Tank Girl (1995) is a superhero film, directed by Rachel Talalay and starring Lori Petty and Ice-T. The film is a standalone production outside any shared cinematic universe and was released by United Artists. Audience rating: 5.5/10.
What is Tank Girl (1995) about?
In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a rebellious young woman and her genetically engineered kangaroo-soldier companion take on a totalitarian corporation controlling the world's water supply.
Released in 1995, Tank Girl was directed by Rachel Talalay and produced under the United Artists banner. The film occupies a significant place within the Independent — telling a self-contained story outside of shared-continuity superhero franchises.
The film features lead performances from Lori Petty, Ice-T, Naomi Watts, among others, anchoring a story that adapts characters first brought to life in Independent. Its source material gives the film a foundation rooted in decades of published storytelling, which Talalay and the creative team interpret through a cinematic lens.
The film's 5.5 audience rating indicates a mixed response. Even so, it holds interest as part of the broader Independent catalogue and for how it fits into the lineage of Independent-based cinema.
What happens in Tank Girl (1995)? — Full Plot
We open in 2033. Earth is in a post-apocalyptic state following a comet impact that wiped out most water and most civilization. The corporate dictatorship 'Water & Power' (led by Kesslee, Malcolm McDowell) controls the planet's remaining water supplies.
Tank Girl / Rebecca Buck (Lori Petty) is a free-spirited young woman living in the desert wasteland with a small commune. She rides a tank, dresses in punk-rock fashion, and refuses Water & Power's authority. The opening sequence establishes her brash personality through musical numbers and improvised situations.
Water & Power destroys her commune and kidnaps her. She is brought to Kesslee's headquarters and forced into combat-testing. She escapes with the help of Jet Girl (Naomi Watts) — a quiet, technical-minded woman who has been operating as Water & Power's airborne surveillance.
Tank Girl and Jet Girl team up with a group of mutant rippers — kangaroo-human hybrids led by T-Saint (Ice-T) — who have been raised in a Water & Power gene-splicing facility. The rippers are hunting Kesslee for revenge.
The team launches a final attack on Water & Power's main facility. The climax features extensive practical effects, animated transition sequences, and 1990s-style musical interludes.
Kesslee is defeated. Water & Power is destroyed. Tank Girl and Jet Girl establish a new, more equitable distribution of water resources for the wasteland community.
Tank Girl (1995) grossed $4 million globally on a $25 million budget — a commercial disaster. The film was widely panned by critics. It has aged into a cult classic — particularly among feminist and punk-aesthetic film fans.
Who stars in Tank Girl (1995)?
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What are some facts about Tank Girl (1995)?
Tank Girl released in 1995, placing it within the 1990s era of comic book cinema — a decade that experimented with tone and visual effects, paving the way for the modern era.
Directed by Rachel Talalay, the film was produced by United Artists and adapts source material from Independent.
The principal cast features Lori Petty and Ice-T, with key supporting roles played by Naomi Watts, Malcolm McDowell.
The film belongs to Independent — an independent / standalone production, not tied to a shared cinematic universe.
Tank Girl carries an audience rating of 5.5 — a mixed reception that highlights the divisive nature of superhero film adaptations.
The Independent source material for Tank Girl has been in continuous publication for decades, giving filmmakers a rich well of storylines, character arcs, and iconography to draw upon.
Earlier comic book films relied heavily on physical sets, miniatures, and in-camera effects — the VFX approach modern audiences take for granted had not yet matured.
Tank Girl is catalogued on Movies on Comics among our collection of 162 comic book films spanning 48 years of cinema — from Richard Donner's 1978 Superman to the present day.
