15 Badass Female Movie Characters

They’re hot. They’re sexy. They’re probably stronger than your college wrestling buddy and quicker than the Six Million Dollar Man (and oh yeah, they definitely look better in a dress!). They’re 15 of the most bad ass female movie characters. In no particular order here they are.

1. Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in TERMINATOR 2

Last time we saw Sarah Connor in the original Terminator, she had just barely survived a beat down with Arnie.  When we next see Sarah however, she’s one lean, mean kick-ass machine. Linda Hamilton pushed her body to the limit to achieve the amazing physical transformation of her character, reflecting Sarah’s own change from a passive waitress to a weapons expert and master strategist in order to protect her son John and prepare him for his destiny.   How many other women can pump a shotgun with one hand??  All of this was  in order to protect her son, the future leader of the resistance against the machines. I tell ya, this mother, is one MOTHA!

2. Uma Thurman as Beatrix Kiddo (The Bride) KILL BILL VOL. I-II

In Volume I, she took down 88 of Japan’s deadliest Yakuza members and defeated Lucy Liu’s O-Ren Ishii. In Volume II she clawed her way out of a casket, literally poked Daryl Hannah’s eye out and ended her vengeful mission by implementing the “Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique” to her lover Bill’s chest. To put it simply, she broke his heart.  And she looked darned hot doing it!

3. Carrie Fischer as Princess Leia, THE STAR WARS TRILOGY

Snide, snarky, and about as un-princess-like as one could be, Leia  takes charge of her rag-tag rescue band from the moment Han, Luke, and Chewie release her from the cell. Considered one of the first ass kicking movie heroines,  Princess Leia was defiant, cock-sure, and a natural leader.  If there was every any Imperial ass to kick, Leia was there with blaster in hand. And she didn’t look too bad in a gold bikini either!

4. Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, TOMB RAIDER

Based on the popular video game series, the Tomb Raider series features the adventures of Lara Croft, an antiquities hunter-for-hire. She travels to exotic locales in search of treasures and artifacts in the catacombs of ancient tombs and ruins remaining from age-old empires. A female Indiana Jones, Croft’s expeditions are always chock full of action, danger, intrigue, and suspense. And of course, Jolie performs all of the above wearing the tightest of outfits with never a lip liner out of place!

5. Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, ALIEN, ALIENS, ALIEN 3, ALIEN RESURRECTION

She uttered one of my favorite movie quotes of all time:  “Get away from her, you bitch!” while facing the ultra menacing Alien queen!  Albeit a reluctant heroine, Sigourney Weaver as Ripley nevertheless sucked it up and kicked some serious alien butt!  Who can forget that fantastic scene where she  was putting her arsenal together as she rode the elevator down to the lowest floor?  When those elevator doors opened…well, an action heroine is forever cemented in movie history.

6.  Lucy Liu as O-Ren Ishii, KILL BILL VOLUME I

Unfortunately, she was killed off by The Bride in Volume I. But before that however, O-Ren avenged her parents’ death, became one of the greatest assassins in the world at age 20 and was the the first female ever to preside over all of Japan’s Yakuza clans. Oh, and uh, I think we all remember the price to be paid for speaking up against her.

7. Kate Beckinsale as Selene, UNDERWORLD, UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION

Kate Beckinsale was primarily known as a romantic-comedy lead before she donned the tight leather to play sexy vampiress, Selene in Underworld.  Her defining moment in the film?: when she created a hole in the floor by firing her twin guns at it and turning in a tight circle before falling gracefully, ready to kick some werewolf ass!  Move over, Buffy, there’s a newer, hotter vampire slayer in town!

8. Carrie-Ann Moss as Trinity, THE MATRIX TRILOGY

When we first meet Trinity, she defeats six policemen and then goes flying through the air amid shattered glass into the window of the building across the alleyway!  This lady then cements her place as an ass-kicking action heroine by using her skills at hand-to-hand combat, handling a gun and a knife and of course, by riding that most bad-ass of vehicles – the motorcycle.  And another thing: not many other females can do all of that while wearing top-to-toe shiny leather!

9. Milla Jovovich as Alice, RESIDENT EVIL

Milla Jovovich was an absolute unknown until her breakthrough role alongside Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element.  But it was as Alice in Resident Evil that cemented her as a kick-ass heroine.  As she battled a supercomputer, zombies, mutant dogs and a genetically modified beast all in an effort to save humanity, Milla became one badass babe!

10. Jennifer Garner as Elektra, DAREDEVIL, ELEKTRA

Jennifer Garner was first revealed as an ass-kicking heroine in her lead role as CIA spy, Sydney Bristow in the TV show, Alias.  Then she brought it to the big screen as Elektra Natchios in Daredevil and then in Elektra.  Playing a deadly and mysterious assassin, Garner takes down the bad guys with her lightning fast moves.  Who knew sweet Jennifer had it in her?

11. Anne Parillaud as Nikita,  LA FEMME NIKITA

Back in 1990, Anne Parillaud starred as the original Nikita, the street tough who’s given a makeover courtesy of the government–a makeover that turns her into a ruthless assassin who kills on command. Over the years, the film has had several makeovers (a film starring Bridget Fonda and a TV series starring Peta Wilson). In a few weeks, the CW will be premiering their version of the character. I think the original Nikita was the best and after all these different versions, it just goes to show you: you can’t keep a good, bad woman down.

12. Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, AVATAR

Yes, she’s blue and basically computer generated but she also fights the bad guys, falls in and out of love, saves the hero and her planet.  Now if that’s not badass then what is?!

13. Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, BATMAN RETURNS

Yes, Halle Berry did don a catsuit as the feline wonder in 2004 but after receiving scathing reviews there’s just something about Michelle’s Catwoman that just seems more honorable (plus there’s that whole Batman connection which Berry’s film lacked).  And of course, everyone knew that she was beautiful but no one could have guessed that Pfeiffer would look that good in a leather cat-suit.

14. Devon Aoki as Miho, SIN CITY

Sin City was a brutal, at times hard movie to watch. But under the skilled hands of Quentin Tarantino it was definitely worth the effort. Full of all sorts of criminals, prostitutes and assorted ne’er do wells, Devon Aoki definitely stood out from the bunch.  As the mute but deadly Miho, she always let her swords do the talking.  Nobody wanted to get on Miho’s bad side, especially men.  She’d kill you before you can even realize you’ve been attacked.

15. Rose McGowan as Cherry Darling, GRINDHOUSE

Okay what is it with Quentin Tarantino and badass women?!  Well, Tarantino outdid himself when he cast Rose McGowan as Cherry Darling, the depressed go-go dancer with a machine gun for a leg. Darling put that leg/machine gun to good use when she cut down some flesh eating creatures and anyone one else who got in her way.  Trust me, you wouldn’t wanna mess with this chick!

So, do you have any favorite badass female movie characters? Share with us.