The best action movies usually star the roughest and toughest heroes around, and it's easy to see why. Not only do these characters need some extra grit to overcome their respective action-packed circumstances, but cool anti-heroes are instantly iconic and hard to overlook. However, some heroes put their likability to the most extreme tests.
Whether it's because of their lack of basic courtesy or a penchant for bloodshed, it's hard for supporting characters and some fans to like these action heroes. That's not to say these heroes and their movies are bad or even difficult to like. As great as their movies are, some action heroes are unlikeable.
10 John Constantine Was Cynicism Incarnate (Constantine)
Even in the Vertigo comics he hailed from, Constantine was one of the most unlikable mages around. That being said, he was even more unflattering in his first live-action appearance. If Constantine was a charming conman with a roguish aura in Hellblazer's pages, he was a fatalistic and self-destructive loner in the 2005 movie.
After barely surviving Hell and being tormented by the supernatural for his entire life, Constantine bitterly kept everyone at arm's length and only helped if there was something in it for him. Constantine regained his humanity by the movie's end, but it took a lot for him, including the impending Biblical apocalypse, to break out of his cynical shell.
9 Sarah Connor Almost Lost Her Way (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)
If her legacy is anything to go by, Sarah is one of the action genre's most irreplaceable icons. What many action and Terminator fans tend to forget, though, is that Sarah's survivalist self in Judgment Day is a cautionary tale, not a power fantasy. Though she was justified, Sarah's suspicions were detrimental to her humanity and life.
After surviving the first Terminator's attack and realizing that the fate of the world rested in her hands, Sarah became a recluse and raised her son John as a soldier. Sarah's experiences and reasons were understandable, but she went down a dark road and almost became as cold and merciless as the Terminators she despised.
8 Sean Archer Forced His Misery Onto Others (Face/Off)
In his defense, it's easy to see why Archer would be as miserable as he was when Face/Off began. After losing his son in a botched attempt on his life, Archer wallowed in an endless cycle of anger and grief. However, he dragged everyone in his life, such as his family and co-workers in the FBI, into his personal hell.
Archer made everyone's lives so miserable that when Castor Troy stole his face and identity, nobody cared. Instead, they accepted this "new," happier Archer. Although his reasons are understandable and even relatable, Archer needed an entire movie to regain control of his life.
7 Crimson Bolt And Boltie Weren't As Heroic As Their Inspirations (Super)
Disillusioned by the crime in their city and dissatisfied with their lives, Frank and Libby became the superheroes Crimson Bolt and Boltie, respectively, to do some good for the world. Problem is, both were deeply troubled people whose unresolved emotional baggage only worsened when they wore colorful costumes.
Besides Crimson Bolt and Boltie being hard to take seriously, Crimson Bolt's heroics ranged from misguided to violent, while Boltie just wanted an excuse to lose control. The two weren't evil, but they were so far removed from the altruistic superheroes they took notes from.
6 Batman Lacked Everything That Defined His Comics' Heroism (Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice)
Although its artistic and thematic ambitions are clear, Batman v Superman was a fundamentally misguided adaptation of DC Comics' superheroes, and its interpretation of Batman perfectly encapsulates its missteps. In brief, this edgy Batman (or "BatFleck" to fans) had more in common with The Punisher than even Batman's darkest variants.
To be fair, Batman's brutality was meant to be undone by Superman's heroic example, as seen in Justice League. Problem is, the DCEU's first crossover did such a poor job at setting this up that Batman came across as a reprehensible killer and violent nihilist, making it hard for other characters and viewers to like him.
5 James Bond Was A Relic Of A Bygone Era (James Bond)
It isn't groundbreaking to say that James Bond didn't age well, but the reasons why change depending on which era is being viewed. Most, if not all, of Bond's incarnations were misogynists, but every actor who took on the highly coveted role added a unique flaw to 007 that made him difficult to like, both intentionally and otherwise.
For example, Sean Connery's Bond is an old-school chauvinist, while Timothy Dalton's Bond is a remorseless killer. Daniel Craig's Bond was the most emotionally mature and self-aware Bond yet, but even his supporting characters and fans struggled to like him due to his cynicism, self-seriousness, and distrust of others.
4 Snake Plissken Only Looked Out For Himself (Escape From New York & L.A.)
As a disillusioned soldier who was betrayed too many times, it's hard to fault Snake for his jaded worldview and distrust of everyone. That being said, Snake was a difficult person for either the prison guards or prisoners to like, and it says something that he's the designated anti-hero of the cynical Escape movies.
Even though Snake had some moments of compassion and heroism, his cynicism always resurfaced. Snake's priority was saving himself, and he barely cared for anyone who died along the way. It even got to the point where Snake doomed mankind in Escape From L.A. out of spite, but given how bad his world is, it's hard to blame him.
3 Max Rockatansky Became Less Human Over Time (Mad Max)
In Mad Max's post-apocalyptic wastelands, civilization's collapse wasn't just physical, but emotional as well. Those who survived the nuclear devastation became broken shells of their old selves. Max was once a tough but moral cop who became somewhat animalistic by the time of Fury Road.
From The Road Warrior onwards, Max functioned on anger and instinct. Max was the perfect survivor, but he was the farthest person there was from a likable hero. Max's fellow survivors tolerated him at most, while even his most dedicated fans admitted they would prefer not to meet someone like him in real life.
2 Inspector Harry Callahan Embodied The Police Force's Worst Tendencies (Dirty Harry)
Cops who abuse their power are some of the most despised characters in movies, and their archetype would arguably not exist if not for "Dirty" Harry Callahan. Even if the Dirty Harry movies are considered to be the definitive examples of the glorified cowboy cop, Callahan's first few movies didn't even like him that much.
Harry got the nickname "dirty" because his already-shady police force disliked his hateful and violent personality so much that they gave him the "dirtiest" cases available. Harry knew this, and this fueled his bitterness and self-loathing. Later Dirty Harry movies tried to improve Harry's likability, but his darkness always overshadowed his humanity.
1 John McClane Is The Ultimate Anti-Hero (Die Hard)
When it comes to anti-heroes, nobody comes close to John McClane's legacy. McClane is an anti-hero in the truest sense, not just because he's an Everyman who eschewed heroic clichés, but because he was incredibly unlikeable. McClane was as unremarkable as a beat cop could be, and he was more of a pitiable loser than a hero.
Besides his rudeness, McClane was a hard-headed man whose short temper ruined his personal life. McClane was genuinely heroic, but he was usually lost when the action was over. McClane may be the man people need during terrorist attacks, but he's the last person anyone in Die Hard or in real life would want to spend time with.