Top 5

Re:Top 5 Ass-Kicking Heroine Films

flair — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:06:21 GMT

This is not intended to be as snarky as it probably reads, but looking down this column of movie posters, it's remarkable how many terrible films are listed. I say that even though I've seen most of them and enjoyed many. But when Linda Fiorentino has to be moved over from film noir, the proper category for devious _ but by no means kick-ass _ Wendy/Bridget, you know the pickings are slim in this genre. Nevertheless, here's a few that deserve attention:

Terminator (1984)

Linda Hamilton as a regular woman becoming kick-ass. Honorable mention to Kristanna Loken for the lesser T3.

House of Flying Daggers (2004)

Astoundingly beautiful, with astoundingly beautiful assassin Zhang Ziyi.

Serenity (2005)

Even before becoming a Terminator, Summer Glau was a very, very dangerous person. Why are there links to Firefly but not its movie, or is this now supposed to be Firefly Part 2?

Innocent Blood (1992)

Anne Parillaud, the original Femme Nikita, blazes through the very, very narrow category of Vampire against the Mob movies.

Dangerous Beauty (1998)

Granted, Catherine McCormack really only kicks Oliver Platt's butt, but she beats the Inquisition as well. Besides, she's too beautiful to ignore, especially with sword in hand.

Aliens (1986)

The installment in which Sigourney Weaver actually kicks butt, rather than merely surviving, and before the series lost any shred of coherence.

Lifeforce (1985)

Mathilda May. Space Girl. Resistance really is futile.

King Arthur (2004)

All right, I concede that at 98 pounds in her training bra, Keira Knightley doesn't make the most awe-inspiring warrior princess. But smeared with woad, or at least blue paint, and strapped into a skimpy and very uncomfortable looking leather harness, Knightley is still quite energetic at defending Roman Britain from the Saxon hordes. Besides, she deserves cumulative points from the ridiculous Domino and never-ending Pirates movies. This is another startling omission from the database.

Re:Top 5 Ass-Kicking Heroine Films

seely — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:38:25 GMT

Crouching Tiger is one I always go back and forth on--she is strong, skilled and deadly, but at the same time weak and sexually vulnerable. Almost a paradox. I can't decide if I consider her an ass kicking heroine or not...?

mercurial:

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

For me, I either loved or hated these films. Kill Bill and Alien are probably my favorite female action protagonists.

Re:Top 5 Ass-Kicking Heroine Films

mercurial — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:19:28 GMT

Let's see:

Resident Evil

BloodRayne

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Aeon Flux

Charlie's Angels

Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc

La Femme Nikita / Point of No Return

The Long Kiss Goodnight

The Quick and the Dead

My Super Ex-Girlfriend

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Lady Vengeance

For me, I either loved or hated these films. Kill Bill and Alien are probably my favorite female action protagonists.

Re:Top 5 Ass-Kicking Heroine Films

joem18b — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:43:46 GMT

You want tough, I'd vote for Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction.

Also Kathleen "Aw, you got blood on my silk blouse" Turner in V. I. Warshawski (which I don't see in the Spout listings).

Re:Top 5 Ass-Kicking Heroine Films

Risselada — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:42:23 GMT

Ripley from Alien and Selen from Underworld are a couple of my favorite ass kicking heroines.

Also while searching for Underworld to link here, I saw the poster for the movie Underworld Beauty which I have not seen. But it looks like it has an ass kicking woman on the front. And it's directed by Seijun Suzuki so I'd definitely watch it.

Top 5 Ass-Kicking Heroine Films

seely — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:34:14 GMT

I re-watched Kill Bill the other day (its almost weekly for me, sadly) and realized that I don't know of a ton of other ass-kicking heroines on celluloid out there. Honestly, that may be the only one I know of besides perhaps Lara Croft, who started life on a game cartridge.

So--help me out and give me your Top 5 heroine films!