In the high-octane world of action movies, legends are born in the blink of an explosion. We all know the usual suspects—the invincible heroes, the iconic villains, the characters whose faces are plastered across posters and pop culture forever. Names like John McClane, Ethan Hunt, and the T-800 are etched into the collective memory of moviegoers. But for every genre-defining icon, there are a dozen others who flew under the radar—characters who brought just as much firepower, style, or menace, but never quite got their due. Maybe their film didn’t have a blockbuster budget. Maybe they were buried in a crowded ensemble. Or maybe they were just ahead of their time, waiting for the rest of the world to catch up. Whether they’re fiercely determined underdogs, cool-headed assassins, or villains so slick you almost root for them, these characters prove that greatness doesn’t always come with a franchise. From overlooked performances to hidden gems in cult classics, here are the unsung heroes and villains who deserve a second look… and maybe their own franchise.
These are the 100 Most Underrated Heroes & Villains of Action Cinema.
100. The Doctor (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) | G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
During the making of Stop-Loss, Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt became fast friends. Their bond was so immediately strong, that when Tatum approached Gordon-Levitt to appear in the new G.I. Joe movie he was attached to, not only did his new buddy not laugh him out of the room (which would’ve been appropriate), he signed up immediately with the full intention of going full camp. He seized on the opportunity to pay homage to the flamboyant legacy of toy-based cartoon villains like a hunger dog goes after a milk bone.
The film is awful, with almost every actor associated with it despising the experience but since he went in knowing he was going to do his own thing regardless of what was happening around him, Gordon-Levitt seems to be the only one who had any fun during the production.
He reportedly helped design The Doctor’s voice and physical mannerisms, even wearing prosthetics to enhance the character’s inhuman quality. His commitment to the transformation, despite limited screen time, left a notable imprint on the character’s cinematic legacy. The Doctor stands out as a fascinating case of an actor known for indie dramas (Mysterious Skin, 500 Days of Summer, Hesher) diving into big-budget villainy with theatrical bravado. The film left the public consciousness as quickly as it arrived, with his performance being the sole redeeming element.
99. Ron (Geoffrey Rush) | The Warrior’s Way (2010)
Since they came out around the same time, there was a legit concern that the stink of The Warrior’s Way was going to sabotage Geoffrey Rush’s chances at an Oscar. This film’s critical reception was so bad, it was treated like a cancer that was going to ruin the actor’s life. Rush would go on to win the Oscar, which means the critics wrong twice. They were wrong in believing this could kill a man’s career and they were wrong that it was bad to begin with. While far from perfect, The Warrior’s Way is a pitch perfect throwback to an era of film that lives now only in parody and pastiche, which is why those unfamiliar with the genre found it borderline incoherent.
Martial arts films were at their best when they swung for the fences and offered something in addition to non-stop action. Some injected fantasy, while others were bold enough to go full murder mystery (Five Deadly Venoms). Since most reused costumes, weapons, sets and actors, they start to bleed into one another. A good amount are damn near indistinguishable from one another, so in order to really stand out, they either had to be great all the way through or weird. The Warrior’s Way is most definitely not great all the way through but it is unequivocally weird. It draws from both Eastern and Western films (cowboys and ninjas!), has a gang made up of old carnival workers at the center of things and saves almost all of its action till the last 40 minutes.
It makes a lot of bizarre decisions, with the strangest one being the best—casting Geoffrey Rush as the town drunk that’s secretly an amazing sharpshooter. Since the character pulls from Western iconography by being one of its essential archetypes, you would think they’d cast an actor known for playing cowboys but I’m glad someone was thinking outside the box. Rush is fantastic in the role and delivers a performance as good as anything else he’s done. He sells both the useless degenerate drunk and the greatest shot alive. He pulls triple duty as the comedic relief, the badass and the literal narrator and nails all three.
98. Mr. No Legs (Ted Vollrath) | Mr. No Legs (1978)
Mr. No Legs is a strong contender for the greatest film title in history and in no way does it live up to it. Based on that title, you would assume that the titular Mr. No Legs would be the star of the movie Mr. No Legs, but he is not. He’s not even the main villain. He’s is the right-hand man of a drug kingpin operating out of Florida. The reason this film got made made, the reason you would ever watch this in the first place, is that title and the title character is barely in it. Which is a shame because the character is awesome every time he’s on screen.
