Cristine Reyes' newest movie, Maria, is slated to hit theaters on March 27. In it, Reyes plays a former assassin who becomes haunted (and hunted) by the life she left behind.
We're excited to see the movie and add Maria to the long list of strong female leads that are now increasingly being portrayed in local and international cinema. Here's five of our favorite females who kicked ass on the big screen:
1. The Bride, Kill Bill
When the Kill Bill movies were released in the early 2000s, The Bride, in her all yellow jumpsuit and Onitsuka Tigers, quickly became one of the most iconic movie characters of all time. Uma Thurman's portrayal of Beatrix Kiddo earned her multiple nominations and a handful of wins for best actress.
2. Nina Manigan, BuyBust
BuyBust was easily one of the best action films of 2018 and Anne Curtis, playing the role of Nina Manigan, kicked ass (literally) from start to finish. We're still in disbelief that this was rejected by the 2017 Metro Manila Film Fest screening committee. Fortunately, it still got its well-deserved commercial release.
3. Hermione Granger, Harry Potter
Women in film don't have to use violence to prove their strength. Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter franchise is the perfect example of this. Just how many times did she bail out Harry and Ron Weasley out of dire situations by just being her intelligent self? But she wasn't just about brains, as proved by her enduring an agonizing encounter with Bellatrix Lestrange (involving knives and a particularly painful Unforgivable Curse), which was infinitely more horrific in the book.
4. Rachel Chu, Crazy Rich Asians
Badassery comes in many different shapes and forms. Standing up to your boyfriend's intimidating mom is probably one of the most badass move any woman can make in real life. Rachel Chu does exactly that in the movie adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians. There was no need for katanas or assault rifles to assert herself as a strong character because apparently, that can also be done with a mahjong set.
5. Mulan, Mulan
If you look up "kickass women" on the Internet, a picture of Mulan should immediately pop up. Secretly joining the army and getting down to business to defeat the Huns? It doesn't get more hardcore than that. She practically saved China by herself. The interesting thing is that Mulan might have been a real woman who disguised herself as a man to take her aging father's place in the army.