Movies With “Strong Female” Leads That Fans Called Mary Sues

The term “Mary Sue” refers to a character in fiction who seems unrealistically perfect, without significant flaws or having abilities they haven’t earned. In recent movies, this label is often used for female lead characters who achieve success too easily, without the typical struggles seen in storytelling. Some viewers find these characters inspiring, while others feel they’re hard to connect with or make for less exciting stories. This topic is now common in film reviews, especially when discussing big-budget franchises. The following films feature female leads that have often been described as “Mary Sues” and sparked a lot of discussion among audiences.

‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2019)

Director Elizabeth Banks received backlash after her film didn’t do well with audiences and viewers found the main characters to be underdeveloped. Many critics noted that the characters seemed to win too easily, making the story feel less exciting. Some fans felt the characters were unrealistically flawless, resembling the ‘Mary Sue’ trope. While the film tried to update the series by highlighting themes of sisterhood and female empowerment, it had trouble maintaining a consistent feel.

‘Twilight’ (2008)

Bella Swan is often used as a classic example of a “Mary Sue” character – someone who is unrealistically idealized. Many people point out that she doesn’t have a strong personality and yet almost everyone in the story is attracted to her. A common criticism is that she lacks noticeable flaws or talents she has to develop. However, the movie based on her story became incredibly popular and heavily influenced the wave of young adult adaptations that followed.

‘Ghostbusters’ (2016)

The recent remake received a lot of criticism because viewers felt the new characters were too skilled from the start, without having to work for their abilities. Many felt the heroes were smarter and braver than the originals, but didn’t face the same challenges, leading to complaints online that they were flawless and unrealistic. While the film aimed to update the beloved 1980s story, it proved divisive among longtime fans.

‘The 355’ (2022)

The movie is an action-packed spy thriller about a team of top international agents working to prevent a worldwide crisis. However, some viewers felt the characters were too perfect – always succeeding and never facing real consequences for their choices. This led to comparisons with the ‘Mary Sue’ trope, where characters are unrealistically flawless. While the filmmakers aimed for a realistic, team-focused story, many audiences wanted to see more depth and development in the characters.

‘Mulan’ (2020)

The original 1998 animated film showed Mulan gaining strength through training, but this live-action version presents “chi” as a power she’s born with. Many viewers felt this made Mulan less relatable, turning her into a character who was naturally gifted instead of earning her abilities. The story now emphasizes Mulan accepting her inherent power, rather than pushing past challenges through hard work. This decision sparked a lot of discussion about the film’s overall message and how Mulan’s character develops.

‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’ (2001)

While Angelina Jolie received praise for the action and physical aspects of her performance as Lara Croft, many felt the character lacked emotional depth. Video game fans pointed out that this version of Croft seemed instantly skilled at everything, with no apparent flaws. This led to criticism that she was too ‘perfect’ and didn’t struggle with believable inner challenges. Despite these issues with the character, the film is still considered an important early example of a video game adaptation.

‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ (2019)

The arrival of Dani Ramos as the hero meant to save everyone caused a lot of discussion among longtime fans of the series. Some felt she became a strong leader too quickly and that her transformation didn’t feel believable. Others thought she was a perfect character created to take the place of beloved heroes without enough backstory. While the movie continued the story from the second film, it wasn’t as compelling as the earlier installments.

‘Ocean’s Eight’ (2018)

I really enjoyed ‘Ocean’s 8,’ but I can see why some people had issues with it. It felt like everything went a little too easily for Debbie and her crew. They’re all incredibly skilled, which is great, but it meant there weren’t a lot of big challenges or moments where you really worried about them failing. Honestly, a lot of viewers started saying the characters were almost too perfect, like they didn’t have enough flaws or struggle enough – some even called them ‘Mary Sues.’ While I still loved the movie, I get where they’re coming from; a little more tension and character development would have made it even better.

‘Lucy’ (2014)

When a new drug unlocks her full mental potential, the main character gains incredible powers like moving objects with her mind and traveling through time, making her nearly invincible. Many viewers feel she’s a ‘Mary Sue’ – a character who becomes perfect too quickly – because she loses her human qualities and weaknesses right after gaining these abilities. The movie blends action with thought-provoking ideas about life and what it means to be human, all while showing her complete control over everything around her.

‘Salt’ (2010)

In the film, Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer, finds herself on the run when she’s falsely accused of being a Russian spy. Some viewers questioned how realistic her extraordinary fighting and survival skills were, given her history, and she was often compared to a ‘Mary Sue’ character who always has an easy solution. Despite this, the movie was a box office hit, largely thanks to its exciting action and Angelina Jolie’s performance.

