Few qualities endear a movie character to audiences as effectively as being an animal lover. There is something about characters who show their love for their four-legged friends that is so heartwarming. Perhaps the most famous animal lover in film history is John Wick, who waged an all-out war to avenge his beloved puppy.
John Wick proved animal lovers can be badass as well and he’s not the only one. There are several tough-as-nails movie characters who have a soft spot for their animals, which makes us cheer for them even more. While they don’t all have the same body count as John Wick, their love of animals would make him proud. Here are the most badass animal-loving movie characters.
Atari (Isle Of Dogs)
Isle of Dogs is the magical stop-motion animated film from Wes Anderson set in Japan. An authoritarian ruler sends all the dogs to Trash Island where they live in exile. The story follows a young boy named Atari who travels to the island in search of his lost dog.
There is nothing quite like a child’s love for their pet, but Atari really goes above and beyond to reunite with his pup. He steals a plane, travels alone to this island inhabited by wild dogs and teams up with them to find his friend. How many kids could say they’ve done that for their dog?
Bob (The Drop)
Tom Hardy has proven to be a badass dog-lover in real life but that spilled over into his underrated performance in The Drop. The crime film has Hardy playing Bob, a bartender whose business is used as a money drop spot for the mob. When the place is robbed, neighborhood secrets are exposed.
Bob is a soft-spoken guy who can snap into action when pushed far enough. However, it’s clear he has a big heart as he is seen rescuing a stray dog early in the film and keeps it as his lovable companion throughout the film.
Charlie (Seven Psychopaths)
Even bad guys can be animal lovers as Charlie in Seven Psychopaths proves. The gangster played by Woody Harrelson is a ruthless killer, but he can get very protective of his dog. He shuts down his entire operation just to focus on tracking down the men responsible for kidnapping his prized pooch.
While his tactics for getting his dog back are way too extreme, there is something charming about how unabashedly he loves this animal. Seeing this intimidating badass reduced to tears at being separated from the dog is quite unexpected.
Robert Neville (I Am Legend)
There is no better companion to have in a post-apocalyptic world than a loyal dog. I Am Legend stars Will Smith as Robert Neville who is seemingly the only man left on Earth after a virus wiped out the population and turned some people into fearsome mutants. He lives alone in New York City with only his dog to keep him company.
Being the only two non-mutant things around, Robert and his dog share a strong bond. They make a good team in their survival journey and their relationship proves to be the only thing keeping Robert from losing grip with reality.
Ripley (Alien)
Ripley might be the most badass character in the sci-fi genre. While every other character who comes in contact with the Xenomorphs quickly ends up dead, Ripley has battled with them on several occasions and won every time. Of course, there is one other creature that has survived these encounters as well – Ripley’s trusty cat, Jonsey.
Jonsey is a welcome presence on the Nostromo and manages to avoid getting eaten like the rest of the crew. Ripley has a clear connection to the cat, even going back for it while the ship is preparing to self-destruct. In the end, these two companions are the only crew to survive.
Brady Blackburn (The Rider)
The Rider is a small but powerful drama from filmmaker Chloé Zhao. The film uses non-actors to tell the story of Brody Blackburn, a rodeo rider who suffers a near-fatal accident and must give up his riding days. It takes a lot of bravery to be a rodeo rider, but the film shows there is just as much courage in walking away from it all.
Brody is played by real rodeo rider Brody Jandreau whose life mirrors the film closely. The scenes of Brody using his skills to tame wild horses with respect and patience is one of the most impressive things you’ll ever see.
Farmer Hoggett (Babe)
Farmers have an unusual relationship with animals. In many cases, they raise them from birth but also end up eating them in many cases. Farmer Hoggett seems to take the approach of not getting too attached to the animals, but he just can’t help it when it comes to his best pig, Babe.
Though it takes a little while for Hoggett to warm to Babe, he soon sees something special in the pig and begins training him as a sheepdog which proves surprisingly effective. He nurses Babe, sings for him, and gives him the iconic appreciative line of “That’ll do pig”.
Ron Burgundy (Anchorman)
While reading the news might not seem like the most badass job, Ron Burgundy does it with such style it becomes the manliest profession around. With his sharp sports coat and epic mustache, Ron is the coolest guy around. And while his arrogance makes him somewhat rude and self-absorbed when it comes to his fellow humans, he loves his dog Baxter unconditionally.
Ron and Baxter are inseparable pals. Despite being different species, they are able to communicate as peers. They even sleep in the same bed while wearing the same headgear. If that’s not true friendship, then we don’t know what is.
Sofia (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum)
It seems that the life of international assassins is a draw for dog-lovers. John Wick 3 shows that John is not the only one with canine companions with the introduction of Sofia and her two dogs. Sofia seems to have the same intense love for her pets as John has for his.
However, Sofia even outdoes John by training her dogs to be as badass as she is. The action sequence in which Sofia, John, and the dogs take on an army of foes is one of the most entertaining scenes in the series.
Cliff Booth (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)
Cliff Booth is likely the coolest character Quentin Tarantino ever created and that Brad Pitt ever played, which is saying a lot. The aging Hollywood stuntman is a laidback and badass war hero who proves to be just as deadly as ever when pushed.
Though Cliff’s best human buddy is Rick Dalton, he might be even closer to his dog Brandy. Just watching the way Cliff greets his dog at the end of a long day and lovingly prepares her meal is heartwarming. And when there is trouble, Cliff and Brandy prove to be an effective crimefighting duo.
