Abstract/Summary

This Foreword to the anthology Action Heroines in the 21st Century: Sisters in Arms argues that action cinema has historically presented an isolated lone heroine, or a marginalised heroine within a male ensemble. Both scenarios deny female action heroes the relational histories of cooperation and camaraderie taken for granted in male-focused action film, and reinforce outdated ideas about women as untrustworthy and weak. The piece argues that the anthology surfaces a small but significant history of female collaborative action narratives, and addresses how female collectives are portrayed today, suggesting that such films present opportunities to intervene into the stereotyping of women in action.