Movie
Set It Off (1996)
Female cat burglars were covered (much) earlier in the rankings list, and now it’s the turn of an all-female heist crew. This 1990s movie centres on four women from inner-city Los Angeles that rob banks to get back at the “system” that failed them – leading to three action packed, increasingly frantic heist scenes – although it finishes in tragedy as violent crime sprees often do.
Other than Cleo who’s essentially the gangster of the foursome, the characters all get sympathetic back stories. Frankie loses her job as a bank teller after she panics during a robbery and doesn’t follow procedure. Stony does everything to support her brother, only for him to be gunned down by police after they mistake him for one of the robbers. Tisean loses custody of her child because she can’t afford to pay for care. None of these women are evil, but despite the origin stories they are criminals. Plus the heist team is so charismatic – with exceptional performances all round – they earn a placing in the Goddess tier.
While Stony and Tisean remain sympathetic and reluctant to become career offenders, both Cleo and Frankie are more pushy, eager to rob banks before their friends are even motivated. These “ring leaders” are on personal power trips and enjoy their addictive new life of crime, putting pressure on the lesser inclined and leading to tense arguments. The film also benefits from the unusual situation where the women begin as barely competent amateurs with weak disguises and no real plan, but finish the movie as an organised, masked up professional crew.
The detective hunting the four women is the same man who mistakenly shot Stony’s brother. He’s onto them right from the very first heist, leading to personal stand offs and ultimately a night time gun battle on the streets of L.A. But don’t expect a happy ending to this tale – it’s just not that kind of film.
Villainesses
Stony (Jada Pinkett), Cleo (Queen Latifah), Frankie (Vivica A. Fox), Tisean (Kimberly Elise)
After the women arm themselves – and Cleo choose a weapon to set it off – they pull off their first job at a bank they haven’t cased, wearing wigs and sunglasses. It’s all hectic, panicky stuff from the newbie robbers, and Tisean gets all nervious and backs out. There are no major complications, and the gang escape with the money as Tisean watches the others drive off after a successful heist. Cause for celebration with Frankie gleeful and Cleo dancing in celebration, though whether to pay Tisean becomes a heated debate.
The arguments and conflict between the women boil over after Cleo spends her money on her girlfriend and booze. For Stony and Tisean, the bank robbery was a one time deal, but both Cleo and Frankie are desperate for more money. A second heist soon follows, with a much better planned robbery where Tisean plays an innocent customer and disarms a would be hero. The heist almost goes to pieces when a pedestrian outside causes a commotion and the police show up. How to make a getaway? Cleo rams a stolen vehicle through the window and the women make a dramatic escape.
With a second crime, the police investigation ramps up and the detective follows the women. Away from the action, Stony romances an account manager she met while staking out a target bank. The relationship blossoms and Stony’s boyfriend buys her an evening dress. After her taste of high society, Stony is reluctant to continue her criminal career. But since she’s the main character, it’s inevitable she’ll join her team for the big heist at the end. By now the women see themselves as gangsters and even do joky mafioso impersonations sat round a boardroom table – with classical music playing in the background.
Things are going smoothly when the women take advantage of their day (actually night) job to stash the stolen money in a tower block vent shaft. This turns out to be a mistake when their shady employer Luther discovers the money and absconds with it. He’s not a smart man, so the women soon track him down. Cleo is angry and armed, so viewers will assume she’ll get trigger happy. Instead it’s the nervous Tisean who shoots Luther fatally in the back.
The police suspect Cleo of Luther’s murder (well, she is the obvious choice) and bring her in to participate in a line up. There’s a prostitute witness who Cleo intimidates into silence through a combination of cold psycho stares – enough to frighten anyone – and tapping her pocket where she stowed the woman’s ID. The scare tactics work, and the police are forced to release the suspect. Now wanted women with no money, it’s time for a big payday.
Naturally the bank is same one where Stony’s lover works, though she does lure him out of the building beforehand. This time the heisters move much smoothly, dressed in true armed robber gear: blue overalls, braided haircuts and face masks. One of the staff trips a silent alarm however, leading to a standoff between the police and the thieves. The women all remove their masks realising the game is up, and are on the verge of giving themselves up when a trigger happy security guard guns down Tisean.
The aftermath is as bloody as you’d expect, with Stony and Cleo shooting several cops and guards in retaliation. Cleo has a submachine gun she empties into any target available. Time for a speedy getaway and a Heat style car chase and shootout on the streets. It’s somewhat satisfying to see an all-female team engage in such carnage, but it’s a losing battle since every local cop is now after them and roadblocks are everywhere. There’s just about enough time to grieve Tisean as she bleeds out, before the women abandon her to go on the run.
Eventually the police trap the robbers in a tunnel, and Cleo decides to go out in a blaze of glory and buy time for Stony and Frankie to escape. Frankie gets cornered and despite being confronted by the detective, she refuses to give herself up. Stony can only watch from a bus to Mexico as the cops shoot her friend, and she’s left to reminisce and count her hard earned money south of the border. It’s Cleo – who else? – that gets the best death scene, surviving a hail of bullets that wreck her car as she rides a police gauntlet. As epic music plays, she steps out for one last confrontation. But even this tough cookie is completely outgunned, and the small army of cops put her down.
Action Woman Fan 