Ranking: The Biggest Protagonists From 2016's Summer Blockbusters
From iconic heroes to charisma vacuums.
A Hollywood blockbuster can be filled with all the action you can shake a fist at, but without a charming or likable protagonist, there's a good chance it won't capture the mass box office appeal every studio is desperately craving.
For every Indiana Jones, there's a...Green Lantern, and there's evidently so much that goes into crafting a memorable or even iconic lead character: a charming actor, a sharp script, firm direction, talented supporting cast to bounce dialogue off, and more than a sprinkle of luck.
It can all add up to either an incredible, unforgettable character, a protagonist who incites pure cringe...or perhaps worst of all, someone you quickly forget even exists. This summer had it all, certainly not in equal measure, and now it's time to consider who rules the roost and who is destined for the abyss.
Here are the biggest protagonists from 2016's summer blockbusters ranked from worst to best...
20. Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth) - Independence Day: Resurgence
The Role: An American pilot and the fiancee of ex-President Whitmore's (Bill Pulmman) daughter Patricia (Maika Monroe), who teams with the legendary David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) to help stop the alien threat.
There was arguably no protagonist more forgettable this past summer than Liam Hemsworth's handsome block of wood pilot.
At least Roland Emmerich had the good sense to pair him with Jeff Goldblum for most of the movie, but this only further illustrated the massive gulf of charisma between the two actors.
It's not all Hemsworth's fault, though: even Daniel Day-Lewis couldn't make much out of what he had to work with, but given how he was positioned as the hot new protagonist moving forward, it's incredible how utterly bland he is.