Being a nerd is a lot different than it used to be.
In the old days, we nerds were often looked down upon, but those days are in the past. Now, nerds can be badass hackers, fighters, superheroes, and just about anything else.
However, as much as nerds are a part of mainstream culture, it's still nice to feel empowered by our entertainment. There are plenty of movies out there where nerds become super badasses.
These movies remind us that just because we're into nerdy things, there's nothing stopping us from being awesome!
7. The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003)
The Lord of the Rings films are filled with badass characters who possess magic powers and skills. And then there are the hobbits. They're small and relatively weak when compared to lots of the other members of the LOTR world.
But in the end, it's Frodo the nerdy (for his world) hobbit who needs to step up and save the world.
6. Zombieland (2009)
Zombieland is a fantastic horror-comedy about a group of four survivors named after the state from which they're born. The main character, who goes by the name Columbus, is a geek who lives by a whole book of rules.
However, those rules turn him into a badass zombie killer who managed to survive in a post-apocalyptic world that few have made it through. He even gets the girl in the end!
5. Spider-Man (2002–2007)
Peter Parker is about as far from cool as you can get. At the same time, his superhero alter-ego is one of the toughest, coolest heroes in the Marvel Universe.
Who says a geeky photographer can't become one of the most badass superheroes in a world filled with characters like Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America?
4. The Goonies (1985)
The entire Goonies crew are nerds, but we're specifically thinking of Data, as his gadgets and inventions end up being critical to the group achieving their goals.
At first glance, he seems like the least badass of any of the kids, but in end, there's no chance they would have found success without him! Plus, it's not like any of The Goonies kids are cool, so they're all pretty empowering for geeks!
3. Fight Club (1999)
The Narrator in Fight Club is a sad guy whose biggest form of entertainment is pretending he has various illnesses in order to go to group meetings.
That all changes when he meets Tyler Durden on a flight. He goes from geeky nobody to badass fighter and member of Project Mayhem. Also, there's the end of the movie.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but if you have, you know what I'm talking about.
2. The Matrix (1999)
Mr. Anderson isn't necessarily what you'd consider cool. In the early portion of the first Matrix film, he's clearly shown to be an antisocial hacker who doesn't have very much personality.
But once he's discovered by Morpheus and he becomes Neo, he turns into one of the coolest characters in the history of movies.
1. Kick-Ass (2010)
Kick-Ass is actually the movie that inspired this article, as the entire plot of the movie based around a nerdy kid who decides he wants to be a superhero.
In his day-to-day life, Dave Lizewski is anything but cool. But once he puts on the Kick-Ass gear, he becomes a badass superhero who can do anything.
More Awesome Movies for Geeks
No longer are geeks and nerds the downtrodden members of society. Geeks can be tough badasses who can handle anything thrown at them.
Whether you're talking about geeks becoming superheroes or highly skilled fighters and members of criminal organizations, these movies show us that there's nothing a geek can't do!