What sets Mr. No Legs apart isn’t just his violent tendencies or criminal connections—it’s the fact that he is a double amputee who uses a custom-built, weaponized wheelchair to carry out brutal executions. He may lack legs, but he’s a lethal force with a pair of sawed-off shotguns built into his wheelchair, throwing stars, and martial arts prowess.
He is not just a novelty; he’s a true threat, feared by allies and enemies alike. The film is a crude novelty of its time, a relic of no budget cinema. It has its charms but it is far from good in any capacity. Mr. No Legs makes such a strong impression, he easily should’ve guessed starred on every action show at the time. A team up against the A-Team or Magnum P.I. or even a guest spot on Miami Vice would’ve been legendary.
97. Clark ‘Doc’ Savage Jr. (Ron Ely) | Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975)
Based on the iconic 1930s pulp magazine hero, Doc Savage is the most impressive “superhero” you’ve never heard of. He’s built like Brock Sampson, has almost permanently tattered shirt that is barely clinging to his body, and is the smartest and most capable and sexiest person in any room. He is an Adonis of men, a literal and figurative man of bronze. he’s a Nobel-level genius, Olympic-class athlete, master of multiple languages, and a moral beacon. His tanned skin, superhuman strength, and unwavering moral code mark him as a mythic figure, echoing both Hercules and Sherlock Holmes.
Time has unfortunately forgotten about him, with Shane Black seemingly being the only one who recognizes his untapped potential. Which is exactly how you’d describe this movie. One of the only things it did right was in the casting and depiction of the main character. Known for his work on Tarzan (which is often regarded as one of the best depictions of the character), Ely was perfectly cast as the ever-capable meat slab. He delivers a performance that is earnest and stiff in equal measure, which fits the tongue-in-cheek tone of the film. He plays Doc as a man completely devoid of ego yet filled with confidence.
He always plays it straight, even when the film veers into self-aware satire. A loving homage to a Golden Age pulp icon, the film may not have achieved mainstream success, but Ely’s portrayal captures the clean, heroic optimism of a character meant to be the pinnacle of human achievement. The character deserves an entire franchise and the film itself deserves at least a half assed watch. The film does not deserve a performance this good. Ely is giving as committed and earnest a performance as Adam West’s Batman. He doesn’t get enough credit for being one of the rare instances of perfect casting.
96. Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon) | The Great Race (1965)
Professor Fate, the villain of The Great Race, is the quintessential mustache-twirling villain — a parody of silent-era melodrama foils, the character is such a perfect representation of that archetype, it created equally perfect imitations. Jack Lemmon is essentially a live action Snidely Whiplash who then went on to inspire Dick Dastardly, the third most famous version of that character type. The film is a gigantic land race from New York to Paris in the early 20th century, with the two main competitors being the forthright hero in white, The Great Leslie (Tony Curtis), and the diabolical, black-suited Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon).
Fate is his self-declared nemesis and will do everything in his power to not only win the race but to retire The Great Leslie….permanently. Accompanied by his loyal but dimwitted henchman Max (Peter Falk, who is essentially the Muttley to Lemon’s Dick Dasterdly), Fate concocts outlandish schemes to defeat Leslie — not just in the race but in life itself. Despite his elaborate traps, explosive gadgets, and theatrical monologues, Fate’s plans always backfire in increasingly spectacular and humiliating ways. He is a villain you can’t help but root for, precisely because he fails so magnificently.
Blake Edwards is one of the only directors who can perfectly capture the feeling of a cartoon but in live action. The Pink Panther films are legendary but I think The Great Race should be mentioned right alongside them as one of the best examples of cartoons in live action. And a large part of why it’s successful is the commitment of Lemmon. If he doesn’t work, none of it does and he carries the weight effortlessly. He is both a love letter to and a send-up of the villains of yesteryear that has yet to be equaled.
95. Max Dire (Mario Van Peebles) | Full Eclipse (1993)
Cult films usually fall into one of three categories: movies that do everything wrong but are fun to make fun of, movies that do everything right but are too weird to be embraced by the mainstream or movies that have a great hook but fail to deliver on their promise. Full Eclipse most definitely belongs in the latter category. Blending gritty noir, early-’90s action tropes, and supernatural horror, the film is about an elite task force made up of werewolves that hunt down dangerous criminals.
