5 Great Movie Protagonists Whose Names We Never Knew

5) Viggo Mortensen – The Road (2009)

Why does the grizzled protagonist of John Hillcoat’s post-apocalyptic drama remain nameless? Because he could be any one of us. As the character, identified only as Man in the credits, struggles to protect his son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) from the dangers of a ravaged American landscape, viewers immediately feel a strong connection to him – he’s a normal guy floundering in the worst of worst case scenarios, a good man forced to do unspeakable things by circumstances beyond his control. The Road, based on an novel by Cormac McCarthy, is perhaps the most realistic post-apocalyptic film ever made, focusing on the unpredictable effects that doomsday has on the mindset of Man and humankind as a whole.

Mortensen’s haunting, emotive performance allows audiences to full identify with Man’s deepest fears, as well as his unwavering sense of hope for the future. The character doesn’t need a name – he represents all of humanity, its strengths and weaknesses combined. He’s a devoted father, a grieving widower, a skilled craftsman, a ruthless predator and, above all, a resilient survivor. Whether viewers feel they would act like Man does in The Road in his situation is entirely subjective, but Mortensen makes him never less than entirely, organically human. As a character, he’s fascinatingly complex, and as a metaphor for humanity, he’s stunningly plausible.

So that’s our list of the top five nameless protagonists in cinematic history. Do you agree? Did we miss anyone? Sound off in the comments section below!