The female action heroes of Sucker Punch are unusual in Hollywood, but not altogether new. Here are 10 of moviedom's toughest ladies, from Western gunslingers to alien killers.
• Joan Crawford - In the gender-bending 1954 Western Johnny Guitar, she wore the pants and packed the pistols, while co-star Sterling Hayden mostly strummed.
• Tura Satana - As the leader of a girl gang in Russ Meyer's 1965 sexploitation classic, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, she kills a man with her bare hands.
• Sigourney Weaver - As Ripley in 1979's Alien, she turned a distressed-damsel role into a tough-as-nails character who survived through three more films.
• Lori Petty - She played the title role in 1995's Tank Girl, the poorly reviewed adaptation of the sci-fi comic books. Perhaps it was ahead of its time?
• Bridget Fonda - She starred as a deceptively pretty assassin in 1993's Point of No Return, although Luc Besson's original 1990 French version, Nikita, remains a landmark among action chick flicks.
• Milla Jovovich - The cat-eyed actress has helped make the pulpy "Resident Evil" franchise, based on a video game, a dependable seller at the box office since 2002.
• Uma Thurman - Her otherworldly beauty made her an odd but surprisingly effective choice in Quentin Tarantino's ultra-violent Kill Bill movies (2003-'04).
• Noomi Rapace - In 2009's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, the Swedish actress originated the role of Goth-punk bisexual sleuth Lisbeth Salander. Fans are waiting to see if Rooney Mara can fill her boots in the upcoming American version.
• Chloe Grace Moretz - In last year's Kick-Ass, she played the 11-year-old superhero Hit Girl, racking up the highest body count and cursing a blue streak.
• Angelina Jolie - One of the few widely successful female action stars, Jolie recently took the lead in the CIA thriller Salt, a role originally written for a man. Her "Lara Croft" franchise is set for a relaunch; her replacement has not been announced.
