Top 5 Bad Girls and Bodacious Baddies of 2024 Horror

Let’s celebrate Women’s History Month by looking at five of the best, most badass (but sympathetic) female villains in 2024 horror.

This was a difficult list to write—certainly not because I have any disdain whatsoever for “nasty gals” or outright villains of the lady variety, but because I truly think 2024 wasn’t the best year for cinema.

I’m not a mathematician, but I think I can count on one hand the number of 2024 horror films that made me go, “Wow! That was amazeballs!” within the past 12 months. However, I dug deep and realized that the year had some gems—scintillatingly sinister gems that deserve to be unearthed and honored here.

Happy Women’s Month if that’s your cup of tea (or coffee; I’m not judging). As a feminist Horror fanatic, I proudly support Women’s Rights—and wrongs!

1. Holly – Curtains for Christmas

Pennsylvania-based director, Steve Rudzinski, makes it no mystery that he adores Christmas. Christmas is just the Second Halloween in my world, so I am obliged to love both. It’s not a surprise that a good holiday horror film would make it to my list.

In Curtains for Christmas, we follow the story of Holly, who LOVES Christmas movies. To the misfortune of a few unsuspecting victims, not only does she blur the line between reality and fiction, but she crosses it entirely. Her delusions and desperation cause a campy bloodbath that is entertaining from start to finish.

If you like holiday horror, Christmas, gratuitous red liquid, or just some morbid laughs, this one is for you.

You can watch this 2024 horror standout on Prime or get your own copy (and browse some other great entertainment) at https://silverspotlightfilms.storenvy.com/.

2. Abigail – Abigail

Abigail was a film that I really slept on. When I finally watched it, I regretted waiting so long. Abigail isn’t necessarily a “bad girl” unless you mean she’s absolutely badass. It’s a relatively typical villain origin story—her parents suck (literally) and, well, she’s a vampire. You don’t exactly get the Nobel Peace Prize when you have to drink the blood of others for sustenance.

To give out too many spoilers would not do this film justice, and I feel that the trailer gave away enough on its own. You’ll just have to see it for yourself in all of its gorey glory.

3. Lisa – Lisa Frankenstein

Listen, I’ve already made a great list of female villains before, and this is not that. But Lisa was, by my standards, a total “baddie”.

This movie tells the tale of a high school girl who just can’t seem to fit in anywhere and decides that ’80s problems require ’80s solutions. I mean, they had real qualudes back then if that’s any indication of how strange this decade could be. I’ll wait while you Google that. Anyway, there’s no way this film wasn’t going to reflect the times. What was Lisa’s solution? Create the perfect man who will fit perfectly into her life. The problem is that this man is far from physically perfect, and she has to “Frankenstein” him together. Yes, Frankenstein is a verb.

This is no simple task—as one can imagine, to acquire all the perfect parts for the perfect man becomes a gorey ordeal. I mean, how else do you obtain separate, warm body parts?

As someone who fully adores all things campy and absurd, this neon-and-aquanet-charged comedy-thriller had this writer in stitches from start to finish.

4. Sue – The Substance

This might be a hot take for a list like this. Isn’t Sue just a girl trying to live her life?

There is no way to sum up all of the complexities or carnage of The Substance. In fact, this film is probably the best film I’ve seen in years—from any genre. Perhaps it’s my extensive history/toxic relationship with body dysmorphia and the modeling/entertainment industry, my fascination with human psychology, or maybe I just love being grossed out. It’s no easy feat to gross me out, but boy howdy, they did it.

So why am I babbling about how much I loved this film instead of telling you why Sue belongs on the list? Because Sue IS the toxic relationship I briefly mentioned. She’s the parts of all of us that seem “good” but, deep down, is destructive enough to potentially become lethal.

I’ve decided to minimize the spoilers in this article, so that’s all you get. Go watch it. You won’t regret it—though you may be praying to a porcelain god in the bathroom later if you have a weak stomach.

5. Ruth Harker – Longlegs

I’m fully aware that I’m reaching at this point, but I was determined to list five.

As I said, I did not find 2024 to be the most exciting time for cinema, except for my own projects (which I won’t shamelessly plug here because I plug them enough on social media). However, I enjoyed Longlegs, probably because it was quite a nod to Silence of the Lambs, which is one of my all-time favorite films.

Ruth Harker isn’t the primary antagonist, and the honor of primary protagonist belongs to her daughter, Lee Harker. However, she does add a supernatural element to the film, which allows the antagonist (the titular Longlegs) to carry out his evil deeds. I guess I messed up the part about spoilers, but I’m also certain that if you’re reading a horror-based website, you’ve already seen this one.

Ruth does some ruthless things, but she does it all to save someone else. Being responsible—whether directly or not—for the murder of tens of people is certainly not something to admire, but it is a testament to how far one will go to protect someone one loves and how easily the mind can snap when pushed too far.

IN CONCLUSION

Making this list wasn’t easy, but like the ladies listed here, I like a good challenge and probably have something to prove to myself.

What is that “something”? I have no idea, but if you haven’t watched the films listed here, go give them a watch. The Woman in the Yard is coming out this month, so I’ll remain hopeful that 2025 might be a better year for horror than 2024 was.