Cinema is full of captivating lead characters. Audiences keep clamoring to watch sequels and reinterpretations of Batman, Shrek, and Hannibal Lecter because people find their stories unique, fascinating, relatable, or sometimes, simply “fun”. Of course, there is a healthy portion of leading men who do not meet these criteria.
Whether it is due to poor writing, lazy filmmaking, miscasting or all of the above, some characters are so bland they leave no impression at all. The following are some of the most forgettable leading male characters in all of western cinema.
Cole Young – ‘Mortal Kombat’ (2021)
If you were to ask a thousand fans of the video game franchise Mortal Kombat who their favorite character is, precisely zero would say “Cole Young”. This is because Cole isn’t even a character from the games, he’s a concoction created for the 2021 re-imagining directed by Simon McQuoid. It was a decision met with scorn and ridicule by video game fanatics and moviegoers alike. Fans have been anxious to see so many unique and beloved Mortal Kombat personas on the big screen for years, only for them to be hurdled by a character we’re only supposed to care about because he’s the descendent of the much more interesting “Scorpion”. Apparently, the Mortal Kombat universe isn’t immune to nepotism.
Cole’s design and powers are ultimately weak. He’s just an average martial artist, wielding dual tonfas, who obtains a discounted version of Black Panther’s absorbing abilities. His costume looks thrown together from materials left over from Zack Snyder’s Justice League. In his fight with fan-favorite villain Goro, Mortal Kombat fans desperately hoped Goro would rip Cole to shreds. Alas, it was not to be. Cole is a sad reminder that even in a bonkers universe like Mortal Kombat, Hollywood will still give a dreary everyman top-billing.