With the release of SALT, I thought I’d take a look at how other tough female heroine films have fared in US theaters. While Angelina Jolie has been a formidable presence at the box office over the years, audiences often reward male headed films over female driven ones.
Aside from the disappointing but significant bow of SEX AND THE CITY 2, movies featuring women (particularly in action roles) haven’t captured a sizable amount of dough this year in US theaters. The prior SEX film (admittedly not an actioner) made a surprising $152 million in domestic box office but its bigger sequel failed to cross the century mark. Worldwide totals for the second SEX film were solid, though, which raises the question: Can women sell to US viewers?
Focusing only on action movies with female heroines, Angelina Jolie could be the biggest female action star. The two LARA CROFT films are in the top 20 with the first CROFT flick checking in at number two on BoxOfficeMojo.com’s list. It is worth noting that the experts at BoxOfficeMojo consider the second TERMINATOR film to be the highest grossing action heroine film ever. But if the Mojo list included MR. & MRS. SMITH and WANTED, there would be no argument that Jolie rules her gender.
There are others that could make a run at the title, however. Milla Jovovich and the RESIDENT EVIL series have been very profitable. Although the budget numbers are not clear on the RE franchise, the video game adaptations (three films over the last 8 years) have rung up almost $150 million domestically. And the 4th in the series, subtitled AFTERLIFE, opens in September with the addition of 3D. With the 3D gimmick, it is possible that AFTERLIFE could be the biggest EVIL yet. And the franchise’s B-movie origins and campy approach might be perfectly suited for the 3 dimension format.
Jovovich’s draw has been solid and undeniable in other action driven films including Luc Besson’s THE FIFTH ELEMENT and even the critically lampooned but colorful ULTROVIOLET. Jovovich who captures the physicality excellently had trouble being accepted when the role stretched her talents within the action genre. THE MESSENGER: THE STORY OF JOAN OF ARC for example wasn’t entirely successful mainly because director Luc Besson had trouble telling the story effectively, but critics found her performance less than compelling. And it didn’t help that the movie was a bit of a mess.
Other actresses who have found success in an action role include Kate Beckinsale with the first two UNDERWORLD films. Recent Oscar winner Sandra Bullock MISS CONGENIALITY films both performed well in US theaters (although the sequel was hardly a blockbuster). Bullock’s run with SPEED in 1994 netted over $120 million but when Keanu Reeves was traded for Jason Patric for the sequel, domestic box office plummeted. And the female trifecta of Barrymore, Diaz, and Liu placed the CHARLIE’S ANGELS original and its critically maligned sequel in the top ten female actioners of all time. Halle Berry cut a fine figure while bringing home some $40 million in 2004 with CATWOMAN. But it’s just that film that points up a central truth: The action flicks that are made with women in the lead are rarely very good. Therefore the chances of action heroines making a dent in the box office are reduced by the ever diminishing number of major projects built around a strong female lead.
While there are clearly other deep-seated social and psychological reasons why Hollywood hasn’t green lit many big-budgeted films with a woman as the headliner, the time is coming when the power of women cannot be ignored. Noticeably absent from BoxOfficeMojo’s action heroine’s list are the TWILIGHT movies that star Kristen Stewart as the series’ protagonist Bella Swan. Note that Mojo does include BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER that rang up some $16 million way back in 1992. And following Buffy to the small screen is another story altogether—women have no problem luring in big viewers on television.
As Hollywood prepares to launch the US remakes of the Swedish sensation DRAGON TATTOO films, the risk for actresses is high. If DRAGON TATTOO flops, will producers see the good business sense in pursuing other action projects featuring strong female central characters? Ironically, as evidenced by the DRAGON TATTOO films, international audiences seem more willing to embrace a tough chick on the top of the marquee. And maybe as long as the rest of the world is keen on gals, US audiences won’t matter. But Hollywood is often led by what happens in its own backyard. Women need a series of hit action films, and it might just start with SALT.
