ROOT: Top 15 badass action heroines

Summertime means big blockbusters in our movie theaters. And this year isn't an exception. There are tons of fun and fantastic superhero movies. We've got "Thor," "Green Lantern," "X-Men: First Class" and a remake of "Conan."

While I'm a huge fan of superhero movies, I'm a bit annoyed: Why do I have to wait until December to see a kick-ass heroine starring in her own flick? So, for this week's column, we're going to highlight 15 of the most badass action heroines. Originally, this was supposed to be a top 10 list, but there are so many awesome heroines out there I had to add five more spots.

For the sake of length, these are adult female characters, live-action and from English-speaking TV or movies. (By no means is this a final or complete list — I fully expect "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "Hunger Games" to skew it.) If I were to highlight every awesome female ass-kicker out there, I could write a thesis or maybe a book. If I missed anyone super awesome, send me an email.

Ready for this?

15. Miho, "Sin City"

Alright, this is a weird heroine to start off with. Miho is a prostitute in the world of "Sin City." She's also a mute. The good news is that Miho doesn't have to speak to be badass and kill vicious jerks. She does it well, and she's entertaining as hell. The narrator, Dwight, is right to call her "deadly little Miho."

14. Evey, "V for Vendetta"

She's portrayed by a bald Natalie Portman. Enough said.

13. Selena, "28 Days Later"

This isn't Selena's movie, but damn does the woman hold it together as the world is falling apart because of a zombie-like epidemic. She handles weapons, keeps a small child safe and keeps a level head. Oh yeah, and she snags the hot dude, too.

12. Piper Halliwell, "Charmed"

Piper was the one consistently cool character on this show. "Charmed" had a lot of problems, weak narratives, poor plotting and pacing, and Phoebe's stupid haircuts, to name a few. The show's premise was pretty cool: three sisters kick demon ass and save the world. This quickly became sexy women battling the forces of evil in super sexy outfits and complaining about having to kick ass. Piper was the one consistently admirable character. She managed to run a club, be a competent parent, be a decent partner, be a compassionate sister and blow up demons. Was there too much complaining about wanting a normal life? Yes. Come on, who wants a normal life when you can blow up demons?

11. Lara Croft, "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider"

This is Angelina Jolie doing her thing: playing a super smart character who kicks ass.

10. Leeloo, "The Fifth Element"

It's hard to pull off an outfit made entirely of bandages, but somehow Leeloo does it. Also awesome: She's considered the ultimate being and brings all elements to life. She's powerful and super adorable in this movie. Added bonus: Bruce Willis in his prime … yummy.

9. Princess Leia, the "Star Wars" trilogy

Leia is a diplomat at the start of "A New Hope," but she won't back down from Darth Vader's demands and sees her planet destroyed. Sure, she has to be rescued by Luke, Han and Chewy, but she quickly takes over and blasts the Stormtroopers. She continues to be badass throughout the films, even strangling Jabba the Hut with a chain while she's wearing a tiny outfit in "Return of the Jedi." And she reforms Han Solo, no small feat.

8. Sydney Bristow, "Alias"

There were a lot of awesome things about "Alias": the acting, absolutely brilliant episodes, great and creative fight scenes and, well, J.J. Abrams. Unfortunately, as much as I dig this show, the overly convoluted plot lines make it impossible to watch reruns without wanting to bash my head against my coffee table. The show could've been just fine with a third of the plot. That said, Sydney Bristow is damn cool. She's smart, speaks tons of languages, has morality in a place where many characters don't and, oh yeah, could probably kill you in a minute.