Last Updated: 2/24/25
Note: It's simple and straightforward: the greatest heroes in cinema history. In order to be considered, they can be a person, a machine, or an animal who have either saved lives or done something righteous, even when they didn't have to do it, and it doesn't have to be limited to one from the same movie(s).

These heroes have made the cut because they contributed brilliance to films in most, if not all, aspects: acting, characters, screenplay, plot, direction, editing, cinematography, and so on. They must also be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Then, I think about cultural phenomenon, uniqueness, famous movie moments, iconic scenes and/or lines, cinematic power, and timelessness.

This list is based on what I have seen so far and is limited to the top 41 with 0 honorable mentions in that order.

1. Oskar Schindler and Itzhak Stern
Schindler's List (1993)

2. John Rambo
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Rambo III (1988)

3. Ellen Ripley
Alien Duology (1979, 1986)

4. John McClane
Die Hard (1988)

5. Violette Szabo
Carve Her Name with Pride (1958)

6. Joe Clark
Lean on Me (1989)

7. Erin Brockovich
Erin Brockovich (2000)

8. William Wallace
Braveheart (1995)

9. Rick Blaine
Casablanca (1942)

10. Marshall Will Kane
High Noon (1952)

11. Terry Malloy
On the Waterfront (1954)

12. Frank Serpico
Serpico (1973)

13. Matt Hooper, Martin Brody, and Quint
Jaws (1975)

14. Frank Galvin
The Verdict (1982)

15. Inspector Harry Callahan
Dirty Harry (1971)

16. Virgil Tibbs
In the Heat of the Night (1967)

17. Juror #8
12 Angry Men (1957)

18. Major Dutch
Predator (1987)

19. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment
Glory (1989)

20. Daniel Ellsberg
The Pentagon Papers (2003)

21. Émile Zola
The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

22. Augusto and Michaela Ordone
Lorenzo's Oil (1992)

23. Omar Mukhtar
Lion of the Desert (1980)

24. Lieutenant Waters
Tears of the Sun (2003)

25. Will Graham
Manhunter (1986)

26. Dr. Miles Bennell
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

27. Viktor Burakov
Citizen X (1995)

28. James Cole
12 Monkeys (1995)

29. Frank Bullitt
Bullitt (1968)

30. Javier Rodriquez
Traffic (2000)

31. Lieutenant Colonel William Burton
The Pentagon Wars (1998)

32. Homer Smith
Lilies of the Field (1963)

33. Kit Latura
Daylight (1996)

34. Bryan Stevenson
Just Mercy (2019)

35. Sam Gillen
Nowhere to Run (1993)

36. Major Bennett Marco
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

37. Dr. Richard Sturgess
Article 99 (1992)

38. John "Sheriff" Volgecherev
Return to Paradise (1998)

39. Robin Hood
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

40. Paul Labiche
The Train (1964)

41. Dr. Martin Dysart
Equus (1977)

42. Dr. Linda Peeno
Damaged Care (2002)

43. Captain John H. Miller
Saving Private Ryan (1998)

44. Memphis Belle Crew
Memphis Belle (1990)

Honorable Mentions: None