That premise feels like it should belong to your favorite childhood cartoon. The one you got up extra early for, just to make sure you didn’t miss it and if the movie lived up to it, we probably could’ve gotten one, or at the very least a couple of sequels by now. Anthony Hickox (Waxwork, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth) tries his best to inject the film with some of his trademark energy but the screenplay just isn’t there. What does work however, is the cast. Bruce Payne, Jason Beghe and Dean Norris pop up in supporting roles and do their best with what they’re given but the true MVP is the star of the show — Mario Van Peebles.
One of the most underrated action stars of his time, Van Peebles always showed up and delivered, regardless of the film’s quality. His portrayal balances the stoic toughness expected of an action lead with an undercurrent of pain, especially as he wrestles with his newfound abilities. He anchors the film, giving it emotional weight amid the high-concept chaos of werewolf transformations and explosive shootouts. The movie may let that glorious premise down but Van Peebles’s performance sure as hell doesn’t.
94. Benjamin Chudnofsky / Bloodnofsky (Christoph Waltz) | The Green Hornet (2011)
In the early ’00s, Kevin Smith of all people was attached to write a Green Hornet screenplay. Much like his infamous Superman script, it never got made. It was however turned into a comic (much like his other unmade script for The Bionic Man) and based on the strength of that comic, it would’ve been a far better movie than the one we ended up getting if it actually got made. Everything about Smith’s version was vastly superior to the Rogen one except for one thing — the villain.
Originally intended for Nic Cage who left the project over creative differences (he really wanted to play him with a Jamaican accent for some reason), the role would eventually go to Christoph Waltz and while I think the character is eccentric enough that both actors could’ve done someone really interesting with him, I’m ultimately glad Cage left. It seems like he wanted to focus more on the character’s odd eccentricities, whereas Waltz was more interested in the fact that the character is going through a midlife crisis. Chudnofsky is introduced as a man with a reputation for brutality, yet he is constantly questioning whether he’s scary enough.
In his very first scene, he faces off with a younger, flashier rival (James Franco), who mocks Chudnofsky for being outdated and unmemorable. This moment becomes a touchstone for his arc. He is a villain grappling with irrelevance in a criminal underworld that is becoming more theatrical and modern. Insecurity and self doubt are extremely rare to see in villains and Waltz clearly loved that idea and latched onto it. He plays Chudnofsky with a tongue-in-cheek precision. His clipped, slightly awkward cadence and deadpan delivery mine humor from insecurity without sacrificing menace. It’s a character that could easily have become a throwaway comic foil, but Waltz elevates it into something more layered — a villain aware of his own obsolescence, and violently afraid of being forgotten.
93. Buddy (Jeffrey Falcon) | Six-String Samurai (1998)
Even though Mad Max is an undeniable source of inspiration on the look, feel and the reoccurring canine companion of the Fallout games, it isn’t the only (or even arguably the biggest) movie it drew from. Two of the biggest sources of inspiration came from two of the most underseen films of the post apocalyptic genre—Radioactive Dreams and Six-String Samurai. The former had many of its world building a story elements lifted wholesale, while the latter helped shape the tone and also had most of its universe completely ripped off.
Set in an alternate timeline where the Soviet Union nuked the U.S. in 1957 and Las Vegas became the last bastion of freedom, ruled by King Elvis himself, Six-String Samurai follows Buddy as he journeys across the radioactive wasteland to claim the now-vacant throne of rock ‘n’ roll. The plot is paper thin and is entirely secondary to the character of Buddy, who carries the film with near-silent resolve, relying more on presence than exposition.
Buddy’s design (equal parts Buddy Holly, Mad Max, and Zatoichi) represents more than a stylish pastiche. He is a symbol of rock ‘n’ roll purity, fighting his way through a world overrun with mutants, cannibals, bowlers, and other bizarre factions that parody cultural tribes. Six-String Samurai fuses samurai cinema, spaghetti westerns, kung fu flicks, and rockabilly culture into a punk-rock fever dream lead by one of the most unique protagonist in any film ever.
92. Talec (Matthias Hues) | I Come In Peace (1990)
Talec is an intergalactic criminal who arrives on Earth to harvest a chemical called endorphins from human brains. He extracts this substance by injecting victims with heroin to induce an overdose, then punctures their skulls to siphon out the resulting endorphin surge. His ultimate goal is to process and sell this potent substance as a highly valuable narcotic on his home planet, turning humans into expendable resources in an alien drug trade. I Come In Peace (also released as Dark Angel) has a story shockingly similar to the plot of Liquid Sky but the two films couldn’t be more different in execution.
