Top 10 Movie Heroes of All Time | A CineFix Movie List

In this thrilling edition of CineFix Movie Lists, our intrepid cinephiles attempt to create the ultimate movie hero! Not content to just rattle off 10 different kinds of heroes, this list looks to layer one trait on top of the others to slowly assemble a character that represents everything we could ask for from a cinematic champion. So here are our picks for 10 heroic characters with traits that add up to the… you know what, let’s just stick with the headline, the 10Best Movie Heroes of All Time!

Heroes of course mean different things to different people, which is what makes this exercise so much fun. If you need a dash of morality in your hero, why not try Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird or Jon Snow from Game of Thrones? Don’t forget to add some underdog hutzpah with Rocky or Lagaan or even Shoshanna from Inglourious Basterds. Quentin Tarantino has you covered if you need some anti-hero tossed in there as well, with Django Unchained or Pulp Fiction or The Bride from Kill Bill. James Bond might fit in there as well, but 007 is more the “superman” archetype than anything else. The point is, everybody’s hero ought to be different, and digging in to the individual traits that make up your personal favorite movie hero is an illuminating exercise!

Our Picks:

10 - The Moral Superhero - Amélie Poulain from Amélie (2001) Audrey Tautou, dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
9 - The Underdog - Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs (1991) Jodie Foster, dir. Jonathan Demme
8 - The Accidental Hero - Detective Frank Drebin from The Naked Gun (1988) Leslie Nielsen, dir. David Zucker
7 - The Everyman - Chihiro Ogino from Spirited Away (2001) Rumi Hiiragi (Japanese), Daveigh Chase (English), dir. Hayao Miyazaki
6 - The Impervious Everyman - Indiana Jones (1981 - Present!!!) Harrison Ford, dir. Steven Spielberg
5 - The Superman - Diabolik from Danger: Diabolik (1968) John Phillip Law, dir. Mario Bava
4 - The Anti-Hero - Sanjuro from Yojimbo (1961) Toshiro Mifune, dir. Akira Kurosawa
3 - Somebody Else’s Hero - Miss Honey from Matilda (1996) Embeth Davidtz, dir. Danny DeVito
2 - The Joseph Campbell Model - Chief Brody from Jaws (1975) Roy Scheider, dir. Steven Spielberg
1 - Self Sacrifice - The Iron Giant (1999) Vin Diesel, dir. Brad Bird

This video was written and edited by Clint Gage.

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[LuckAmazing]

I know it's an obvious choice but...your top 10 qualities for the greatest cinema villain would be an amazing list.

[ryanbigwood]

Three words: Sam Wise Gamgee. He begins the journey not knowing what it will cost him, but even when he comes to realize the true cost he completes his task because of loyalty and love. Not only this, but he never lets go of hope and gives that to Frodo even when he has no reason to. A true hero in every sense.

[ABannerSoftly]

I'll throw my hat in the ring with Ma (Joy/Brie Larsen) from Room. I was blown away at the notion of this mother turning one of the worst situations imaginable into one of wonder and mystery and adventure to protect her child from the awfulness of his reality. And even afterward, when things catch up with her, you can still see the impact of what she did and how it not only saved Jack but herself as well. So good.

[Steve_Hickman]

Doesn't matter how tough you are, the ending of _The Iron Giant_ should have you in tears, or at least choked up just a little.

[logancoleman]

I think an argument could be made for Uncle Iroh from Last Airbender. He was a villain who, through loss, changed his ways, is a part of an underground society to keep balance in the world, and who has made it his personal mission to prevent his nephew from going down the same path he did and to treat everyone with love and kindness wherever he goes. But when push comes to shove, and that balance or his loved ones are threatened, he is still 100% the Dragon of the West

[josephkrausz]

Theo from Children of Men ticks almost all of these boxes and also adds clear character development and heroic development.

[BlindProphet]

A nice bonus category would be "friend, " not "sidekick, " but that pillar, the rock that allows the hero to be heroic, who lifts the hero up when they have nothing left to give.

[yangdax]

Just too many characters to mention, but a big shout out to Theo from Children of Men. A weary and disinterested hero who makes the ultimate sacrifice.

[bwaaaaaaaaalwaaaaaa]

Probably the best thing about iron giant is the fact it was made on one question "what if guns didn't want to kill"

[shauntrek]

Miss Honey is an incredibly inspired and deserving choice for the list. Bravo.

[jstinhall]

Honourable mention for Mrs Brisby? A frightened field mouse who shows incredible courage and determination to save her family against overwhelming odds

[les]

I'm throwing in an honorable mention for Angel Clarence(Henry Travers) in "It's a Wonderful Life"(1946). As the guardian angel of George Bailey(James Stewart) on the eve George is considering committing suicide, Clarence makes such a profound and life-affirming effort to show him just how important he is to the world and those around him, he must be considered for the "Somebody else's hero" category.

[questionhound]

You got me tearing up with #1 hahaha
Totally unexpected, but definitely deserved.

[DarrenEggleston]

I gotta give a shout out to The Captain from Wall-E. He has most of these traits. He was paralyzed with fear and overcame it to stand up to the literal machinery running his world. He inspired his entire crew and gave them hope for a better future.

[PatrickWDunne]

I don't know why YouTube doesn't notify me when a new Cinefix video comes out. Easily the best film channel I've seen alongside Every Frame a Painting.

[katierowen]

I absolutely love that you included Ms. Honey (Played by an outstanding Embeth Davidtz who played another amazing hero Helen Hirsch in Schindler’s List).
And thank you for including Jodie Foster’s version of Clarice Starling. The other Hannibal movies proved how vital her performance was to the success of Silence of the Lambs and it wasn’t all Hopkins (who was stellar but you know what I mean).

[dualtacarolan]

Roberto Benigni’s character in Life Is Beautiful trumps them all. Protecting his son’s perception of a horrific situation so that life, along with his innocence, isn’t destroyed, and ultimately giving up his life for this, all while making the audience laugh, transcends movie heroism.

[rominalauraferraro]

I cannot believe there wasn't even a mention of Batman while almost everyone from the Marvel universe appeared

[atulpoddar]

This list is inspired. From the construction to the picks.
I kept hoping to see samwise gamgee in there, but the rest were covered either in the picks or the nominees

[TheBrettWilson]

18:59 Dances With Wolver... the not-so-famous sequel to Dances With Wolves. Tagline: "This time... it's more Wolver than Wolves." 🐺