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10 times women were beyond badass on film

Despite being a genre largely dominated by men, the last several decades have offered action cinema several fantastic leading heroines. This week's Sicario is a shining example of this, featuring Emily Blunt's Kate Macy taking on the drug cartel. Alongside Sicario, here are my picks for the top 10 female action heroes.

Furiosa, Mad Max: Fury Road

Though it may have the name Mad Max in the title, Fury Road's main story is that of Furiosa, a woman defying the totalitarian post-apocalyptic future. Charlize Theron is terrifying in the role and gives a commanding performance that shows off the subtleties of the character, giving her a compassionate side without showing any mercy. Paired with Tom Hardy's titular Max, Furiosa is a great revolutionary leader with a serious character arc.

Charlize Theron, right, as Imperator Furiosa in “Mad Max:Fury Road."
Charlize Theron, right, as Imperator Furiosa in “Mad Max:Fury Road."(Jasin Boland / Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)
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Clarice Starling, Silence of the Lambs

In an Academy-Award winning role, Jodie Foster goes head to head with Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs as Clarice Starling. Though Lector is one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history, Foster does a great job at playing the detective tracking down the killer. As a thriller, Silence of the Lamb has a breakneck pace, and the character of Starling is a great emotional leader for the events of the film.

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Jodie Foster in "The Silence of the Lambs"
Jodie Foster in "The Silence of the Lambs"(Ken Regan / AP)

The Bride, Kill Bill

A classic story of revenge, the Kill Bill series has a great plot filled with ambition and vengeance, with Uma Thurman's The Bride taking revenge on those who attempted to kill her and her unborn child. The stylized action sequences and steely performance by Uma Thurman add intensity and excitement to the series. Though she's brutal and ruthless, there is a method to her madness, and the audience becomes invested in the Bride's desire for justice.

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Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill"
Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill"

Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games franchise has become a global phenomenon, and much of that is due to the performance of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. Not only is Katniss a revolutionary leader (in the same vein as Mad Max: Fury Road), Lawrence's performance as Everdeen gives emotional weight to the entire action of the film, as her relationship with her sister Primrose and friend Gale gives a reason to invest into the action. It's a very strong performance, and the role is given strong development over the course of the franchise.

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Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games."
Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games."

Marge Gunderson, Fargo

Fargo is one of the Coen Brothers' best films, and the story's exploration of violence and greed, which is all seen through the eyes of Frances McDormand's Marge Gunderson. The bizarre nature of the story takes center stage, but McDormand's soulful, no-nonsense performance is a reminder of the human cost of such destructive activity. It's a masterful performance that provides a very different type of action hero.

Frances McDormand, left, in "Fargo."
Frances McDormand, left, in "Fargo."(Gramercy Pictures)

Lisbeth Salander, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Driven by a disturbing, hypnotic mystery, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a powerful and exciting thriller. Rooney Mara is absolutely captivating as Lisbeth Salander, giving a raw and emotional performance to the flawed, yet well-intentioned character. The film goes to some very dark places, some of which are quite disturbing, yet it's the passion that Rooney Mara puts into the role that gives the audience reasons to care about the story.

Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."
Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."(Columbia Pictures)

Rita Vratanski, Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow is a fun and entertaining summer action film that wisely doesn't take itself too seriously and has an original plot that makes it refreshing in a world of constant sequels. Emily Blunt stars as Rita Vratanski, a military leader whose passion to save the planet from alien invaders makes all the difference. While the top-billed Tom Cruise has a strong character arc, at the film's core is Blunt's ambition and redemptive story, and she succeeds as one of the best modern sci-fi heroes.

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Emily Blunt, left, as Rita and Tom Cruise as Cage in "Edge of Tomorrow."
Emily Blunt, left, as Rita and Tom Cruise as Cage in "Edge of Tomorrow."(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Princess Leia, Star Wars

One of the most iconic and influential film sagas of all-time, Star Wars features one of the greatest female action heroes in Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia Organa. Though Star Wars follows in the tradition of many mythological archetypes of heroes and villains, Leia isn't simply a damsel in distress as she gets a serious story arc battling the Galactic Empire of the course of the original trilogy. Fans of the series, and of Princess Leia, won't have to wait much longer to see more, as Leia is set to return in this December's Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

(StarWars.com)
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Maya, Zero Dark Thirty

Billed as "The Greatest Manhunt in History," Zero Dark Thirty is the true story of the hunt for Osama bin-Laden and those who followed the trail to take down the terrorist. Though the story certainly involves men at arms, the heart of Zero Dark Thirty is Maya (Jessica Chastain), the analyst that nailed al-Qaida's movements over time and determined the location of bin-Laden. It's a harrowing journey, and Chastain's conviction and passion shines through in the performance.

Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty."
Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty."(Columbia Pictures)

Sarah Conner, Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Topping our list is Sarah Conner (Linda Hamilton), who experiences one of the most dramatic character shifts in history. 1984's The Terminator portrays Conner as a mousey and timid waitress, but the 1991 sequel Judgment Day shows her as a force to be reckoned with, determined to protect her son who's destined to save the world. It's a fascinating character development, and Hamilton gives a dynamic performance as the hard-edged hero determined to save the world.

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(TriStar Pictures)