One is a weird art film that would feel right at home in the Criterion Collection, while the other is a wild action movie starring the 8th best action star of the era. Not only do they have basically the same premise, they also shared the same fate at the box office. Neither film reached mainstream blockbuster status, but both developed a strong cult following years later due in large part to a single performance. In Liquid Sky it’s Anne Carlisle and in I Come in Peace it’s Matthias Hues.
Known for his imposing physique and intense screen presence, Hues is perfectly cast as the near-silent antagonist from another world. The character is a pure killing machine who is relentless and efficient, with no moral ambiguity. His catchphrase, “I come in peace,” is used ironically, uttered moments before he unleashes deadly force with futuristic weaponry, including a spinning CD-like disc that slices through anything in its path. With minimal lines and maximum impact, Talec remains a standout example of how a strong physical performance and striking design can create a lasting cinematic antagonist.
91. Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey) | Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
Jim Carrey famously distanced himself from Kick-Ass 2 after its release, citing discomfort with its level of violence in the wake of real-world tragedies. He thought it was irresponsible to continue making films that glorify ultra violence when there’s a school shooting damn near every day. While I can see his point, it’s a shame that he’s essentially vowed to never take on another role like this again because it’s definitely one of the wildest left turns in his career.
Colonel Stars and Stripes is a gritty, God-fearing ex-mob enforcer turned vigilante. As a key figure in the film’s expansion of the costumed-hero universe, Carrey’s character serves as both a mentor and moral compass, albeit one with a baseball bat and a highly trained German Shepherd named Eisenhower. Unlike many of his masked peers, Stars and Stripes brings military precision and old-school justice to the streets, fighting crime with a mix of brutality and compassion. He’s a born-again Christian, refusing to kill his enemies but showing no hesitation in breaking their bones if they threaten the innocent.
Though his screen time is relatively limited (the role is damn near an extended cameo), Carrey nevertheless made a meal out of every second he was given. Colonel Stars and Stripes may not have had the biggest arc in Kick-Ass 2, but he left a significant impact. He represented an ideal of heroism rooted not in ego or vengeance, but in faith and community service — a thematic contrast to the more fame-seeking or revenge-driven characters around him.
90. Jigsaw (Dominic West) | Punisher: War Zone (2008)
The Punisher series is like the anti-Fantastic Four. They’re both comic book properties that have been rebooted multiple times but where the FF movies somehow miss the mark every single time, the Punisher movies have all somehow captured the essence of Frank Castle despite being portrayed by radically different actors. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, so I like them all for various reasons but my favorite version will forever be War Zone, which I think is sorely underrated. It is a non-stop action explosion that isn’t afraid to embrace its comic book roots.
While The character is one of the more grounded in terms of being set in a somewhat plausible reality, the universe Castle inhabits still has outlandish elements. War Zone is by far the most divisive entry, with some outright hating its exaggerated tone. I, for one, believe the director captures the feeling of the comics perfectly. Ray Stevenson plays Frank as a brutal, stoic force of retribution. He operates less like a man and more like a relentless executioner. Stevenson’s performance doesn’t seek audience sympathy—it demands respect through sheer, unapologetic presence.
On the flip side of that coin, is Dominic West who delivers an over-the-top, grotesquely entertaining performance. As Billy Russotti (better known by his villainous moniker, Jigsaw), West is beaming in his performance from outer space. With a grotesque patchwork face and exaggerated New York accent, West clearly understands the tone of the film and leans all the way in. His line delivery borders on parody, yet fits the film’s grindhouse-inspired aesthetics. He’s unpredictable, volatile, and oddly charismatic—equal parts terrifying and ridiculous. He also gets bonus points for having a henchman as strong as Looney Bin Jim (Doug Hutchison), his equally psychotic brother who could’ve easily have made the list.
89. Packy (Michael J. Pollard) | Hannibal Brooks (1969)
Despite the fact that the gimmick almost never works, some directors still think it’s a good idea to make a movie whose sole purpose is to make the audience think “wait a minute, those actors should swap roles!” Neighbors and Mad Dog and Glory are two of the most infamous examples because they do not pull it off in any way whatsoever. One of the few that actually managed to get the gimmick to work is the overlooked Hannibal Brooks. One of the reasons this film works is the odd-couple dynamic between Michael J. Pollard and Oliver Reed.
