Unlikely Movie Heroes
The word ‘hero’ conjures up images of strong, athletic men and women, perhaps with a superpower or two, or at the very least some access to a bit of lycra and a cape. But we know a little fellow who is sure to challenge your perceptions of the word ‘hero’… Meet The LEGO Movie’s Emmet – a pretty ordinary guy (or should we say minifigure) whose humdrum life is transformed after he is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world.
To celebrate the release of The LEGO Movie on 3D, Blu-ray and DVD today, we take a look at some other unlikely heroes who unexpectedly saved the day.
Shrek (Shrek)
You know the drill; Beautiful princess locked in a dragon-guarded tower, waiting for her handsome prince and his noble steed to come to her rescue. There’s just one glitch…the handsome prince is a swamp-dwelling ogre and his noble steed is a talking donkey. Still, despite being a whole lot greener than your average P. Charming, ogre Shrek manages to save Princess Fiona from not only her tower, but also from a lifetime of being married to the cruel Lord Farquaad.
Remy (Ratatouille)
The words ‘rat’ and ‘restaurant’ don’t really go together, particularly if you’re hosting the fussiest food critic around. So when Remy the rat appeared in the kitchen of Parisian eatery Gusteau’s, it would be reasonable to assume that it would end in nothing but disaster and perhaps a visit from the Food Standards Agency. But Remy is no ordinary rat – Remy is a super-talented chef rat who has the skills to save the restaurant from closure with his critic-pleasing cuisine. Bravo Remy!
Ralph (Wreck-it Ralph)
Poor old Ralph is the reluctant villain of arcade video game Fix-it Felix Jr, but unlike your usual baddie, Ralph hates his villainous status and longs to be a hero. Ralph reveals his feelings at a villain support group and leaves his game in search of a heroic medal. When his game subsequently comes under threat of being unplugged, Ralph has the chance he has always been waiting for, to step up and save the day.
Neville Longbottom (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II)
It’s fair to say that Neville Longbottom is not your classic hero. If the young wizard wasn’t losing his remembrall, he was trying to escape the Slytherin bullies. But after seven movies of standing in the shadow of his friends Harry, Ron and Hermione – who seemed to be pulling off heroic deeds left, right and centre – Neville finally got his chance to shine in the final movie of the franchise, when he played a pivotal role in defeating the evil Lord Voldemort.
Chunk (The Goonies)
Always the butt of the joke, clumsy, plump Chunk is always the weakest link when it comes to his group of friends. Captured and interrogated by the evil Fratelli family, it looks as though Chunk is doomed when he comes face to face with their terrifying mutant brother Sloth. But when Sloth turns out to be a friendly giant, the pair of unlikely heroes manage to not only save themselves, but the lives of the other Goonies too.
Billy (Hocus Pocus)
Now, we know plenty of kids who were scared witless of Hocus Pocus when the movie came out in 1993…yeah, ok – we’re talking about ourselves. One of the most terrifying characters was undoubtedly Billy the zombie, who had his mouth sewn shut and was poisoned by Winifred the witch when she discovered he had cheated on her with her sister Sarah. While we cowered in the corner as Billy chased our protagonists across a graveyard, we were soon breathing a sigh of relief as the gruesome guy was revealed to be an unlikely softie.
Gru (Despicable Me)
Despicable Me’s Gru is not just any old villain; he’s a super-villain with a dastardly plan to steal the moon. The man we meet at the beginning of the movie – who pops children’s balloon animals and ‘jokes’ about killing his neighbour’s dog – is a million miles away from the family man he has morphed into by the end. The three people responsible for this amazing turnaround are orphaned sisters Margo, Edith and Agnes. Initially adopted by Gru to assist with his evil plans, the girls soon soften Gru’s icy heart and inspire him to change his ways.
Peter Banning (Hook)
Lawyer and dad-of-two Peter Banning looks like your average, unremarkable family man – not at all the kind of man you might expect to be, say…Peter Pan. When Peter’s repressed memories of his childhood are brought to light after the evil Hook kidnaps his two kids, the reluctant hero must shed his corporate life and return to his roots to win back his family.
Emmet (The LEGO Movie)
Emmet Brickowski is pretty normal. He leads a normal, if not slightly regimented life, in the town of Bricksburg and is a dedicated rule follower. Emmet’s life is changed dramatically when he is mistaken for prophesised ‘’Special’’ – the Master Builder with the task of saving the world from the evil Lord Business. While Emmet worries that he’s not in fact the chosen one, he soon learns that anyone can be special if they just believe in themselves.
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The LEGO® Movie is available on 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and on digital HD now.
