Men In Black II
The “big bad” isn’t actually a woman, but it’s disguised as one for most of the movie. Does that count?
I disagree. In the movie (as opposed to the book series), she is clearly the big bad. She’s the one in charge of the big bad outpost where the kidnapped kids are going. The storming of which was central to the plot of the movie.
In the movie, the bear fight is a sideline. The main plot deals with (1) gathering a team of heroes to storm the big bad’s outpost and (2) freeing the kids imprisoned there.
All the other stuff is secondary to that. The bear fight is “about” recruiting the bear dude to help storm the outpost. The leader in charge of the oupost, holding exactly the same position as a Bond Villian™, is Mrs. Coulter.
She may have an ambivalent role in the book series as a whole (as may Lord Astriel), but that isn’t revealed in the movie - other than her reluctance to harm her own daughter.
The Wizard of Oz
I haven’t seen it, but I’ll comment anyway, just to remind people that the thread’s supposed to be about action movies. If there’s not fisticuffs, swordfights, gunplay, or explosions every few minutes, it ain’t an action movie.
Batman Returns is definitely debatable, if not outright wrong. Catwoman is ambivalently a villain, and anyway is not the driving force behind all the bad stuff that happens.
My, aren’t we speciesist? It’s no wonder the flying monkeys are unionizing.
DICK TRACY. Who killed Pruneface? Who framed Big Boy Caprice for kidnapping Tess Trueheart? Who framed Dick Tracy for the DA’s murder? Hint: she’s chesty.
Yeah but she was a bitch.
Halle Berry’s Catwoman had a woman antagonist.
Also Sybil Danning from the Howling II. When you’re not at work, feel free to Google Sybil Danning Howling II end credits. You’re welcome.
How about Rosa Klebb in James Bond?
It’s not speciesist to say that the term “woman” only indicates the figure on the right in this photograph. Calling the Alien a woman is like calling the starship Enterprise a sailboat.
The Grifters
How about the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact? She may not be technically human, but she still appears to be a woman.
Red Sonja and Conan the Destroyer.
This is almost the exact opposite of an action movie, tho it is true that the Big Bad is a woman.
Hansel and Gretel Witchhunters
Bitch slap.
Hanna
Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.
Rush Hour 2 (?) Zhang Ziyi’s first undubbed role, I believe.
Willow.