Femme Fatale

Femme Fatale is a character used in many different movies but mostly Thrillers. The character is a mysterious feminine woman who uses seduction and charm to ensnare her lovers. This often involuntarily leads them into dangerous and sometimes deadly scenarios. She has a secretive yet obvious power over men that is completely psychological apart from her physical attractiveness and seemingly perfect personality that hypnotises the men she chooses to do her bidding.

 

Although usually portrayed as evil and manipulative, they are sometimes actually innocent and brought into the story by accident. Some start as antagonists but can quickly develop to a hero or accomplice to the protagonist at the end of the movie. Two great examples of this are the Cat woman from Batman The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and Elsa from Indiana Jones and the last crusade (1989). Both of the women characters in these start out as evil supporters of the antagonist’s regime. The Cat woman with Bane and Elsa as a member of the Nazi party. However both end up helping the protagonist near the end, except unfortunately Elsa’s greed kills her since she takes the Holy Grail past the seal.

Cat Woman on her motorbike from The Dark Knight Rises - 2012

Elsa Schneider making the mistake of passing the seal.