1. Ripley - Alien

Ripley has to be one of the most amazing female movie characters ever. Did you know that the character was originally written as male? Fortunately Ridley Scott had the sense to cast Sigourney Weaver, and Ripley became the tough woman we see on screen, fighting a hideous alien killer. She's so much better than the male characters, who are usually scared victims!

2. Sarah Connor - Terminator

In the first Terminator movie, Sarah is a central yet somewhat passive character. By the second movie, she's evolved into a ruthless fighter. She's determined to stop the machine menace, and learns how to fight and do whatever it takes to save mankind. Check out the Sarah Connor Chronicles (sadly canceled after two seasons) for a further example of why Sarah is such a great character.

3. Hit Girl - Kick Ass

What's not to love about Hit Girl? She's a pretty improbable character, but that's what makes her such fun to watch. A pre-adolescent schoolgirl who is a whizz with guns and a far better crime fighter than the rather pathetic Kick Ass? Watch this scene, in which she systematically disposes of a group of rather scared villains …

4. Thelma & Louise

Why settle for one action heroine when you can have two? Thelma and Louise were a brilliant pair of characters. Who wouldn't secretly love to get away with blowing up oil tankers and locking people in trunks? They're immensely gutsy women and I'd like to see more like them on screen, rather than the wimpy females you find in romcoms.

5. The Bride - Kill Bill

Of course, The Bride isn't the only woman who's deadly with a sword in Kill Bill. The body count is pretty high in this two-part film, and women are frequently the killers. Lucy Liu and Daryl Hannah also play great characters but The Bride is the one who comes out on top.

6. Cherry - Planet Terror

I think I can safely say that in all the history of cinema there has never been another character with a machine-gun leg (and never will be). Cherry is the star of Planet Terror, fighting zombies and bad guys alike. This isn't great cinema, and doesn't try to be, but it's enormous fun if you love tough women, action movies, and zombies.

7. Alice - Resident Evil

To finish off my selection of amazing female movie characters, we have another zombie-slayer. You probably have to enjoy video games to appreciate this movie, and they really did extend the series too far. Alice is an extraordinary fighter, and a wonderfully tough character.

There have always been great female characters in the movies, even though men tend to get the lion's share of screen time. Look at film noir for some fabulous tough dames. Now we're seeing more female characters who can get physically rough as well. Who is your favorite female movie character?