by Edmund Bertram

Created on: April 13, 2008

The following is a ranking and commentary for this reviewer's choices for the five most memorable fantasy heroes in film history.

5. GINGER, "CHICKEN RUN" (2000)

In the tradition of classic WWII prison camp films "The Great Escape" and "Stalag 17," Ginger is the leader of the captives looking for their way to freedom. Unlike, the WWII films, however, the leader is a animated chicken. Ginger continues to courageously protect her crew from the onslaught of violence promised by the farmer and entrepreneur, Mrs. Tweedy who plans to make big business through her chicken pot pies. The adventure is grand, and Ginger's heroism is believable enough to stand its ground among the great escape films, despite the fact that the escape is not from a prison camp, but a chicken coop. Ginger comes across a rooster, Rocky from America, who claims be a flying rooster. Rocky is voiced by Mel Gibson, throwing out constant, hilarious parodies of his own most heroic role of William Wallace in "Braveheart." While Rocky does little to actually help the chickens find their freedom, it is the concept he brings of a flying rooster that inspires Ginger to go to great lengths to lead her troops into victory.

4. BABE, "BABE" (1995)

Babe is a character who knows he has purpose in life. He knows that there is more for a pig in life than just to be eaten. The wonderful friendship built between Babe and his owner Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) is just the beginning of Babe learning this purpose. His sometimes loyal, but more commonly conflicted, relationships with the other barnyard animals make him an unwitting advocate for "human" rights. I know, this sounds pretty deep for a so-called children's movie, but even the opening narrated scenes of the film proclaim Babe an "unprejudiced little pig." These qualities of Babe-the innocence, bravery, and vision-are what make him (and the film as a whole) much more than a casual viewer can recognize upon first viewing. The power that this film (and especially its hero) is excellent symbolism for what any person can do when they realize how much meaning and purpose there is in their life.

3. SUPERMAN, "SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE" (1978)

Christopher Reeve forever epitomized what a movie superhero is supposed to be. His cool, collected confidence makes him the perfect caped, flying life-saver. His stumbling, clumsy, goofiness makes him the perfect alter-ego Clark Kent. The "fight for truth, justice, and the American way" was never so much fun in the comic books; only

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