11) Mallory Kane – Haywire
If you’re trying to get a kick-ass action hero, a solid place to start looking is for people who can kick ass in real life. Enter Gina Carano, MMA fighter turned actor who starred in Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 thriller Haywire. At one point, she was the third best 145-pound fighter in the world. She had a few minor roles before being cast in Haywire, but that was her first shot to be the leading lady: Mallory Kane.
And lead she did. The film emanates the Bourne franchise (though what spy thriller that’s come since Bourne doesn’t?) in that she’s a covert agent who is being hunted by some of her own agents. Carano does her own stunts, absolutely pummeling everyone she’s up against. The action is nearly flawless throughout, as she roundhouse kicks her way through opponent after opponent. Carano’s dialogue and overall acting isn’t flawlesss, but she makes up for that with her ability in the more intense moments, which is really what’s important in an action flick anyway.
In terms of female action heroes, there may not be any who is more formidable in a more realistic way than Mallory Kane. That’s a credit to Soderbergh’s direction, but it’s mostly because Gina Carano can actually kick ass.
– Alexander Lowe
