I wanted to write a list of my favorite movie characters of 2012. I only included characters that debuted this year, so if they were in a previous movie they didn’t make the list.
David from Prometheus
Michael Fassbender’s performance as David in Prometheus was arguably the greatest role in that film. As the android butler of the Prometheus spaceship, David serves as a character with a logical view on what is happening to the crew of the spacecraft. I’m not sure if it was Fassbender’s performance or the way that character was written that made David so memorable, but he was easily one of the greatest characters this year.
Marty from The Cabin in the Woods
It’s easy for the stoner to be the favorite character in a film. They are usually the most fun and have the best lines. Marty from The Cabin in the Woods is no exception. He is the wisest character in the bunch, discussing philosophy and his thoughts of the human race, while also innovating new ways to transport paraphernalia. I’m honestly surprised this movie was such a sleeper considering how much appeal Marty had, at least to the audience in the theater where I saw the film.
Greg Jenko from 21 Jump Street
Channing Tatum won me over as a comedic actor in his role as Greg Jenko in 21 Jump Street. His character of the jock who has to go back to high school only to find that everything is totally different than it was when he was originally there made for some hilarious moments. Watching him bond with a group of science geeks and accidentally get on the bad side of a popular clique was aided by Channing’s excited, yet drowsy delivery. The more I watched the film, the more I enjoyed the character. There’s also some great deleted footage on the Blu-ray that is as good as the stuff that made it into the movie.
Bane from The Dark Knight Rises
Bane was almost certainly the most fun character to impersonate out of all the characters introduced this year. Tom Hardy’s voice work played through the apparatus that Bane wears created such a recognizable and unique sound, it was hard to avoid people doing the voice for a laugh. I also have always appreciated a character who knows a good coat, and Bane’s coat is fantastic. Bane’s crazy -almost nihilistic- view of giving the power back to the people made him an insane villain. He also did well considering he followed The Joker in the Nolan Batman series.
Raoul Silva from Skyfall
Javier Bardem gave a great performance, skyrocketing this Bond villain to the level of other memorable Bond villains like Goldfinger and Dr. No for me. He played the role so creepy that, if this was Bardem’s first role I had seen him in, I would think he was a real weirdo a la Scorpio in Dirty Harry. Raoul Silva is dangerous because he is a genius when it comes to technology. His ability to manipulate computers makes him extremely unpredictable and omnipresent. There’s also a certain scene when Silva is locked up and reveals something of himself to M and Bond that is particularly shocking, which makes for a great character.
Calvin Candie from Django Unchained
It seemed like Leonardo DiCaprio had a lot of fun with this role. I suppose alternatively, if he took this role too seriously it could have taken a lot away from this film. Since the people involved in Django Unchained appeared to have fun alongside Leo, Candie really seemed to elevate everyone’s performance. He is a fiendish villain. There is a trace of craziness in nearly everything he does on screen. This was the first villainous role I’ve seen DiCaprio in and he did a wonderful job. He created a lot of tension when interacting with the other characters and delivered more than a few memorable lines. And when his character came on screen, he changed the whole pace of the film. It was a very impressive performance.
What are some of your favorite film characters from 2012?