‘Divergent’ (2014)

Tris Prior is identified as “Divergent,” meaning she doesn’t fit neatly into any single group and has unusual mental strength. Some viewers and critics felt this made her an overly perfect character – someone who was naturally good at everything. The story centers on her being the only person who can fix a strict, inflexible society. While this “chosen one” idea is common in young adult dystopian novels, it was particularly criticized in this case.

‘Enola Holmes’ (2020)

Enola Holmes, Sherlock Holmes’s younger sister, is presented as even quicker-witted and more perceptive than her brother. Some fans of the original Sherlock Holmes stories found this depiction unbelievable, arguing that it made her an overly perfect character. The film shows her easily outsmarting experienced and intelligent adults, despite her lack of training. While some literary fans criticized the character, the film was very popular on streaming services, largely due to its appealing and charming nature.

‘Red Sparrow’ (2018)

Dominika Egorova starts as a ballerina but is recruited as a Russian spy, and she quickly proves to be skilled at manipulating people. Some viewers found it hard to believe how fast she climbed the ranks and outsmarted experienced spies. Critics also pointed out that she seemed too perfect, rarely making mistakes even during tough training, which led some to call her a ‘Mary Sue’ character. The film itself is known for being dark, intense, and realistically portraying the dangerous world of international espionage.

‘Resident Evil’ (2002)

Alice is a character created for the movies, not the original video games. As the film series progresses, she develops incredible powers, making it easy for her to defeat large groups of monsters. Some fans who played the games feel she’s a ‘Mary Sue’ – meaning she’s too perfect and often outshines the well-known characters like Jill Valentine and Leon Kennedy. However, despite this criticism, the movies have become one of the most successful adaptations of a video game ever made.

‘Atomic Blonde’ (2017)

During the Cold War, top MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton is sent to Berlin on a dangerous mission: to recover a list of secret double agents. While the film is known for its impressive and realistic fight scenes, some viewers felt Broughton was unrealistically powerful and unharmed despite facing brutal attacks. Many noticed she could withstand serious injuries without even looking damaged, which sparked debate among audiences. Despite this, the movie is praised for its striking visuals and unique, atmospheric style.

‘Black Widow’ (2021)

The movie focusing on Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) delved into her past and what happened between the big team-up adventures with the Avengers. Some viewers felt she seemed too powerful and unharmed in this film compared to how she was shown in previous movies – surviving a huge fall and a car crash without getting hurt led some to call her a ‘Mary Sue,’ meaning an unrealistically perfect character. Ultimately, the movie gave her story a satisfying conclusion and also introduced new characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

‘Captain Marvel’ (2019)

Carol Danvers arrived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as an incredibly powerful hero, immediately showcasing cosmic abilities. Some viewers and critics felt she didn’t follow the typical hero’s path of overcoming flaws, and argued her quick mastery of powers made her character feel unrealistic. However, the film was a huge commercial success and played an important role in setting up ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

‘Underworld’ (2003)

As a big fan of action movies, I’ve always been fascinated by the ‘Underworld’ series. The main character, Selene, is this incredibly skilled vampire warrior stuck in an ancient battle with werewolves – Lycans, to be precise. Honestly, she’s good at everything, often outsmarting and outfighting pretty much everyone. Back when the first movie came out, people started talking about her being a bit of a ‘Mary Sue’ – a character who’s just too perfect. But despite that, the dark, gothic vibe and constant action really grabbed audiences, and it’s awesome to see the franchise still has such a dedicated following.

‘Alita: Battle Angel’ (2019)

Alita is a cyborg with a forgotten history who learns she’s incredibly skilled in an ancient fighting style. Some viewers thought she was too perfect, easily defeating enemies without much struggle – a criticism often called the ‘Mary Sue’ trope. The ease with which she beat opponents who had years of training sparked a lot of discussion. Despite this, the movie gained a devoted fanbase who loved its detailed world and stunning visuals.

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ (2015)

Rey, a character from the recent ‘Star Wars’ films, is often cited as a modern example of a ‘Mary Sue’ – a character seen as unrealistically perfect. Fans and critics debated how quickly she mastered skills like using the Force, piloting the Millennium Falcon, and even defeating a skilled opponent without any formal training. Many felt her immediate success, without struggles or guidance, didn’t fit with the established ‘Star Wars’ story rules. Despite the criticism, the film was a huge success, bringing the franchise back to a new audience.

We’d love to hear what you think about how these characters were developed and whether you see any examples of the “Mary Sue” trope. Share your opinions in the comments below!

2026-01-09 01:53