With a vast pool of source material, industry giants have brought to the screen abarrage of superheroes and supervillains.Marvel and DC have defined the hero genre with characters of impossible abilities and resources. Oftentimes viewers forget the regular heroes of everyday stories. The hero is most often the protagonist, but not always.
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The only power these characters possess is the heart and the desire to make things right. In these films, the performances are dedicated to protecting the ones they love, spanning various genres and filmmaking styles. Without the actions of these characters, the conclusion of each film would have played out very differently, perhaps not so happy.
Mirabel - ‘Encanto’ (2021)
In a family full of gifted and magical characters, Mirabel, voiced byStephanie Beatriz, is an obvious choice for a hero character on the merit of her strengths. Despite her family’s rejection and refusal to listen, Mirabel takes matters into her own hands to save the family’s miracle. She sees her siblings’ power diminishing and instead of taking delight in their level of equality, she wants to help them.
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Throughout the film, she overcomes numerous obstacles whether it’s guiding Antonio (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) through his miracle ceremony or forming a positive relationship with Isabela (Diane Guerrero). Her willingness to save the magic of her family and expect nothing in return establishes her as an incredible Disney hero.
Louise Banks - ‘Arrival’ (2016)
She’s not the stereotypical Sci-Fi hero, boasting a show of physical force and alien domination. Louise Banks, expertly played byAmy Adams, is the saving grace for the world inDenis Villeneuve’sArrival. Her patience and diligence elevate her above most of the film’s military characters.
The collaboration between Louise and Ian (Jeremy Renner) and their desire to resolve the Heptapods arrival, push the story through as a drama instead of a standard Sci-Fi film. Her monologue at the end opening with “Despite knowing the journey and where it leads, I embrace it and welcome every moment of it.” is a powerful establishment of her place as the film’s hero. She sees her whole life ahead and pursues it not for the glory or sympathy, she does it because she understands the beauty of knowledge and time.
Seok-woo - ‘Train to Busan’ (2016)
Starting out as a rocky-perhaps unlikable character, Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) is not the ideal parent. It isn’t until a zombie outbreak on the train he and his young daughter, Soo-an (Su-an Kim) are traveling on that audiences learn the true nature of his character in theKorean horror filmTrain to Busan.
Throughout the film, he does everything to protect his daughter and work together with the surviving passengers. While his character doesn’t make it to the end, he ensures his daughter and the widowed, pregnant Seong-kyeong (Yu-mi Jung)make it to safety. He sacrifices himself so that his daughter and the only uninfected passenger may live. Seok-woo’s character arc from selfish to selfless establishes him as one of the decade’s best heroes.
Cliff Booth - ‘Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood’ (2019)
Rough-around-the-edges stuntman, best friend, dog owner, cult confronter—you name it, Cliff Booth has probably done it. EarningBrad Pitthis first acting Oscar for Supporting Actor,Quentin Tarantino’sOnce Upon a Time…In Hollywoodfeatures the laid-back action-man who ends up saving the day.
Cliff is the stunt double for Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a TV star whose career is fading as fresh talent emerges in Hollywood’s Golden Age. In true gruesome Tarantino-style, Cliff methodically eliminates the Manson Cult members as they stage a mistaken break-in to Rick’s house. Without Cliff and his dog, the murderous Manson members would have killed Rick and his wife, the film altering the events of the real-life Sharon Tate (Margot Robbiein the film) murder.
Fern - ‘Nomadland’ (2020)
A wandering spirit brought to life by theincomparableFrances McDormand, Fern is a real-life hero for those who maybe they are lost. Her light and the story of her fellow American nomads provided a fresh life to moviegoers inNomadland, directed by Academy Award-Winning DirectorChloé Zhao
After the shutdown of the U.S. Gypsum plant and the death of her husband, Fern travels around the country living out of her van and finding seasonal work at places like Amazon. She’s invited to a support rendezvous in Arizona for nomads like herself. There she discovers so much about the life she’s moved on to living and the journey that lies ahead for her. As her journey comes full circle, viewers realize the strength and possibility out there. Fern’s fearlessness and perseverance in times of struggle make her a notable addition to the decade’s films.
Rod Williams - ‘Get Out’ (2017)
WithJordan Peele’s epic installation into the horror genre, he introduced a skeptical best friend character. Where horror movies tend to go wrong is the characters are not hesitant enough about their situation or questioning enough. Not inGet Out.
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Lil Rel Howery’s performance as Rod is pivotal in the movie, placing him in serious hero contention. Without his suspicious TSA intuition about Rose (Allison Williams) and Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), Chris’s ending would have been different. Rod as a friend planted enough evidence inside Chris’s mind to force his extended caution, which kept him alive. At the end of the film, Rod arrives to the rescue and demonstrates his dedication to his best friend. While the villains of the movie are clear, the film’s hero is arguably Rod Williams, TSA.
Kerry Chu - ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ (2018)
Her role is small but impactful as only a mother’s can be. Kerry Chu (Kheng Hua Tan), Rachel’s mother, inCrazy Rich Asiansis the support and strength Rachel is desperate for after the wedding. Flying across the world to be there for her child raises the bar on what it means to be a motherly hero.
Kerry’s admission of her backstory and the escape to the United States brings power and pride to her daughter during a moment when she needed it most. While Rachel was never ashamed of her background, she was never aware of the full extent of what her mother endured. Kerry’s advice and wisdom allowed Rachel the clarity she needed to confront Nick (Henry Golding) and his mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), giving her the confidence to either walk away or stay all while holding her head high.
