The Best Female Action Movies Of All Time

Sigourney Weaver is arguably the biggest and best female action star of all time thanks to one role, her game-changing and revolutionary portrayal of Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise. Metamorphasizing from a simple scientist to an otherworldly superhero, Weaver lent a grounded and realistic portrayal of a woman scared for her life who rose from the ashes to save humanity. Face-to-face with some of the most terrifying creatures ever put to screen, her character never backed down and faced terrors the likes of which would make grown men break down and cry. Ripley is the female action hero to end all female action heroes.

Few characters saw as radical a change as Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor did between the first and second Terminator films. Hamilton's Connor transformed from a weak and timid every-woman into one of the most fearsome and incredible female action movie stars the world had ever seen, and it all felt completely natural and in tune with the story being told. The character had just gone through the wringer, and in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, she wasn't going to let anything stop her from protecting her son. Much like Sigourney Weaver's Ripley did in the 80s, Hamilton's Sarah Connor changed female action roles for all time.

There are few films that portray their main protagonist with such controlled chaos, such elegant poise, and such overwhelming power as Kill Bill. Uma Thurman brought Beatrix Kiddo to life in one of the most jaw-dropping and stellar actions sagas the world has ever seen. Totaling over four hours of bloody, chaotic carnage, Kill Bill pulls no punches and often goes so far over the line it nearly becomes comical, but the grounded and heartbreaking portrayal from Thurman helps make the film feel real even in the absurd moments. The fight against the Crazy 88's still goes down in history as not only one of the best action scenes in a female action movie but one of the best actions scenes of all time.

Over the course of 13 years, Kate Beckinsale solidified herself as a female action hero the likes of which the world had never seen. Being dressed in skin-tight leather never managed to slow this vampire down as she hunted down Lycans and fought off those who wished to destroy the world. The Underworld franchise saw wonderful uses of both gunplay and stellar action setpieces blend within the realms of horror to create a frightfully fun experience. Beckinsale single-handedly made this franchise what it was, simply put, one of the most intriguing and remarkable action horror franchises of all time.

A timeless tale of love, anger, violence, and betrayal, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon showcases some of the most original, stellar, and remarkable action ever seen in film. Michelle Yeho and Ziyi Zhang steal the show in every single scene they are in, showcasing some mind-bending stunts and remarkable action sequences all the while keeping an aura of grace and femininity about them. A textbook example of how to showcase female action stars to the absolute best of their ability, the film doesn't shine because it is a female-centric action film, the film shines because the female action stars shine. 

Mad Max: Fury Road is undoubtedly the film that showcased to the world that Charlize Theron is a bonafide stellar female action movie star. Theron brought to life the character of Imperator Furiosa in such realistic and incredibly ways that, unlike some modern action movies, her character feels completely realistic and earned as a badass, as opposed to the film simply telling audiences that she is. Showcasing pulse-pounding driving, stellar gunplay, and a true tenacity and grit rarely shown in any action film, Theron steal the show in Fury Road and helped create a female legend in the action world.