For example, the worst sidekick EVER in an action flick, in my opinion, was Kate Capshaw, the chick in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I understand this was Steven Spielberg's wife. Ugh. What an atrocious actress. And what an absolutely annoying character. I love the Indiana Jones series, but this woman alone makes that movie hard to stomach.
A few other examples:
Jar Jar Binks. That character dumbed down the Star Wars franchise to an almost intolerable level. Meesa tinks da
mooovee woulda been so much better without him. And I have to ask why? The Star Wars series has a timeless storyline...great action. And there's plenty of campy comedy relief in R2D2 and C3PO, among others. This was just an example of the movie-makers going too far for a laugh. Yech!
And what about that blonde chick in Under Seige? (Her name is Erika Eleniak. I would've posted a pic of her here, but it's hard to find one with her clothes on.) Granted, Steven Seagal is one of the worst actors ever...but this movie would've actually been pretty decent if it just focused on his character and left hers out. There were some cool explosions...decent fight scenes...and the storyline was actually interesting. Of course, they had to throw in a gratuitous boob shot to justify Eleniak's presence in the film. But it still wasn't enough to make her character likeable.
Let's be honest: There's a reason Hollywood produces formulaic movies. They sell. But not every sidekick is going to contribute to a movie. At some point, a director or producer needs to be able to say, "Let's focus on the action and get rid of the distraction." Imagine Rambo having to stop every once in awhile in the jungle because some chick sidekick broke a nail. Some action flicks don't need the help of a sidekick.
Annoying Action Movie Sidekicks: You Suck.