Reed, known for his brooding intensity, plays the straight man to Pollard’s unpredictable antics. The contrast in their personalities—not just within the film but in performance style—creates a strange but effective chemistry. Pollard made a career of playing quirky outsiders (Bonnie and Clyde, Little Fauss and Big Halsy), and Hannibal Brooks offered him a perfect vehicle to showcase his versatility. As Packy, he’s both comic relief and subversive counterpoint to Brooks’ more grounded, reluctant heroism.
He’s not a soldier bound by duty or a freedom fighter with a cause—he’s a gleeful saboteur, doing his part to mess with the Nazis, not out of patriotism, but sheer impish delight. Dressed like an overgrown schoolboy with a machine gun, Packy marches through the film with the energy of a Looney Tunes character dropped into a war movie. His strategies are erratic but effective, relying more on mischief than military logic. It’s one of the most entertaining characters in any war movie and the fact that it’s played by an actor known for oddball supporting roles, makes it that much more special.
88. Katya (Sam Phillips) | Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
As the cold, calculated female enforcer of Simon Gruber’s terrorist crew, Katya is a character defined by silence, efficiency, and menace. Played by musician-turned-actress Sam Phillips, she stands out not through dialogue (since she has none) but through her presence. Since she’s a killer mute, her actions literally speak louder than her words. This deliberate silence makes her feel more detached from humanity, and thus more threatening. Whether she’s slicing throats or calmly assembling explosives, Katya remains a figure of poised danger. Unlike the traditional femme fatale, Katya’s sexuality is not overtly weaponized.
Instead, she serves as a modern spin on the archetype: icy, competent, and deadly. Her loyalty to Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons) is unwavering and seems to be born from a mutual attraction to violence. Their relationship is as mysterious as it is unique. Usually, when psychopaths are in love, they’re both equally insane, like Joker and Harley Quinn. Simon and Katya have two radically different personality types, neither of which is afflicted with madness. He’s methodical and loquacious and she’s cold-blooded and silent.
The only thing they have in common is their desire to create carnage. The scene where she kisses him after ruthlessly gruesomely killing someone cements her as a figure of cold-blooded intensity, while also making their relationship that much more intriguing. In a movie full of explosive set pieces, fast-paced dialogue, and larger-than-life characters, Katya is the eye of the storm—a character whose silence and ruthlessness make her unforgettable. The series has produced a number of underrated villains (Karl played Alexander Godunov, Stuart played by William Sadler and Mai played by Maggie Q) but none leave as big of an impression as Katya.
87. Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath / OSS 117 (Jean Dujardin) | OSS 117 (Franchise)
After he won the Oscar for The Artist, Hollywood tried for five seconds to turn Jean Dujardin into a movie star. He popped up in supporting roles in both The Wolf of Wall Street and Monuments Men but hasn’t been seen since. The man just did a Zorro TV show and no one on Earth has seen it. It’s not that he’s squandered his opportunities, it’s that filmmakers clearly don’t realize how talented and effortlessly charming he is. The Artist shouldn’t have made him a star, the OSS 117 movies should have.
A parody of a spy character that predates Bond, OSS 117 embodies a caricature of 1950s–60s Western patriarchy: suave, impeccably groomed (think young Sean Connery), but riddled with racist, colonial, misogynistic, and homophobic biases. In many ways, this exaggerated, comedic take on spies of the time is more accurate to the character of Bond than almost any official version. Bond is suave and badass, yes but he’s also far worse in the books than he is in the movies.
The OSS 117 movies take his worse aspects and play them for comedy and Dujardin is clearly having the time of his life playing a character clearly oblivious to the awful shit coming out of his mouth. His worldview is built upon ignorance and his bigotry is almost non-stop but both are clearly satirical. Unlike the characters Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath is drawing from, his arrogance and outdated ideologies actually serve a purpose. Through whip-smart period crafting, razor-sharp satire, and Dujardin’s nuanced delivery, OSS 117 remains a standout in comic spy cinema—equal parts homage, parody, and social commentary.
86. Xander Drax (Treat Williams) | The Phantom (1996)
Before Spider-Man and X-Men created the blueprint that all later superhero films would follow, studios had no idea how to adapt comic books. Hell, they didn’t even know which ones to adapt. There was a period where the only ones getting made were based on old pulp heroes instead of the more popular ones. I have no idea how The Shadow and The Phantom received movies before Wonder Woman or Wolverine but I’m so glad they did, especially the latter. These movies would never get made today, especially like this. Irony has killed intentional camp and has made it impossible to do a throwback without it being an overt parody.
