Action movie fans are eagerly awaiting the impending return of one of the most iconic heroes in the genre, Indiana Jones, in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. And just like Indy, there are many action characters that are inspirational and entertaining, making them icons of the genre.
However, even popular heroes from beloved franchises like Top Gun and James Bond have been the focus of viewer and critic controversy. Whether they're from a well-known movie or a hidden gem, there are some characters that are just downright cringy. Some of these characters are unsettling due to their personality while others are disliked because of their decisions.
10 Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell
Top Gun
Maverick is undoubtedly the most popular character from the Top Gun franchise, with the recent Maverick release in 2022 continuing his storyline. However, he's also one of the most problematic action heroes when it comes to putting others in danger.
Some viewers would even consider Maverick the main antagonist in the first film, despite him being the "hero." His determination to be the best pilot is often at the expense of others. Though his rival Iceman was arguably equally to blame, Maverick's ambition even led to the death of his best friend, Goose. Though Top Gun has been an epic action series, the main character has an unsettling personality.
9 Tony Stark
Iron Man
Tony Stark is one of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe because of his charming, sarcastic personality and his ultimate sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. On the other hand, there's no denying that Tony's intelligence and ambition have led to some dangerous situations due to his short-sightedness.
One of the cringiest things about Tony is his arrogance, which is often portrayed by belittling people who he finds less successful or intelligent. He also doesn't take responsibility for dangerous ventures, such as the creation of Ultron. Though he didn't realize the damage this AI would cause, he also wasn't considerate of the consequences of his inventions.
8 Gabriel Van Helsing
Van Helsing
Despite the scathing reviews Van Helsing got upon its release, the movie has a large cult following with many fans believing the monster movie doesn't deserve the hate it gets. However, some viewers don't have as much of a problem with the movie as they do with the main protagonist.
Though Hugh Jackman has been praised for his role in this movie, Gabriel Van Helsing is a character that was poorly written. His personality is contradictory, with him being religious while going against the Church and being a stoic hero with poorly timed sarcasm. Overall, this character had a lot of potential but suffered from poor execution.
7 James Bond
Skyfall
Skyfall is considered one of the best action movies of the 2010s and overall one of the most impressive depictions of the iconic James Bond character. While there are many excellent aspects of this movie, it failed to remove the engrained misogyny clear throughout the franchise.
There was one scene in Skyfall where Bond sneaks into the shower of a woman shortly after they had discussed her sexual abuse as a child. While the character had already been portrayed as less than perfect, this one scene changed the perception of Bond for many viewers who found the whole situation entirely uncomfortable and proved he is a morally gray character at best.
6 Scott
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a movie based on popular graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley. Though the movie failed at the box office, it was considered a success in recreating the charm of the novels and video games with impressive visual effects.
Though most viewers appreciated the portrayal of Scott Pilgrim by Michael Cera, the character's approach to relationships was especially cringe-worthy. Not only was the 22-year-old dating a high school student, but he then starts cheating on the teenager with another woman. Scott may apologize to the two love interests by the end of the film, but that doesn't make his actions any less unsettling.
5 Batman
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
The all-star cast of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice didn't make this DC Extended Universe film any less disappointing. One of the worst additions to this subpar superhero flick was the controversial portrayal of Batman. Though Batman is known for being one of the darkest superheroes, Affleck's character was particularly uncomfortable.
Batman always has an edge, but his character Batman v Superman was especially brutal. This Batman did some disturbing things, such as nearly deciding on killing Superman with a kryptonite spear. This overly violent and harsh character made him nearly unlikeable.
4 Bats
Baby Driver
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While one could argue that Bats is a villain rather than a hero, this action movie is one of the unique exceptions considering all the characters are involved in criminal activity. However, Bats is by far the most unlikeable criminal in Baby Driver.
All of them may have done some questionable things throughout their career in crime, but Bats commits violent murders and nearly kills innocent people throughout Baby Driver. Unlike the other characters, he has no redeemable qualities and is overall the most heartless member of his gang.
3 Mutt Williams
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was the most disappointing movie in the franchise. Though some viewers found it entertaining, most couldn't get over the unbelievable nature of some of the stunts. Fans of this long-running franchise were also unimpressed with Mutt Williams' character.
There were high expectations for a new character that was the son of the iconic Indiana Jones. However, many fans found Mutt to be quite annoying and whiny, completely failing to live up to the expectation of being a next-generation "Indiana Jones" persona. Shia LaBeouf's Mutt was so disliked it has been confirmed he will not be returning for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
2 Sean Archer
Face/Off
Face/Off was a terrific action thriller starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. While the movie was a hit and is a hidden gem in '90s action movies, Travolta's character Sean Archer is one of the most frustrating characters.
After the loss of his son, it was understandable why Archer was a sad person with no positive emotions to display. However, what frustrated the audience was that he projected his grief onto everyone around him, making their lives more difficult. For this reason, Archer appeared to be a rather boring and unappealing main character who subjected others to his own turmoil.
1 John Constantine
Constantine
Despite the poorly reviewed TV series based on this storyline, John Constantine continues to be a beloved character within the fantasy/sci-fi genre. However, despite fans' enjoyment of the badass character fighting the forces of evil, he is one of the cringiest characters in an action movie.
After suffering Hell and living a life tormented by the supernatural, Constantine became a cynical man that had little interest in anything that didn't benefit himself. He was so bitter and gloomy that many audiences couldn't find him likable even after preventing the apocalypse changed him. His character problematically reestablished the idea that action heroes need to be self-destructive and negative to be appealing.