
Strength and charisma come in many forms. These twenty action films let women shine as unstoppable heroes and prove that adrenaline has no gender.
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Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Four years after a massacre at her wedding rehearsal, 'The Bride' wakes from a coma and swears revenge on her former assassination squad. Tarantino mixes kung fu cinema, spaghetti western and comic-book aesthetics into one furious katana ballet. Uma Thurman turned a yellow tracksuit and a sword into pure pop culture.
Aliens (1986)
Ripley returns to LV-426 with a squad of Colonial Marines to wipe out the nightmare once and for all. Sigourney Weaver transforms from survivor into a power-loader-wielding war heroine, earning an Oscar nomination, while James Cameron cranks the tension up to war sci-fi on steroids.
Ripley returns to LV-426 with a squad of Colonial Marines to wipe out the nightmare once and for all.
Wonder Woman (2017)
Diana leaves paradise island Themyscira to end World War I. Her idealism merges with godlike strength, resulting in a 'No Man's Land' trench scene that rewrote superhero action.
Diana leaves paradise island Themyscira to end World War I.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Sarah Connor transforms from waitress into a muscled prophet of doom, determined to save her son and humanity. Her fierce determination forms the emotional heart between two unstoppable cyborgs.
Sarah Connor transforms from waitress into a muscled prophet of doom, determined to save her son and humanity.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Max may be in the title, but Imperator Furiosa drives the film. With one arm, a war rig and five escaped 'wives', she defies tyrant Immortan Joe straight through an apocalyptic sandstorm. Charlize Theron delivers steely intensity.
Atomic Blonde (2017)
MI6 spy Lorraine Broughton infiltrates Berlin in 1989 in search of a list of undercover agents. The stairwell fight, staged to look like a single long take, is a masterclass in brutal elegance and breathless choreography.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi fight across rooftops and through bamboo forests. Ang Lee combines wuxia flying combat with tragic love and honor, so that every leap soars above reality.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
'Full Metal Bitch' Rita Vrataski relives the same alien invasion day together with Major Cage. Emily Blunt lifts the time-loop concept to blockbuster heights with warrior grace, a metal exosuit and those famous yoga push-ups.
Salt (2010)
CIA officer Evelyn Salt is accused of being a Russian sleeper agent. Was she ever loyal? Angelina Jolie sprints from highways to elevator shafts, uses unconventional disguises and mixes psychological games with breakneck stunts.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay, unwillingly becomes the spark of a revolution. In the deadly Quarter Quell she hones her archery skills and political awareness while the arena's dangers are more merciless than ever.
Resident Evil (2002)
Alice wakes up with no memory in the Umbrella mansion and has to survive zombies, laser corridors and bioweapons. Milla Jovovich's martial arts moves launched a long-running zombie franchise.
Black Widow (2021)
Natasha Romanoff returns to her Russian 'family' to shut down the Red Room program. Freefall fights, weapon ballets and sisterly chemistry with Florence Pugh show why she's first-class Avenger material.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
High-tech mansion, twin pistols and a posh English accent: Angelina Jolie battles ancient traps and the Illuminati. Pure comic-book fun with a dash of archaeological fantasy.
The Old Guard (2020)
Andromache, 'Andy', leads a group of immortal mercenaries. When their secret gets out, the team fights for survival against pharmaceutical greed. Charlize Theron slashes with a labrys axe and existential doubt.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Vers, aka Carol Danvers, discovers her cosmic powers and memory gaps during a war between the Kree and the Skrulls. From '90s nostalgia to space battles, her photon blasts make her one of the most powerful Avengers.
Underworld (2003)
Selene, a vampire Death Dealer in latex and leather, cuts through werewolf politics with silver bullets. Gothic styling, gun-fu and midnight-blue rain made Kate Beckinsale an action icon.
Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
Cyborg Alita discovers her past and her fighting skills, looking at bleak Iron City through her giant eyes. Motorball arenas, sword-armed cyborgs and an emotional heart make this manga adaptation a visual feast.
Red Sparrow (2018)
A prima ballerina whose career is ended by injury, Dominika is recruited as a seductive spy. Poison, ice baths and double-dealing make for a cold war where trust is lethal. Jennifer Lawrence delivers chilly melancholy.
Charlie's Angels (2000)
Three private detectives combine kung fu, high-tech gadgets and glamorous undercover work to stop a tech mogul's scheme. Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu prove that teamwork and humor make for explosive chemistry.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
Suburban mom and teacher Samantha discovers she's actually CIA assassin Charly, complete with sniper skills in the snow. Geena Davis serves up Christmas-coated bullets, while Shane Black's dialogue makes the bullets sing.
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Tarantino mixes kung fu cinema, spaghetti western and comic-book aesthetics into one furious katana ballet.