A dude running around the jungle wearing purple is inherently silly and Hollywood hates silly even if it’s accurate to the source material. The crazier the concept is, the more jokes you have to layer on top of it to make sure the audience knows that this is ridiculous. The ’90s were the last decade to make movies without the wink. It could be the most insane concept you could think of but they’d still play it straight. The tone of The Phantom may be exaggerated but the actors all know where to pitch their performances. They all know exactly what kind of movie they’re making. Especially Treat Williams.
He brings an infectious, almost gleeful energy to Drax. He portrays the villain with a mixture of charm, arrogance, and unhinged ambition. Drax is not just a power-hungry tycoon—he’s a showman, relishing every moment of his villainy with dramatic flair. His theatrical monologues, exaggerated facial expressions, and sneering confidence make him a classic pulp-era antagonist. Williams plays him as both dangerous and fun, elevating the film’s campy tone. The film should’ve kick-started a franchise and this performance should’ve led to more villain roles for Treat. He was clearly born to play bad.
85. Duncan Vizla (Mads Mikkelsen) | Polar (2019)
Duncan Vizla, known as The Black Kaiser, is a legendary assassin working for an ultra‑secretive organization called Damocles. Approaching his mandatory retirement at age 50, he is supposed to walk away with a multi-million dollar payout but instead of cutting him a fat check, they decide to send assassins to eliminate him, thus saving them a hefty payout. Everything about this movie from the main character to the comic book tone to the universe the characters inhabit feels derivative of a million other movies, especially John Wick. There’s not a single new idea or concept present but what it has that none of the films it’s drawing inspiration from have is Mads Mikkelsen.
John Wick is a near perfect series that benefit heavily from the badass presence of Reeves but the only thing that would make them a smidge better is Mikkelsen. Few actors make killing look as cool as he does. He has a commanding presence that acts like a magnet that’s impossible to not be drawn to. Whether he’s playing a cold blooded serial killer with a genius level IQ in Hannibal or a dim witted panty chasing yokel in Men & Chicken, he fully commits and delivers the best possible version of whatever character he’s playing. The only reason he doesn’t own the title of the most badass assassin of all time is the fact that no one has seen this movie. He’s an A+ character stuck in a D- movie.
84. Bart (Bob Hoskins) | Unleashed (2005)
Bart is a gangster who raises a man, Danny (Jet Li), as a human attack dog and feels like a cross between a Guy Ritchie character and the most intense and evil version of the Penguin imaginable. Since their empires are built upon sin, all gangsters by their very nature are, at the very least, amoral. Some are bad enough to be considered outright evil. Bart is definitely one of them. He is not merely an antagonist; he is the embodiment of a deeply exploitative, authoritarian force that’s cruel, calculated, and devoid of empathy. He uses human slaves as literal attack dogs that serve as both protection and to gamble on in illegal fighting rings. He’s rotten to the core, but Hoskins plays Bart with a ruthless charisma.
On the surface, he’s a crass, cockney crime boss (vulgar, snide, and domineering) but underneath that facade is something darker: a man who has warped a child’s humanity to suit his own violent needs. Danny, whom Bart has raised in a cage, is kept like an animal. When his collar is removed, Danny becomes a deadly weapon, trained to kill without hesitation. He sees this not only as a means to power but as entertainment and utility — a pit bull in human form. He represents the corrupting force of a world that sees strength only in violence. He is a prime example of just how monstrous a person can become when control is their only currency.
83. Det. Jericho Jackson (Carl Weathers) | Action Jackson (1988)
Carl Weathers steps out from under the shadow of Apollo Creed and into his own spotlight as Detective Jericho “Action” Jackson, a bold, brawny, and no-nonsense cop who embodies the very spirit of 1980s action cinema in the film Action Jackson. The film aimed to craft a new action icon in Weathers, and Jackson was designed to be just that — a fusion of charisma, cool and badassery. Jericho Jackson is a former football star turned Detroit police detective, known for his relentless pursuit of justice and his willingness to take down criminals by any means necessary, which often involves him beating the shit out of them.
