Steven Spielberg is the brilliant filmmaking mind behind some of the most beloved films ever made. His stories are usually such feel-good adventures, and at the center of those stories is usually a hero who is inspiring, brave and thrilling.
Even when Spielberg's films tackle the darker subject matter, they usually feature a central character who is willing to fight for justice. Some of these characters save the day while others just do what is right. Here are the most heroic characters in Steven Spielberg's films.
Avner (Munich)
Avner is a bit of an unusual hero compared to some of Spielberg's other characters. He is a man who does what he thinks is right but is haunted by it nonetheless. Following the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics, Avner s an Israeli team tasked with assassinating those responsible for the massacre.
Though Avner sees it as his patriotic duty, he struggles with the violence required for the task. He is a man of honor and puts the lives of others before his own. Yet he is also wise enough to understand this revenge may simply cause more violence.
Kay Graham (The Post)
Kay Graham is one of the more subdued and grounded heroes Spielberg has dealt with in his films. The Post is the story of the Washington Post's decision to publish the Pentagon Papers, classified government documents that detail the truth behind the Vietnam War.
Kay Graham is the publisher of the newspaper. Despite being the first woman to hold such a position in American publishing, she is still treated as though she's expected to fall in line. Graham is a practical and professional person but when the chips are down, she proves her integrity is unmovable.
John Anderton (Minority Report)
Minority Report introduces a future in which crimes can be predicted and stopped before they ever happen. Tom Cruise plays John Anderton, the top cop for this "Pre-Crime" division who is suddenly named as a murderer in a future killing.
Anderton is a broken man with tragedy in his life. He truly believes this program will help people but when he is named as a future offender, his real determination shows. He is relentless in his pursuit of the truth and bringing the real criminals to justice.
Elliot (E.T. The Extraterrestrial)
Spielberg is great at presenting believable and strong children characters in his films and Elliott is the most heroic of them all. Elliott seems like a pretty normal kid at first glance, but after he meets E.T., a friendly alien stranded on Earth, Elliott shows how brave he is.
He does everything he can to help his new friend, risking his own life in the process. He also knows that, as much as he will miss E.T. when he's gone, he has to help him return home for his friend's sake. It's a selfless act from a young boy.
Chief Brody (Jaws)
Spielberg really excels at creating unassuming heroes we love to root for. Chief Brody is a former big-city cop who moves to a small island community for a quieter life. Those plans are interrupted by the arrival of a deadly shark.
Brody is not the kind of person who will run into danger without hesitation, but he is also not afraid to be the sole voice of reason when everyone else tells him he's overacting. There are few things braver than a man who is afraid of water yet will go out on the ocean to hunt a killer shark.
Cinque (Amistad)
Amistad is another harrowing film from Spielberg based on real events. The story follows a slave revolt on a ship that is later captured by the American military. The slaves, led by a man named Cinque, are put on trial to determine who holds ownership over them or if they are justly free.
It is hard to imagine how terrifying and confusing this experience must have been for Cinque yet somehow, he manages to find the courage to pull his people forward. He keeps fighting and demanding the freedom that is owed to him.
Captain Miller (Saving Private Ryan)
Saving Private Ryan reminds us that most of these heroes her regular people. The best example of this is Captain James Miller, the commander of a small squadron of men during World War II.
As Miller leads his men on a dangerous mission, he proves himself to be a skilled commander. He also continues to show that he deeply cares for his men. When he finally reveals he was a teacher back home, we realize Miller is just a man put in an extraordinary situation and doing the best he can.
Indiana Jones (The Indiana Jones Franchise)
Indiana Jones is one of the most likable heroes in cinematic history. Though recovering ancient artifacts is not the most heroic mission, Indy is so inspiring and endearing because of how human he is compared to other action heroes.
He is a man who uses his mind as much as his muscles yet also makes mistakes. He can handle himself in a fight yet also gets his butt kicked regularly. The fact that he is imperfect yet still tries to save the day is a unique kind of heroism.
Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln)
Abraham Lincoln is a figure who seems larger than life. History presents him as one of the most important figures in American history, so it was a daunting task for Spielberg to bring him to life on the big screen while still feeling like a real person.
Spielberg's Lincoln does succeed as present the man in a grounded way. The film deals with Lincoln's ing of the Emancipation Proclamation, but he is not made out to be this saintly person. He has doubts, he makes mistakes and yet he knows what is right. There are better men than him, but he is willing to use his power to make an important change.
Oskar Schindler (Schindler's List)
Oskar Schindler is another real-life hero and, like many of Spielberg's films, his heroism emerged in the midst of a dark period. During World War II, Schindler was a factory owner working with the Nazis who began using his resources to save thousands of Jewish lives.
Schindler is a very flawed man when we meet him. His greed as a businessman leaves him ignorant to the injustices around him. But before long, there is no escaping the horror he has been implicit in and, though he saves so many lives, he is torn apart by the guilt of not doing enough.
