Father’s Day: 8 Protective on-screen dads
By Ryan Mekkes
Father’s Day is a wonderful time to celebrate the fathers in our lives. So it’s only fitting that we take a look at some of the most overprotective dads in movies and TV!
Biological or un-biological, most all of us have someone we look to as a father figure. Thank God for those people in our lives who we come to look up to for strength, guidance and sometimes a good laugh.
So it is only fitting at this time of year that we take a look at some of the most protective on-screen dads. Yes, there have been all sorts of different portrayals of protective dads throughout the years, but we felt that these men, from the funny to the intimidating, deserved special recognition.
Here are our picks, in no particular order, for the men we felt best portrayed protective fathers:
Death Wish: John Kersey (Bruce Willis)
Bruce Willis’ John Kersey faced an impossibly difficult situation when his family was targeted by a violent organized crime group in Chicago. Kersey was a medic, a man living a peaceful life with his family, until one day, everything changed.
As a result of this, he took it upon himself to ensure that those he loved would be safe from harm. No, he’s not a perfect man, but he is a protector in every, and we mean EVERY, sense of the word.
An incredible Father’s Day present, Death Wish is set for release on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD on June 5, 2018, and is available now digitally.
The Pursuit Of Happyness: Chris Gardner (Will Smith)
And the best part about his one is that it was based on a true story. Chris Garner really went through much of what the movie portrayed.
Yes, he really slept in a subway bathroom and on trains. And yes, he really donated his blood for money.
He fought to protect his son and to give him a better life. And in the end, that’s just what he was able to do. Chris Gardner, in real life, is one of the greatest, most protective dads out there; and Will Smith did such an amazing job introducing him to the world.
Taken Franchise: Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson)
Without this guy, our list would have no credibility. Bryan Mills is one of the most terrifying dads we’ve ever seen. He’s got it all: brains, brawn, a scary voice and “a particular set of skills” that makes the boys run away as fast as they can.
"“I don’t know who you are, I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills — skills I have acquired over a very long career — skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you; I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you.”"
He also gave us the greatest dad intimidation speech of all time. Bryan Mills is by far one of the most protective movie dads ever.
College Road Trip: James Porter (Martin Lawrence)
Overprotective, funny and loving — James Porter just wants to make sure his baby girl (Raven Symone) is going to be safe and sound in college. But accepting the fact that she’s not a little girl anymore is hard for him to do.
A movie filled with laughter and chaos, this protective movie dad is one of the best there is. He is, after all, a police chief. So he knows how to keep people safe. What’s not to love about that?
If you want to get a few laughs in, check this movie out.
A Walk To Remember: Reverend Sullivan (Peter Coyote)
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Few fathers in cinema history have been as steadfastly protective over their daughters as Reverend Sullivan. He was not about to let some punk kid just walk off with his precious daughter — and he stood firm… until the boy begged him to reconsider.
A Walk To Remember takes us back to a time when this type of situation was a little more common — having to get the father’s permission to ask the daughter out. Is that such a bad thing? That’s for you to decide. But having a good father filtering out the good prospects from the not so good ones can’t be too terrible an idea.
Some of us, in the past, even had to call a home phone to talk to a girl… and oh the horror if daddy happened to pick up the phone first. Needless to say, Reverend Sullivan kept Jamie (Mandy Moore) safe and sound.
San Andreas: Raymond Gaines (Dwayne Johnson)
He fought like crazy to get his family back after the earthquakes that shook California to its core in San Andreas. Dwayne Johnson’s Raymond Gaines is by far one of the toughest family men to ever hit the big screen.
Let’s just admit, if we were ever stuck in an earthquake-torn area, we would want Dwayne Johnson trying to save us. No, not the Jumanji version… the San Andreas, Fast and Furious, Hercules version.
Dwayne Johnson stars in Skyscraper, in theaters July 13, 2018.
Cobra Kai: Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio)
In a new show based on the legendary movie The Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio reprises his role as Daniel LaRusso in Cobra Kai, a fun and meaningful show about martial arts, family and a father’s love. As far as the LaRusso family is concerned, Cobra Kai focuses mostly on Daniel’s relationship with his daughter, Samantha (Mary Mouser), since his son, Anthony (Griffin Santopietro), has little interest in anything but video games in spite of his father’s attempts to pull him away from the screen.
But Daniel also takes Robby Keene (Tanner Buchanan) under his wing as well. Basically, he’s just an all-around great guy and a wonderful father figure in the show. And what makes him even more awesome, was the fact that he taught his daughter how to fight and defend herself.
We need more fathers like him — dads who genuinely care about the well-being of their children and who empower their daughters to confidence through martial arts. Much to the delight of fans, Cobra Kai has been renewed for a second season.
And last but not least, we can’t forget to mention the greatest, most protective movie dad of all time…
Finding Nemo: Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks)
He fought sharks and jellyfish; he took on the EAC, dude, he made friends with turtles, and at the end of the day, he got his son, Nemo, back. Yes, Marlin is the G.O.A.T.
Don’t let his small stature fool you, dynamite comes in small packages, and that’s exactly what he is — a dynamite dad who loves his little son and is willing to go to the ends of the earth to find him. Yes, Nemo touched the butt, but his dad tracked him down and saved him from Darla just in time. We can all learn from Marlin the fish what love really looks like.
Next: Death Wish is great: Ignore the critics and politics
And on a serious note, we understand that Father’s Day can be a difficult day for many people. So if you don’t have a father, or if you have a father who’s not involved with your life, know that you are so very special and that you deserve every bit of the love that Marlin has for his son, Nemo. We mean that. You are amazing and you have a purpose. Don’t forget that!
What do you think of our picks? Who do you think is the most protective on-screen dad?