His nickname, Action, is not ironic. It’s a direct reflection of his reputation on the force. But like all detectives whose aggressive zeal and non-stop use of excessive force are personality traits, he gets demoted. But that doesn’t stop Action Jackson. Despite the demotion, he remains a man of principle. His sense of justice is unshakable, and he pursues truth with a righteous fury. Throughout the film, he is framed, targeted, and attacked, but never broken. Weathers makes Jackson more than a cardboard cutout of heroism. He’s a guy with heart, style, and swagger. Gerard Butler’s character from Olympus Has Fallen received three movies and Action Jackson couldn’t get two? Make it make sense.
82. Rico (Armand Assante) | Judge Dredd (1995)
Considered by many to be a turkey, Judge Dredd has a reputation for being one of the worst comic book movies of all time and I couldn’t disagree harder with that assertion. The further down the road we go into non-stop CGI slop-ville, the worse films get overall. Most comic book movies rely solely on nostalgia because they don’t have the time to create a visual signature to differentiate themselves from the 900 other comic book movies coming out that week. Newer movies may deliver on bombastic set pieces and (in the case of Marvel specifically) reward long-time fans by delivering on and satisfactorily wrapping up a plot line set up 30 years ago but the trade off was the loss of a soul.
The comic book movies of the ’90s were (and this is being generous) uneven at best. With few exceptions, they are all mixed bags in terms of quality but even the worst ones had a charm to them. Judge Dredd is almost nothing but issues. Sylvester Stallone is miscast, Rob Schneider is annoying as the comedic relief, Diane Lane seems lost and the plot takes forever to kick in. But the set design and animatronic work still hold up and Armand Assante steals every scene he’s in. It is almost a complete unwatchable disaster but Assante alone damn near evens the scales.
Rico Dredd is not merely a criminal with a grudge, he is a mirror image of Judge Dredd in the most literal sense. Both are genetically engineered clones designed to create perfect Judges. However, where Dredd embraced the ideals of law and order with an almost inhuman stoicism, Rico became the embodiment of chaos, unbridled ambition, and disdain for the system that created him. Not only are they polar opposites in terms of their ideologies but also in terms of their personalities.
Assante’s portrayal of Rico is theatrical, intense, and unrelentingly over-the-top—in stark contrast to Stallone’s cold, monotone Dredd. Where Dredd is all order and restraint, Rico is expressive, emotional, and unstable. Assante delivers his lines with wild-eyed fervor, using a snarl and sneer to great effect. His performance teeters on the edge of camp, but that heightened energy works in the context of the film’s exaggerated, comic book tone. Stallone is at his best when paired up with an actor unafraid to go over the top, which would make Assante one of his best foils.
81. Al Hickey (Bill Cosby) and Frank Boggs (Robert Culp) | Hickey & Boggs (1972)
Bill Cosby and Robert Culp reunite on-screen in a dark, downbeat neo-noir that sharply contrasts their earlier comedic chemistry in I Spy. Here, they play private investigators Al Hickey and Frank Boggs, two weary, morally eroded men doing their best to navigate through a noir landscape where the good guys and bad guys are nearly indistinguishable and nothing you do ultimately matters. Primarily known for his comedic work (among other things), Cosby delivers a subdued and surprisingly effective performance as Al Hickey, the quieter, more introspective of the two.
He is emotionally closed off, worn down by loss, and resigned to the futility of his profession. He moves through life with a kind of passive dread, haunted by a broken marriage and the slow disintegration of his identity. Frank Boggs, by contrast, is more cynical and aggressive. He’s a man held together by habit and alcohol, jaded by the betrayals and failures of life.
Together, Hickey and Boggs aren’t just partners—they’re reflections of each other. There’s a camaraderie between them, but it’s muted by time, weariness, and the slow realization that their lives have become defined by loss, not justice. While technically not a buddy cop movie per say, it still has all the earmarks of one, which would make their pairing among the best of the genre.
Not just because of their chemistry, but because of the pitch-perfect and pitch black Walter Hill script. He has rarely been this cynical,l and that’s saying something. His script eschews hard-boiled banter for silence and weariness, and Culp’s direction amplifies this mood with long takes, washed-out colors, and moments of brutal, unceremonious violence. Al Hickey and Frank Boggs are not heroes—they’re cautionary figures. Their story isn’t about solving a mystery or getting justice; it’s about surviving in a world where those ideals no longer apply. If you’re a big fan of The Nice Guys, you owe it to yourself to check out Hickey & Boggs; it wouldn’t exist without it.
Greatest Action Villains | 80-61
What are some of your favorite underrated action characters? Maybe they will show up further on the list.
