While we fondly remember the main heroes that feature in our favorite movies, it’s often that some of the supporting cast can often win our hearts. This is perhaps why a film just doesn’t feature one lead character, but has a bunch of other periphery characters doing their bit to support the story. As it is often the case with action, amidst the heavy downpour of bullets and the loud bangs of explosions, a comic break isn’t just precedented but necessary as well. This comic intervention acts as a perfect counterbalance to the large-scale action, leaving the audience with an overall satisfactory experience. Here’s a look at some of the cheesiest action characters of all time.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

10 PC Danny Butterman - Hot Fuzz

     StudioCanal

PC Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) is the Robin to Nicholas Angel’s Batman (Simon Pegg). In Hot Fuzz, Nicholas Angel is a police officer who’s reassigned to a small town called Sandford due to him being overly qualified for the job. When Angel’s sent to Sandford, he’s teamed up with the utterly stupid PC Danny Butterman. Butterman is a classic cheese ball, constantly in awe of his new partner’s achievements while simultaneously being awful at his job, thereby creating a humorous synergy between the two.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

9 John Matrix - Commando

     20th Century Fox

Commando is a cocktail of explosions, with John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) being at the center of it. The film follows a group of thugs that target ex-special officer John Matrix, by killing his friends and kidnapping his daughter. This leads to a rollercoaster ride filled with blood, dead bodies and a tinge of humor as Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers comic punch lines with a straight face while being armed with a plethora of lethal weapons.

8 Marion Cobretti - Cobra

     Warner Bros.

To take on a crooked group of killers, you need a crooked cop, and that’s exactly what Marion “Cobra” Cobretti is. He’s unafraid to ruffle a few feathers by representing the darker side of law enforcement. Though Sly Stallone’s portrayal of the cold-blooded cop is Stoic and economical in approach, he still carries an emotionally explosive threat throughout the film.

7 Lt. Jake Hangman - Top Gun Maverick

     Paramount Pictures

Towards the start of the film, Lt. Jake Hangman (Glen Powell) is cocky and arrogant with the occasional satirical injection of humor. He’s constantly in a competition with Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), a student that’s close to Maverick’s (Tom Cruise) heart. Hangman, throughout the film is corny, but its only towards the end that he reaches his peek when he saves Maverick and Rooster from an enemy fighter jet, cheekily proclaiming “Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, this is your savior speaking”.

6 Ash Williams - Army of Darkness

     Universal Pictures

Army of Darkness is Sam Raimi’s horror masterpiece that serves as an evil free-for-all between the dead and a human being named Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell), set against the backdrop of the Middle Ages. Ash is the exact opposite of Stoic and subtle; he’s loud, cocky and at constant war with the viewers eardrums. The film is an absurd experience, juxtaposing primitive instruments against modern devices. This comparison also extends to Ash’s distinct characterization; while the other characters in the film are self-aware and respectful. Ash Williams is a tornado of crass.

5 Carter - Rush Hour

     Roger Birnbaum Productions

Carter (Chris Tucker), from Rush Hour belongs to the same fabric as other, dumber detectives often paired with more able ones. In the film, Carter serves as a loud-mouthed, LA detective who’s teamed up with, quiet and composed officer Lee (Jackie Chan). This contrast between Lee and Carter’s innate characteristics works wonders as they represent two very different worlds, culturally and logically. There are many moments throughout the film where Carter’s stupidity and foolery is undeniable, but the one that stands out the most is his interaction with a martial arts master named Yu.

4 Lt. Aldo Raine - Inglourious Basterds

When a film deals with themes of violence and racism, it needs to have multidimensional characters, and that’s exactly what Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) is. A fierce Apache warrior, Raine and his crew of Nazi-hating US soldiers are on German soil in a bid to hunt out Nazi’s and obliterate them. Aldo makes this straightforward task interesting by adding an artistic layer to it; he just doesn’t want to kill Nazis, he wants to do it with panache and style. Right from the start, everything from Raine’s accent, to his mannerisms makes him cheesy yet endearing.

3 Tony Montana - Scarface

Everything about Scarface’s Tony Montana doesn’t seem normal. From his drive, to his overly materialistic outlook on life, Tony Montana wants it all. This starts right off the bat when he and his pal, Manny, arrive from Cuba and work their way up the ladder of the underworld scene. Tony exudes confidence and doesn’t think of the negative byproduct it comes with. He has a childlike approach to things, wanting them at all costs, starting with his boss’s girlfriend, Elvira (Michelle Pfeiffer)

2 Vincent Vega - Pulp Fiction

     Miramax Films

Vincent Vega (John Travolta) from Pulp Fiction carries forward the torch from Tony Montana when it comes to hitting on their boss’s girlfriend. Vega, along with partner Jules Winnifield, are hitmen that work for a notorious gangster by the name of Marsellus Wallace. While Jules is smart and articulate, Vega is the slower, endearing one. Unafraid to put his stupidity on display for the whole world to see, Vega is charming and bewildered in equal measure.

1 Turkish - Snatch

     Screen Gems

When a character begins his VO with “My Name is Turkish, Funny name for an Englishman, I know’ It’s a great peek into what’s in store and Turkish from Snatch doesn’t disappoint. He conveys logic and reason garbed under sarcasm and hilarity. In a scene where one of his fighters is seen headbutting a punching bag, his associate Tommy (Stephen Graham) asks him whether he’s allowed to do that, to which Turkish responds “It’s an unlicensed boxing match,” replies Turkish. “Not a tickling competition. These lads are out to hurt each other.”