Top 10 Badass Charlize Theron Moments
Charlize Theron is now synonymous with beauty, talent, grace and badassery. She has consistently given us excellence for more than two decades and anyone who doubts her will certainly get a metaphorical punch to the face.
Theron is one of few (too few) women who have become action icons. Although she doesn’t have a ton of action roles under her belt, the films she has done have shown a great talent and skill for the genre. However, Theron has also solidified herself as being incredibly adaptable with roles. Most notably, she can be the hero you reach out for or the villain you recoil from. Everyone wants to talk about range? Well, Theron has it!
So, here are 10 badass Charlize Theron moments that everyone should appreciate:
10. Hancock
Will Smith’s Hancock makes the mistake that all men make at some point in their lives (actually their lives) and that is call a woman crazy. Well, what Charlize Theron’s Mary teaches us is that consequences must be swift and as heavy as a truck.
9. Prometheus
As the Alien franchise has shown us time and time again, do not go into space and mess with things you don’t understand. In this particular scenario, Theron’s Vickers has the common sense to torch a potentially bad situation for her ship…it doesn’t necessarily stop the series of unfortunate events that follow, but it is effective and badass.
8. Long Shot
Theron is not normally associated with comedy. In fact, the genre is rather sparsely spread across her filmography. However, when she does take a shot at making us laugh, she makes it look badass. The entire hostage sequence is the perfect example of how adaptable Theron is.
7. Atomic Blonde
If there was anything that so clearly captured Theron’s range and appeal it would be this film. She is the kind of actress that erupts before your eyes. In this scene, Lorraine doesn’t say much. She is quiet as she observes the situation and then…someone gets a stiletto to the jugular.
6. Snow White & The Huntsman
Okay, so Theron’s Ravenna is the villain in this story, but she makes some very excellent points. Theron’s ability to balance Ravenna’s plight is sympathetic and honest, so when she plunges a dagger into the King’s chest you kind of have to root for her.
5. Mad Max: Fury Road
How does one make a list of badass Charlize Theron moments without talking about Fury Road? Trick question. You can’t, and it shouldn’t be done. One of the best scenes in George Miller’s magnus opus, is the scene where Furiosa lets out her rage in an act that is both a form of preservation and protection for her precious cargo.
4. The Old Guard
In The Old Guard, Theron plays an immortal being who is exhausted and disappointed in how things have turned out for her. Burdened by years…millenia…worth of pain she gets the necessary pick me up when a new recruit steps into her life. Nothing says fresh beginnings then beating a newbie’s butt. This scene also exemplifies the lifetime’s worth of fighting Andy has experienced as she easily evades and relishes this fight.
3. Atomic Blonde (again, duh)
Okay, there are quite a number of badass moments in this film – plenty of which aren’t actual fight scenes because Theron just exudes badassery with every breath she takes. That being said, there are two extensive fight scenes that will leave you with bated breath and are the beating heart of this film.
2. The Old Guard (again, double duh)
In this film Theron not only messes around with guns, but a sword and an axe. So, any moment featuring these automatically make it to this list. Especially, the opening fight scene were the trusted axe makes its first appearance.
1. Mad Max: Fury Road (again, triple duh)
It is easy to point all the loud and kinetic moments that illustrate Theron’s abilities as an action star. However, perhaps the best moment that captures the intensity of her presence would be in the scene where Max relinquished his rifle and hands it over to Furiosa, who is the better shot. It’s a simple moment, with Theron using Tom Hardy to balance the rifle, and when she commands him to not breathe, you do the same. You don’t let a breath escape until she pulls the trigger which feels like forever.
