Representing humankind in reel life
The soul of a movie or a series resides in its well-written, well-executed characters. They truly go beyond medium, language, and even the base story at times. While we can not have enough of some characters, others steal the show in just one scene. These characters, with their unique and hearty personalities and quirks, have an impact so deep that the audience remembers them for aeons.
There have been cases where the character was so legendary, that writers created spin-off shows specially designed for these characters. Young Sheldon is one such example in current times. Groot sacrificing himself for the people he loves or Teen Groot extending the branches to fuse Stormbreaker needed no words. Across many years of cinematic and television history, there are many such examples. Each of them has been written, directed, and executed to perfection by the actors. They truly deserve our love and respect. As a tribute to those artists, let’s visit some of them in this article.
Hans Landa
Hans Landa was immortalised by Austrian-German actor Christoph Waltz in the movie ‘Inglorious Basterds’. He is a quirky sociopath who is hilarious and haunting. The character is as complex as it is smooth. The inherent charm with inevitable villainy and high intellect is evident in the portrayal of a Nazi officer. The movie, despite its admirable story, begins and ends with Hans Landa’s brilliant character.
Ace Ventura
If you have not watched ‘Ace Ventura: Pet Detective’, you have missed some great fun! Canadian-American actor Jim Carrey and his billion-dollar expressions steal the show. Comedy created as well as executed for the sake of comedy is rare these days. Ace Ventura’s physical comedy with slo-mo and rewind gestures cannot be topped.
Amy Dunne
‘Gone Girl’ became iconic the moment the book hit the shelves. But English actor Rosamund Pike gave a face to the madness that was Amy Dunne. Her psychopathic intentions and a glimpse into her mind are all we need to live the story through this one character.
Patrick Bateman
‘American Psycho’ is a classic movie that addresses many issues through a single character. Patrick’s emotionless face to inner turmoil about the crimes he never committed is a journey you will not forget anytime soon. English actor Christian Bale played the character to perfection. The character represents the misguided aspects of society in great style.
Loki
Loki of the ‘Marvel Cinematic Universe’ is a true example of how a good character changes the equation of any movie. Despite being the villainous character, it was appreciated and applauded by many fans. Cunning, charisma, charm, and comedy, Loki has it all thanks to British actor Tom Hiddleston.
Miranda Priestly
American actor Meryl Streep’s Miranda in ‘Devil Wears Prada’ is a character you want to be and are also afraid of. It packs power and delivers it to the audience with a whispered punch, much like her dialogues in the movie. It is a character that resonates with every woman on some scale and is yet out of reach for the most.
Amelie Poulain
All of us need an escape from reality every once in a while. All of us need to believe on most days after watching the news that there is still some good left in this world. Amelie’s character, portrayed by French actor Audrey Tautou, does that effortlessly. She lives in a whimsical world that makes sense to her. It is a priceless vibe, some of which we can all use in our day-to-day lives. All that needs to be done is to channel our inner Amelie. The character is so iconic that it stays with you like a memory of a sunny afternoon on a gloomy day.
Jojo Betzler
‘Jojo Rabbit’ was a one-of-a-kind satire movie of current times. Beyond its iconic storytelling, the little boy Jojo represented us all in some way or form. This powerful character presents our blindness towards the issues around us and also, our belief in this misinformed society. British actor Roman Griffin Davis’ innocence showcases the human capability to change the narrative. It is a small character that packs a punch.
John Wick
We often dismiss the power one person holds over all the others. Canadian actor Keanu Reeves’ character in the ‘John Wick’ series is a representation of us all fighting for the things we love the most. For John Wick, his dog represented everything he desired and loved, and he fought for it. It is a simple motivation that leads the character on an incredible, albeit violent journey, that we can’t stop watching.
Jordan Belfort
When American actor Leonardo DiCaprio said, “sell me this pencil”, he sold us his character with so much charm and grace. He sold the American Dream to the entire world, and we also lived it with him. He lived the dream for us because we could not, and it was a fun trip while it lasted. On a side note, this character in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ is based on a real person, and it was not a very happy ending. So, do not go on taking inspiration from Jordan Belfort.
Furiosa
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ is an iconic movie set in an apocalyptic world. Furiosa’s character represents the inherent goodness of humanity in the face of adversity. With actions speaking louder than words, this character represents the fate of humanity. It is a character that carries the weight of the entire human species and consequently emerges as a winner.
Harley Quinn
Australian actor Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn from ‘Suicide Squad’ is a redeeming factor for the otherwise average movie. It is executed to a whimsically lunatic level of perfection and loved by the audience just as much as the original comic books. It uplifted a movie which would have otherwise sat in the depths of many other not-so-great works of the cinematic universe.
Seamus Finnigan
Of all the characters from ‘Harry Potter’, why this? Well, you will find them all in some other list of awesome characters and amazing movies. But the movie franchise redeemed its comic value with Seamus’ dialogues and character portrayal that they lost by not portraying Peeves in the movies. Irish actor Devon Murray sits on the sidelines and quietly makes us laugh at the serious moments with quirk and his “particular proclivity for pyrotechnics”.
Elle Woods
‘Legally Blonde’ is a chick flick, a comfort watch, and a feel-good movie. American actor Reese Witherspoon’s character represents innocence as well as the power it wields in this world. In the age of technology, loss of innocence is inevitable. Elle Wood’s character shows how that very quality can take you places. Much like how Peggy (portrayed by British American actor Elisabeth Moss) from ‘Mad Men’, Elle is innocent enough to believe she deserves something and is tenacious enough to go after it.
Shuri
Black Panther might have stolen the title, but Shuri stole the show. Shuri is the kind of character that deserves her spin-off. There is depth and many hidden capabilities in this character that demand attention in an otherwise heavily dominated movie.
Article by: Gauri D.
