Most filmmakers can't seem to get a handle on tough women. It wasn't always so.
Sigourney
Weaver's capable and captivating Ripley in 1979's "Alien" as well as
its first sequel, 1986's "Aliens," was on par, if not superior, to any
man. She remains the gold standard.
A close second: Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor, whose sculpted biceps far out-bulged her breasts in 1991's "Terminator 2."
But
where are their cinematic equals now? Certainly not all those waifish
wailers who have screamed and clawed through the year's bottomless pit
of cut-price suspense thrillers and horror remakes.
What's needed
to give tough-chick flicks more credibility and appeal is an extreme
makeover. A female answer to "Spider-Man," which humanized the
skyscraper swinger while attracting a diverse audience.
And
Wonder Woman just might be the one to break through. No actress is yet
attached, though casting speculation includes "The O.C."'s Mischa
Barton and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"'s Jessica Biel. The script
will have to be complete before any name is announced.
