'Haywire,' 'Kill Bill,' 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo': 10 Female Movie Characters You Shouldn't Mess With (VIDEO)

The Huffington Post     First Posted: 01/20/2012 4:59 pm   Updated: 01/25/2012 1:30 pm

This weekend, former MMA fighter Gina Carano stars in "Haywire" as Mallory Kane, a government agent betrayed by the people she trusts. While this is certainly bad news for Mallory, being a spy does have its perks: like knowing how to kick the crap out of anyone.

Of course, Kane isn't the only badass female heroine to get revenge in a movie. From Ripley in "Aliens" to Sarah Connor in "The Terminator" to The Bride in "Kill Bill," some ladies have a no-nonsense policy when it comes to betrayal: Don't do it. In honor of "Haywire," here are 9 Female Movie Characters You Shouldn't Mess With

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Lisbeth Salander "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
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In a squirm-in-your-seat scene, Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) takes her time torturing a man who raped her. This sequence isn't for the weak of heart, but then nothing in this film is either.
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This weekend, former MMA fighter Gina Carano stars in "Haywire" as Mallory Kane, a government agent betrayed by the people she trusts. While this is certainly bad news for Mallory, being a spy does ha...
This weekend, former MMA fighter Gina Carano stars in "Haywire" as Mallory Kane, a government agent betrayed by the people she trusts. While this is certainly bad news for Mallory, being a spy does ha...
 
 
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10:31 AM on 02/14/2012
Eowyn in The Return of the King exhibits bravery surpassing most of those listed. She faced the winged nightmare and dispatched that in one stroke. Then faced the Witch King himself. True, he was undone by the Hobbit-weilded Elvish blade from the First Age, but SHE faced him.
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meleagrid
11:13 PM on 02/05/2012
You forgot Shirley Temple movies. She was an impishly devilish kid in her preteens whose weapons of mass destruction were dimples, a smile, a song, and a little tap dancin' that brought e toughest folks to heel. These so-called tough movie babes don't cut it using the later as standards...:>))
04:20 AM on 01/31/2012
You forgot Miss Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy.
11:14 AM on 01/29/2012
We love action films but most of them with female leads or co-leads in them turn into a b-fest where she is running for her life in her white tank top and OOPS it starts raining and wouldn't you know it, she forgot her bra that day.
I think the best one we saw with a female lead lately was one called Hanna.
10:01 AM on 01/25/2012
Ripley should be at the top of the list followed by 'Romeo Is Bleeding' hit-woman Mona DeMarkoff.
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07:30 PM on 01/21/2012
Lara croft, Jane smith in mr and mrs smith, fox in wanted, Evelyn salt in SALT...yeah this site is deliberately ignoring the reigning actress in Hollywood, Angelina Jolie. Wonder why? Owned by some pr flack of a former tv hack? Got your marching orders?
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by-the-sea-
Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back...
05:15 PM on 01/22/2012
You comment strictly on Jolie, Pitt, and K. Stewart. No one else, unless it's to slam those that threaten the aforementioned group. Who is paying you?
03:55 PM on 01/26/2012
Jeeeeez, calm down. You're right about Evelyn Salt, for sure, but Ripley and Beatrix Kiddo also definitely belong on that list.
10:07 AM on 01/21/2012
Gina Carano is a big step up in this genre of female action stars. Skinny actresses with tiny twig-like arms who take on big, strong men is laughable (but I guess some sort of male fantasy, or there wouldn't be so many of them). Gina is not skinny, trains for real, and could plausibly hold her own in a fight with the average guy. I hope this is a trend. And considering that there really isn't a future in female MMA, at least they can do it in the movies and make some money.
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wilray
50,000 Screaming Fans (Ignore that other number)
10:16 PM on 01/20/2012
It is impossible for this list to be complete without Selene.
http://youtu.be/C7kY-ouNhrc
11:39 PM on 01/20/2012
Agreed. ;)
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Sol76
09:19 PM on 01/20/2012
So basically, any skinny actress in a tank-top that knows how to sweat and do kickboxing. It's a tick on every box of a heterosexual masochistic fantasy; the hot girl that could punish him. This is more or less the Holywood version of "Girl Power." Pop feminism with all the disposable qualities of a Spice Girls song.
11:38 PM on 01/20/2012
Well, I did put Molly Weasley on the list as well.
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Sol76
02:19 AM on 01/21/2012
Of course they are not all the same but that archetype stands out on this list and the wider film culture of Hollywood. To be clear, I think Ripley in Aliens was great but the action heroines of the decades that followed were prettier but not as relatable or relevant to the audience.
04:01 PM on 01/26/2012
As a feminist myself I agree with most of your assessment. I enjoy action movies, if they are well written and acted and have no problem with female leads in action movies, and I don't believe that either Sigourney Weaver or Uma Thurman fit the description of what you are complaining about.

Oh, and I'd like to see you call Ripley skinny to her face!!!