11 Most Badass Movie Heroines
What's the legacy of "La Femme Nikita," which opened stateside 25 years ago this week? It helped spawn a new kind of action heroine. Here are 11 of the most badass females in the history of movies.
Nikita
A punk made over into a government assassin, Anne Parillaud's leggy, chic shooter is the most gamine of gunslingers, the Audrey Hepburn of hitwomen.
Catwoman
There have been several Catwomen since "Batman Returns," but slinky, unhinged Michelle Pfeiffer is the cat you'd least want to cross your path. Bonus style points for that fetish-y, Frankenstein-stitched costume.
Samantha Caine/Charly Baltimore
Not sure how you could ever forget you used to be a high-powered CIA assassin. Fortunately for Geena Davis' "Long Kiss Goodnight" character, it all comes back to her with a vengeance.
Mystique
The scaly blue shapeshifter from the "X-Men" films is so dangerous because she could be anyone. Though we like it best when she looks like the Rebecca Romijn or J-Law (pictured).
Alice
Having graduated from the Luc Besson school of badass ladies, Milla Jovovich has only seen her weapons skills and telekinetic powers grow in five installments (so far) of the zombie-apocalypse "Resident Evil" series.
The Bride/Beatrix Kiddo
The woman with the deadliest to-do list in movie history, "Kill Bill's" Beatrix Kiddo is a samurai-sword-wielding tornado of vengeance. Also, Uma Thurman can rock even a yellow jogging suit.
Katniss Everdeen
Not only can Jennifer Lawrence's "Hunger Games" heroine take down an opponent (or a helicopter, or a totalitarian government) with a bow and arrow, but she learns to look stylish on live TV while doing it.
Black Widow
Scarlett Johansson's bio-enhanced assassin may consider herself a "monster" and may not get enough credit from her fellow Avengers, but Marvel fans know she's indispensable.
Gamora
Think of Zoe Saldana's green-skinned "Guardians of the Galaxy" character as Nikita in space: a celestial waif, trained to be an assassin, who is persuaded to use her combat skills for good.
Ilsa Faust
Rebecca Ferguson's "Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation" spy is so skilled at covert ops, she pulled off a feat unique in the franchise: stealing the movie from Tom Cruise.
Rey
Not only is Daisy Ridley's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" lightsaber-wielding heroine on the path toward becoming the franchise's first female Jedi, but she can even make that Ace bandage-like desert wrap outfit look good.
Nikita
