Saturday, June 17, 2023

Best Action Movie Dads

 It's that time of year to celebrate all of the great father's out there, and all that we do big and small for our families. As I do every year since becoming a father, I write a blog or two about fatherhood and pop culture in some way. This year I decided to focus on Action Movie father's.

We all love a good action movie, and action character especially when they are relatable. Here are the top five action movie dad's in my opinion.


5. Scott Lang

Scott Lang may not be as strong as Thor, as smart as Tony Stark, or noble as Captain America. One thing Scott Lang definitely is..is a father. A very goofy, flawed and aloof one at that, but a very loving one. In each of his three Ant-Man films, his relationship with his daughter is a driving force within the plot.

Feeling like he missed so much of her life while incarcerated, then thanks to the blip and him being stuck in the Quantum Realm. He cherishes every moment he has with Cassie. He may not be out snapping necks, but his actions are made with the intent to secure his relationship with Cassie and protect her at all cost. 

4. John Matrix

                                

Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as John Matrix in the 1985 film Commando. A single father who happens to be a retired Special Forces colonel. He set's out to rescue his daughter Jenny, when she is used as collateral to get him to perform an assassination attempt on a political figure in a fictional South American country.

John's not having any of that and set's out to destroy a lot of shit to save his daughter. When he's not blowing shit up, he's a gentle giant taking walks with Jenny and be a nurturer of pets. Bottom line don't cross him or his daughter. 

3. Cameron Poe


In 1997's Con Air, Nicolas Cage play's Cameron Poe a former Army Ranger who killed a man attacking his pregnant wife. Eight year's later eligible  for parole, he just so happens to be on the same plan with a bunch of hardcore murderers who decide to hijack the plane. All he want's to do is get home to his wife and his now 8 year old daughter he's never met.

Cameron's sole purpose in this film is to get to his family. He save's the day and attacks any prisoners who views him as a threat. All in the name of a husband's and father's love, you can't go wrong with that.

2. Roger Murtaugh


Roger Murtaugh is a LAPD veteran played by Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon series. He always manages to put up with his crazy partner Riggs (Mel Gibson) antics, and his most famous line in the entire series is "I'm getting too old for this shit". Murtaugh is the father of three children Rianne, Nick, and Carrie. Rianne has subplots in the first and fourth films, while Nick has a significant subplot in the third film. Poor Carrie is just there in all three films.

Through the series Murtaugh proves he will do whatever is necessary to protect his family, including becoming one cold bastard making sure they are safe when they are targeted by criminals. In the fourth film he also establishes a friendship with a Chinese immigrant Hong bonding over both being family men.

Through the series it's often highlighted that one defining trait of Murtaugh is how much of a family man he is. 

1. Bryan Mills


We've all seen the films and offered our opinions on what we would do in those scenarios. The Taken film series features Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills. A former CIA agent who travels to France to rescue his daughter who has been abducted by some sex traffickers. Simply put Bryan shows how dangerous and lethal he is when he goes on his mission.

He may not have been a great husband and realizes the error of his previous ways, but no doubt he is a top tier father throughout the film series. Traveling half way around the world to rescue his daughter (which every parent would do) and using all the ingenuity he can to make it work. Is why he's one of the top action movie dads