In Honor of Lisbeth Salander, 9 Other Movie Heroines Not to F*** With

4. Yuki, Lady Snowblood

Some avenging heroines seek retribution for wrongs done unto them; the gorgeous Yuki (Meiko Kaji) was conceived by a vengeful mother solely to hunt down the circle of conspirators who slaughtered her family. Her very reason for living is revenge, and does she get it -- no amount of love, no pleas for compassion, not even death can stop this sword-swinging avenging angel from leaving death and destruction in her wake.

3. Coffy, Coffy

Blaxploitation star Pam Grier offered nothing but heroines never to fuck with over the course of her career, so you can really take your pick; still, Grier as vigilante nurse Coffy, cleaning up the corrupt city's drug-infested underworld? So. Bad. Ass. Watch her blow away those rotten dope pushers! Marvel as she catfights with a henhouse of hookers! She is, as they say, the baddest one-chick hit squad that ever hit town.

2. The Bride, Kill Bill. Vol. 1 & 2

Giving the resourceful Coffy a run for her money is Uma Thurman's aggrieved assassin The Bride, who suffers a litany of wrongs - fiancé killed, shot in the head, left for dead, and worse. What pushes her to the top of the list is twofold: For starters, she's not just battling pimps and pushers, she must slice her way through a host of her highly trained, oft-deranged fellow pro killers. Second, they took away her child. Never underestimate a mother's eternal wrath. And speaking of maternal instincts...

1. Ellen Ripley, the Alien franchise

It's not just that Sigourney Weaver's iconic sci-fi heroine is the baddest lady of action in the movies. In a film series that has seen aliens and facehuggers claim untold human life, it's unassuming warrant office Ellen Ripley who possesses the skills not only to survive, but to fight back. And how. Space ship cargo hatch battles! Hand-to-hand (and face to double-chompered face) heroine vs. queen power loader combat! Fearless death dives into molten lead! Whether her enemies are extraterrestrial or human, as long as her heart is still beating (even her clone heart!), Ripley will never let them win. Telling acid-blooded alien murder-creatures and greedy corporate suits to screw off earns her the number one spot on this list, and in our hearts.

Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter.

Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Pages: 1 2