To put it simply, a femme fatale is a woman who is lethal. However, there are several long-standing interpretations attached to this phrase. The word mostly refers to a seductress, a woman who captivates men to such an extent that they fall in love with her, lose themselves in her beauty, and long for her company. Numerous historical books, artworks, sculptures, and architectural projects all feature the femme fatale as a recurring theme. For those who are craving some film noir, we’ve put together a list of five fantastic Netflix original films with femme fatales that are now available for streaming:
7 Khoon Maaf (2011)
Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, “7 Khoon Maaf,” alternatively titled “Seven Sins Forgiven,” features Annu Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Irrfan Khan, and Priyanka Chopra. The story revolves around Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes, who, in her pursuit of true love, murders all six of the men she marries due to their fatal defects, each of which is symbolised as one of the seven deadly sins in Christianity. She is compelled to kill them in a way that shows her carefree attitude and humanises her, allowing us to sympathise with her because of these weaknesses. Whether Susanna finds her true love and, if so, how, are the main topics of the film. It is a retelling of Ruskin Bond’s short story “Susanna’s Seven Husbands.” “7 Khoon Maaf” can be streamed using this URL.
Bulbbul (2020)
Anvita Dutt Guptan is the director of this horror movie in Hindi, which narrates the story of a witch who becomes a femme fatale. This play about the 1880s Bengali presidency tells the story of Bulbbul (Tripti Dimri), who was married off to Thakur Indraneel (Rahul Bose), a man who is 20 years older, and has been living in his house ever since. The film shows Bulbbul’s torture and rape, switching back and forth between the past and the present. She does in fact possess magical abilities as a result of her encounters; these are symbolised by a blood red moon, which she employs to protect the other women in her community as well as herself. We also see how her transformation has granted her independence and self-sufficiency, which she was never able to attain in the patriarchal environment. A timeless gothic film that exemplifies taste and sensibility, “Bulbbul,” is a must-see. You can watch it online here.
Fatale (2020)
Deon Taylor directed “Fatale,” starring Hilary Swank, Michael Ealy, and Damaris Lewis. The main character of the narrative is Derrick Tyler, the owner of a prosperous sports management company, and the night he spent on a business trip with Valerie Quinlan. When he comes back, a masked thief attacks him and his wife Tracie, but Derrick miraculously repels him. Following this occurrence, the police are summoned, and Valerie is tasked with leading the investigation. Valerie has not revealed to Derrick her intention to use the one-night stand and Derrick to accomplish her own sinister agenda. Is Derrick forced to accept Valerie despite the flaws in her strategy? There are many lies and deceptions around the grim reality that “Fatale” is based on. To learn the truth, you can view the film online by clicking this link.
Gypsy (2017)
The main character of “Gipsy” is Naomi Watts’s Jean, a therapist who interferes in her patients’ lives far more often than is considered proper. One day, unable to contain her emotions, Jean goes looking for a patient’s girlfriend Sidney. Sidney is a really beautiful woman, and they become close over time. In this new relationship, of course, Jean loses her solid life as a devoted therapist, the wife of a lawyer, and the mother of a beautiful young kid. Was it worth the risk that the romance would destroy her perfect life? To find out, you can watch the episode online here.
Love to Hate You (2023)
The South Korean web series “Love to Hate You” stars Kim Ji-hoon, Kim Ok-Vin, Go Won-Hee, and Teo Yoo. The show has a femme fatale in the truest meaning of the term, even though its plot isn’t quite a femme fatale one because it centres on two characters. Yeo Mi-Ran, a lawyer, claims to like having sex with men, but in reality, she despises them. But there’s also the well-known actor Nam Gang-Ho, who has no faith in women and hates them. Fireworks, however, are bound to occur when two opposing forces are forced together by circumstance. What will happen after that? To find out, you can watch the episode online here.
Monica, O My Darling (2022)
The Hindi-language thriller “Monica, O My Darling” stars Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi, Radhika Apte, and Sikandar Kher. It is surprising from start to finish and full of turns and twists. The story follows robotics expert Jayant, who is engaged to the CEO’s daughter, but whose life unravels after he starts an affair with company secretary Monica Machado. But Monica is also meeting two other people at the company, and Jayant doesn’t know about it. She promptly blackmails them both. So one night, the three guys decide to kill her, only to see her go into the office the next day. This sets off a weird series of events that culminates in Monica’s actual murder, the identity of which is unknown. The essential watch, “Monica, O My Darling,” is available to stream right now.
Wingwomen (2023)
Mélanie Laurent directed the action comedy “Wingwomen” in France. It is based on the graphic novel “The Grand Odalisque” by Florent Ruppert, Jérôme Mulot, and Bastien Vivès. Two femme fatales/professional thieves , Carole (Laurent) and Alex (Adèle Exarchopoulos) are the focus of the movie. As their third member, they enlist Sam (Manon Bresch), a professional racing car driver. Sam is supposed to be the getaway driver for their final theft, which will involve a well-known picture. After this, they plan to retire, but they know their boss, the Godmother, won’t let them. Here’s how the three femme fatales pull off their heist and escape plot while juggling their feelings and careers. You may watch the movie here.
