What do the Jackie Chan, Harry Potter, National Treasure, and Sahara movies have in common? They all have their brave cronies.
In the genre of action comedy movies we have the smooth hero. The main star who can woo all the most charming women, fights evil villains with tactics from Bruce Lee. A gentleman who can also fire any weapon with precise precision and drive, fly, operate any equipment with the skill of a thirty year veteran.
Sometimes these soft characters are a little too serious. Too much action, little comedy, and that’s where the brave sidekick comes in. This partner gives you the right chemistry to make the story work. He is always there in that serious moment with his silly phrases. Always at the right time.
Compared to the hero, the humble sidekick is not that handsome, nor that smart, and a bit clumsy, but without him, the movie would be just another action movie. Also, let’s not forget how many times this brave companion has saved the hero from a horrible death.
Going through the archives of the movie world, I found some really good movies with a spunky fellow character. Movies like this first, taken from the Jackie Chan movie archive.
Around the World in Eighty Days – 2004
London 1872, an English nobleman, inventor, genius Phileas Fogg makes a bet with the leading members of an elite gentlemen’s club that he can go around the world in eighty days. Fogg’s new assistant, by chance, is a Chinese thief on the run from the English bobbies. He stole a jade Buddha from the Bank of England, which belonged to his village in remote China. Mr. Fogg hires Lau Xing whom he called Passepartout and took him on a worldly journey of adventure with lots of humor, wit and great Jackie Chan fight scenes.
Usually Jackie Chan movies have brave cronies reeling with him. Not in this movie. His comedic and fighting talent of Kung Foo prevailed here as the goofy sidekick.
Jackie Chan, the real name is Chan Kong-sang. Born April 7, 1954 in Hong Kong.
Credits- Since the 1960s, in over a hundred films. He started out as a specialist in Bruce Lee films. Some of the other movies he made were Snake In The Eagles Shadow, Cannonball Run, Police Story (1-4), Rush Hour (1-3), Shanghai Knights, Karate Kid (the new one).
When you think about it, long before the Jackie Chan movies and the Harry Potter movies, brave buddies have been around in movies for a while. Abbott and Costello, Bud Abbott is much more serious than the energetic Lou Costello. The same can be said for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Mention should be made of these two comedy teams. Let’s move on to the next movie.
National Treasury – 2004
Benjamin Gates is a historian searching for lost treasure with his ever-faithful assistant and computer expert Riley Poole. A great treasure once protected by the Knights Templar is what Ben and Riley seek by solving all kinds of adventures., historical clues.
Justin Bartha plays the brave sidekick and Nicolas Cage plays Ben Gates. Also starring: Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, Jon Voight.
Justin Bartha was born on July 21, 1978 in Michigan, United States.
Credits: Resaca (1 and 2), Dark Horse, Holy Rollers, Rebound, Tag, Gigli, Trust The Man and New York I love you.
Harry Potter Movies – All titles begin with ‘Harry Potter and the ….’
Philosopher’s Stone – 2001
Chamber of Secrets – 2002
Prisoner of Azkaban – 2004
Goblet of Fire – 2005
Order of Phoenix – 2007
Half-Blood Prince – 2009
Deathly Hallows – 2010 (new) Part One
Deathly Hallows – 2011 (July 15) Part Two
Throughout all the Harry Potter films, the young wizard always has his two friends. One was his faithful friend and companion, the perfect definition of a courageous companion, Ron Weasley. Together they encountered all kinds of mysteries, spells, creatures, and evil masters. Ron, scared of everything, a little clumsy, but shows his true value in any situation as Harry Potter’s best friend.
Rupert Grint was born on August 24, 1988 in Harlow, Essex.
Credits: In addition to the Harry Potter movies, Rupert only did theater at Top Hat Stage School.
Sahara – 2007
Master Scout Dirk Pitt and his fellow war partner Al Giordino search for a secret shipment from a lost Confederate warship from 1865. Dirk and Al with the permission of their boss (and commander of their speedboat anyway) they go on an adventurous scavenger hunt that eventually ends in the Sahara Dessert. Lots of action and great comedy. Steve Zahn is the brave sidekick Al Giordino and Matthew McConaughey plays the smooth hero Dirk Pitt. Also starring Penelope Cruz and William H. Macy.
Steve Zahn was born on November 13, 1967 in Marshal, Minnesota.
Credits: What You Do, Homeland Security, Daddy’s Daycare, Riding in Cars with Kids, Comanche Moon (TV miniseries), One of Phoebe’s husbands on ‘Friends’, Voice on ‘Chicken Little’.
Many more brave sidekick movies in the movie world. Some examples are: Judge Dredd (1995), Rob Schneider as Herman Ferguson; Scorpion King (2002), Grant Heslov as Arpid; Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye.
The kings of the brave supporting characters are Ron Weasely from Harry Potter Films, Riley Poole from National Treasure, the Sahara movie has Al Giordino and one of Jackie Chan’s best films Around the World in Eighty Days has Passepartout. I definitely recommend watching all four movies.