Tank Girl

Tank Girl

Year: 1995

Runtime: 104 min

Language: English

Director: Rachel Talalay

Budget: $25M

ActionSci-FiComedy

In a post-apocalyptic 2033, a severe drought has transformed Earth into a barren wasteland. Tank Girl, a rebellious loner, joins forces with Jet Girl and the Rippers to challenge the Water & Power Corporation. Led by the formidable Kesslee, the corporation controls the planet's dwindling water supply and maintains a ruthless grip on power. The trio embarks on a daring mission to overthrow the oppressive regime and fight for the reclamation of Earth's precious resources.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Tank Girl (1995)

Trace every key event in Tank Girl (1995) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Global drought and W&P monopoly

A decade-long drought has left water scarce and valuable. The Water & Power (W&P) corporation, led by Kesslee, controls the remaining supplies and subdues the population through fear and price. In the Australian outback, Tank Girl's commune still operates the last free water well, challenging the corporate rule.

Australian outback commune
2

Attack on the commune and capture

W&P troops assault the commune, killing Tank Girl's boyfriend Richard and capturing Tank Girl and her young friend Sam. Tank Girl endures enslavement and torture at the hands of Kesslee, while Jet Girl is forced to watch and urges restraint, though Tank Girl remains defiant.

Australian outback commune
3

Torture in the W&P facility

Kesslee, aided by the cybernetic Che'tsai, tortures Tank Girl and subjects her to claustrophobic ordeals, including being forced down a long pipe. Jet Girl urges her to cooperate, but Tank Girl refuses to break. The torment underscores the brutal control W&P holds over its captives.

W&P facility
4

Rippers strike and escape

The Rippers slaughter guards at the W&P compound and escape into the desert. Kesslee tries to use Tank Girl to lure the Rippers into the open, but the plan backfires and he is gravely wounded in the confrontation.

W&P compound
5

Jet Girl and Tank Girl escape with stolen tech

Jet Girl steals a fighter jet from W&P, while Tank Girl steals a tank and heavily modulates it to match her needs. The two escape the immediate danger and seize vehicles for their fight against the corporation.

W&P base/airfield
6

Liquid Silver and Sam's whereabouts

The duo learn from Sub Girl that Sam is working at a sex club called Liquid Silver. They infiltrate the club to rescue Sam from Rat Face, a pedophile, and force The Madame to sing 'Let's Do It' at gunpoint before W&P troops intervene and recapture Sam.

Liquid Silver club
7

Rippers' hideout and Johnny Prophet

Tank Girl and Jet Girl wander the desert and locate the Rippers' hidden lair. They discover the Rippers are supersoldiers created from human and kangaroo DNA by Johnny Prophet, and they befriend Booga along the way.

Rippers' hideout
8

Mission to capture weapons

Led by Deetee, the Rippers send the girls to capture a shipment of weapons. Donner shows interest in Jet Girl, while the skeptical T-Saint watches the outsiders warily as the plan unfolds.

Rippers' hideout / desert
9

Prophet's death reveals the ruse

The crates from the shipment are opened only to reveal most are empty. They discover Johnny Prophet is dead inside one container, realizing that W&P has manipulated them into a trap.

Desert warehouse
10

Infiltration and bug reveal

The girl-Ripper alliance sneaks into the W&P complex but is ambushed. Kesslee's body, reconstructed by Che'tsai, is revealed, and Tank Girl learns she has been bugged. In the blackout that follows, the Rippers' force shifts the battle in their favor.

W&P complex
11

Kesslee's harassment and Sam's fate threatened

Jet Girl exacts revenge by killing Sergeant Small, who had harassed her earlier. Kesslee finally reveals that Sam is in the pipe, with rising water putting her life in immediate danger and urgency burning through the rescue plan.

W&P facility
12

Kesslee dies and Sam is saved

Tank Girl kills Kesslee and pulls Sam out of the pipe, ending the direct threat to Sam's life. The rescue signals a turning point in the ongoing war against W&P and its grip on resources.

W&P facility
13

Water returns and a triumphant escape

An animated sequence shows water beginning to flow freely again. Tank Girl drives down the river rapids, towing Booga on a water ski as they plunge over a waterfall, celebrating the reclaimed freedom with a joyous shout.

Desert river / rapids

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 10:30

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Tank Girl

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