10 Horror Movies That Turned Wimps Into Total Badasses

Columbus was literally designed for this sort of zero-to-hero trope, so it would be remiss to not include him on this list. Categorically a big nerdy wimp that turns good in the final showdown, he proves himself a worthy adversary when he decides to break his own rules - scribbling out 'don't be a hero' to suit his zombie-mashing needs as he then saves the day.

Throughout the movie, he's reinforced as a creature of habit and strict adherence to his own self-created rulebook, needing structure and support to keep himself sane in the aftermath of the apocalypse. For the most part, he's an annoying, self-righteous, self-serving assh*le in the way that only Jesse Eisenberg knows how to be, gluing himself to Tallahassee's side and getting thoroughly bested by Wichita and Little Rock for the entirety of the runtime.

When it comes to finally standing up for both himself and those he cares about however, Colombus absolutely nuts up and gets the job done, evolving from whiny geek into zombie-slaying hero in the blink of an eye, and the swing of a mallet. That he faces his own worst fear - creepy f*cking clowns - in the process just makes it that much better.