Kate, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is now streaming on Netflix. Produced by Hollywood’s quintessential action and stunt man David Leitch, it centers around a female assassin, who plots a revenge plan after being injected with a fatally poisonous substance. The all too familiar plot and associated revelations come with a committed performance from Winstead and a promising debut from Miku Martineau. One highlight of the film that is bound to catch mass attention in the same way the bathroom scene did when ‘Mission Impossible: Fallout‘ was released is the scene where Winstead’s Kate visits Kojima’s henchmen for information. Netflix has recently seen an influx of films that cater to genre purists, and specifically, the gender usually ignored. The streaming platform recently saw the successful release of another similar film, Gunpowder Milkshake, and the Bob Odenkirk starrer Nobody earlier in the year. We decided to put together a list of movies like Kate with an equally gory and violent temperament for you to enjoy. Happy reading!
1. Lucy (2014)
Since its release, ‘Lucy’ has gained a cult following and a classic status. It is one of the most widely watched sci-fi movies of this decade and for once ignited an otherwise unscientific probe into the ten percent myth of the brain. Scarlett Johansson stars as the titular character, who is forcibly worked as a drug mule and suffers the harrowing effects of a synthetic drug when it explodes inside of her.
Lucy, now emboldened with super-human capabilities and nothing to lose, embarks on a journey, like Kate’s, to bring justice to the people responsible for her condition. Just like Kate, Lucy is injected with something that is fatal and irreversible, thereby sealing their impending destiny. Their journeys, though, are still exciting and never lose steam. While the plausibility of its theories and plot remains uncertain, there is no doubt in how the film successfully manages to keep you hooked. Johansson is impeccable in the variety of avatars her characters adorn. More so than anything, ‘Lucy’ shares the underdog character with ‘Kate’ that you root for until the end.
Watch Lucy on Amazon Prime Video
2. Limitless (2011)
Another multi-starrer film on the list is Neil Burger’s Limitless. Exploiting the value unlocking of human capabilities after being administered with a synthetic drug, Limitless deconstructs and vaguely glorifies the unending and consuming nature of ambition. Bradley Cooper as Eddie Morra vies to fight for his place in the society and change its outlook towards him. The lack of progress in his life is a catalyst that chances him upon the life-changing drug.
Although it does not feature so much action, Limitless like Kate captures the helplessness and anger that someone in Eddie and Kate’s position would feel. Seeing your life snatched away from you despite following the righteous path is tough and not easy to digest. ‘Limitless’ has some gorgeous visual effects that give a mind-bending vibe to it. The neat visual presentation and tightly wound running time add to its appeal as a stressbuster that passes the time.
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3. Atomic Blonde (2017)
David Leitch directed Charlize Theron in the leading role as a deft intelligence agent whose mission is to retrieve “The List”, a secret document containing damaging information with the potential to start a war. ‘Atomic Blonde’ was one of the best action movies of the year, boasting scenes curated with precision and professionalism by the experienced stunt man. Just like Winstead in ‘Kate’, Theron’s Lorraine Broughton is an experienced and skilled assassin and has to fight her way out of trouble when the world turns against her.
The film also features a one-man/woman against the world narrative that has become a people’s favorite. ‘Atomic Blonde’ admittedly has superior plot development and action sequences and a similarly spirited central performance by Theron. The film is atmospheric and enjoys a beautiful visual prowess. The action moves are very, very similar to those of ‘Kate’, primarily due to Leitch’s presence behind the camera. Theron and Winstead are almost equally matched, although the former just edges it out due to her more proneness to play such characters.
4. The Old Guard (2020)
‘The Old Guard’ is another film just to watch for its remarkable action sequences. The choreography, lead in execution by a brilliant Charlize Theron, is assured and mostly understated to produce the desired effect. Combusting legendary folklore with the modern-day fascination with violence, director Prince-Bythewood’s superhero adaptation is quite different than genre peers from the likes of Marvel and DC. The emphasis and time devoted to the dramatic heft of the story are considerably more; Prince puts under the spotlight the human element of these superhuman characters and how truly devastating their doomed fates are.
There are no attempts to overcompensate with large-scale battle scenes or an overwhelming antagonist presence. As far as performances go, Theron continues her feat of playing full-bodied and physical female warriors on screen and bringing an unseen warmth to those characters. Her supporting cast delivers worthy performances under Prince’s steady direction. Its timeless themes and urgent self-awareness are similar to Kate’s but realized with more purpose and guile.
Watch The Old Guard on Netflix
5. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
The OG female assassin of Hollywood has not found a match to date. Uma Thurman’s iconic turn as the sword-wielding woman on a mission has a coveted place in cinema’s glorious annals. The Tarantino-helmed project, made over two volumes, is typical to his now gorged filmmaking style. It is arguably the most engaging and complete film on this list and would be on so many others. ‘Kill Bill’ is a kickback to multifarious genres of film that have inspired Tarantino over the years but somehow, it remains original and fresh for genre lovers.
There is an unsaid profoundness to ‘Kill Bill’ despite the over-stylized violence that majorly affects it. Tarantino carves out moments of vulnerability from places where you least expect it. His unmatched talents at bringing a full circle ending to his stories make sure that the two parts together have a novella-like romanticism. Netflix’s Kate seems like a direct derivation of so many different aspects of ‘Kill Bill’ like the oriental connection, unabridged violence, a beleaguered female protagonist with the world behind her.
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6. John Wick (2014)
‘John Wick’ arrived before everything else and did it in fashion. The franchise is celebrated as having jumped-started Keanu Reeves’ career and an out-of-fashion genre and has become extremely popular and successful among moviegoers. Themes of revenge and ‘one-man against all’ are similar to ‘Kate’, which instead seems to have derived most of its structure and inspiration from ‘Wick’.
Chad Stahelski, like Leitch, has a strong grip over his action sequences and makes the best effort to make them look authentic. The visceral nature of Wick’s exchanges, especially the hand-to-hand combat, closely resembles that of Kate. Beaten down to the last breath, both Kate and Wick rage a fight against an ungiving system that uses them as tools and conduits for its wishes. Any aberration from the norm is deemed contrarian and a witch hunt ensues that normally involves betrayal and preservation of self-interests.
Watch John Wick on Netflix
Kate is now streaming on Netflix. Stream it here
