We love cinematic badasses because when they’re up on the big screen taking it to the bad guys we get a vicarious kick, a rush of joy at seeing extraordinary he-men/women overcome insurmountable odds through gumption, cunning, and sheer ass-kicking prowess.
So, which badasses are the crème de la crème? Which film heroes stand alone at the peak of the Mount Olympus of ownage? Who can earn the moniker Ultimate Badass? I present the following list for your consideration.
5. The Bride (Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2)
Why she’s an Ultimate Badass:
Shot through the head, put in a coma for four years, only to wake up, will herself out of paralysis, and go on to single-handedly cut down 88 (though not really 88) crazy assassins and the entirety of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad.
If that wasn’t enough to make her an ultimate badass how about mastering the deadliest of all martial art moves: the Five Point Exploding Heart technique? Bill never stood a chance.
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6 Comments
Honorable mentions : Jason Bourne and Daniel Craig’s James Bond.
I think it’s fairly obvious that this is a fun classic action oriented list. It doesn’t claim to be the be all end all list of bad asses. It’s too bad some movie buffs have to name drop esoteric films to make themselves feel better about being no fun!
If it was ‘classic action oriented’, it would at least have Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon. It’s too bad some people who profess to be movie buffs and write articles for a site formerly called ‘Obsessed With Film’ write articles entitled ‘Ultimate Movie Badasses’ and embarrass themselves by showing a dependence on American cinema, and even then not a particularly informed one.
Barn, you are correct, I haven’t seen the Lone Wolf and Cub films but they’re something I’ve always wanted to check out. However, I imagine there’s a dearth of jet-punching. My list skewed toward over-the-top action so Michelle Yeoh in Supercop would be more appropriate.
you should have had #1 tied with BOTH Clint Eastwood’s portrayal of The Man With No Name Toshiro Mifune’s Sanjuro (Ronin/The Bodyguard), who, obviously, paved the way for clint eastwood’s portrayal.
Good call. Yojimbo is an excellent film and Sergio Leone practically stole it shot for shot when making a Fistful of Dollars. But if I was going down that road I should also include the Continental Op from Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest (which you should definitely read if you haven’t because it’s excellent) which Yojimbo took it’s plot and story beats from.