# Movies in which the "main" storyline/characters are the least interesting **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 22, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-the-main-storyline-characters-are-the-least-interesting/460968 "2008-08-22T22:14:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-the-main-storyline-characters-are-the-least-interesting/460968/41 "2008-08-24T12:28:15Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] The same is true of Costner and Patton in _The Postman,_ a vastly underrated film. Costner’s character was likable, but it was Will Patton as General Bethlehem who _stole_ that movie. It was honestly one of the best performances of a power-drunk madman that I’ve ever seen (as was Pritchard in _No Way Out_) but the character is played with such a pompous and theatrical flair that he can be funny and terrifying in the same scene. Will Patton - definitely an unsung hero of actors. [/QUOTE] **Argent Towers** you so get it, and I love that. Will Patton owns every movie he is in and I fear he is underrated. Oops, I feel I have hijacked the thread with my future husband. Sorry, no gifts are needed. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-the-main-storyline-characters-are-the-least-interesting/460968/42 "2008-08-24T14:40:43Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] I agree. When I rewatch the EE versions of LOTR–I tend to FF / skip through Sam, Frodo and Gollum. Also the battle scenes. I know I am no longer eligible for admittance to Middle Earth by admitting this. I bear my shame as best I can. [/QUOTE] Middle-earth is just prehistoric Europe, sweetheart. You’re thinking of the Undying Lands, and you’re not eligible to go there either. But then, neither am I, or even Qadgop, or even the Professor himself. ---
**Author:** ![Skylark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Skylark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skylark)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-the-main-storyline-characters-are-the-least-interesting/460968/43 "2008-08-24T14:51:16Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Well, somebody already beat me to _Titanic_. I saw a movie called _Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead_. There was a character who’s only on for a short time – Himley, Hamner, something like that. He was intriguing; somebody should write a whole story about that character. [/QUOTE] 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-the-main-storyline-characters-are-the-least-interesting/460968/44 "2008-08-24T14:57:48Z")
[QUOTE=Skylark] 😛 [/QUOTE] Well I don’t get why people think this Hamlet fellow is all that. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-the-main-storyline-characters-are-the-least-interesting/460968/45 "2008-08-24T15:05:42Z")
[QUOTE=Annie] _The Dark Knight_, aka “The Harvey Dent Story”. Dude was one halfassed act of redemption away from being a classical tragic hero. [/QUOTE] I’m not sure this qualifies. I’ve read at least two reviews which purport that the movie is titled as it is because Batman is not, in fact, sole protagonist, even though he’s more active than Dent. In terms of the symbolism of the story arc, Dent is meant to be perceived as equally important. One assertion that goes uncontested by any character in the movie is that pre-crazy Dent’s style of heroism is a better and healthier model for Gotham than Batman’s; Wayne is explicitly trying to manuever the situation so that Dent will be more prominent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-in-which-the-main-storyline-characters-are-the-least-interesting/460968.md?page=2)