her a survivor and a force to be reckoned with.
Her character portrays a heroine torn between good and emotionless to survive the harsh realities.
Black Panther
This list can’t be complete without mentioning Black Panther, a film that had financial and cultural impacts worldwide.
The film is set in the fictional Wakanda kingdom, a nation of fearless Black women warriors assisted by magic and technology.
Characters such as Nakia, an undercover spy, Okoye, head of the Special Forces bodyguards, and Shuri epitomize Black women heroines, thriving much more than their male counterparts.
Their impeccable fighting skills and spirit are on display throughout the film.
These characters remind the audience that fights matter, not how one wins or loses.
Foxy Brown
Foxy Brown is a 1974 classic that stars Pam Grier, who seeks revenge from a gang of drug dealers who murdered her boyfriend.
Playing Foxy Brown, Grier seeks revenge after her government agent boyfriend is killed by a drug cartel.
Her investigations led her to a syndicate that services police officers, politicians, and judges.
To infiltrate the gang, Brown poses as a prostitute to gain the syndicate’s trust and saves a woman struggling with sexual exploitation and drugs.
Its gritty nature, gore, brawls, and sex rubbed some critics the wrong way.
However, you can’t deny that Brown developed her character as a sassy, clever, and encompassing fighter.
She reminded everyone that women can be multifaceted and mustn’t be damsels in distress or bimbos.
It’s A New Era Of Black Women Heroines
It’s undeniable: we are entering a golden age of Black women heroines, where they are the victors instead of the victims.
