5 Great Space Travellers

With Marvel’s latest superhero franchise – Guardians of the Galaxy – taking off this week, Top 10 Films and The Reel Deal check out 5 great space travellers…

The latest addition to Marvel’s superhero universe Guardians of the Galaxy, about a group of space adventuring super-powered misfits who must save us from total annihilation, comes rip-roaring its way into cinemas this week. To celebrate the release, we take a look at some of our favourite space-travelling movie characters.

5. Contact (Ellie Arroway)

In fifth place is stargazing scientist Ellie Arroway, played by Jodie Foster in thoughtful drama Contact. She is obsessed with finding evidence of extraterrestrials and finds her world thrown into turmoil when she discovers an alien signal detailing plans to build a device that will send a single human into space. She must battle the government, protesters, fanatics and even her own friends to be the one who pilots the machine for the first time. It’s the realism steeped in scientific fact that makes this space adventure so fascinating.
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4. The Fifth Element (Korben Dallas)

Next up, when aliens threaten the earth’s very existence, our unlikely saviour appears in the form of ex-special forces major turned flying taxicab driver Korben Dallas, played by Bruce Willis in The Fifth Element. This action-packed futuristic swashbuckler is never far away from the next one-liner as Willis teams up with red-haired beauty Milla Jovovich to travel the galaxy, save the world and get the girl.
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3. E.T. (E.T.)

Now for a change of pace in third place as we look at a very different kind of space traveller. In Steven Spielberg’s classic fantasy E.T., imaginative suburban teenager Elliot befriends a pint-sized alien after it is stranded on earth. Both alien and human have to quickly come of age as Elliott must find a way to get his newfound friend back home before ruthless government agents can capture him. There’s a playful humour on show as this earth-based adventure unfolds with childlike whimsy. I think you’ll agree… A true classic.
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2. Alien franchise (Ripley)

Poor Ellen Ripley, who takes second place in our list. If she’s not faced with one bloodthirsty alien, she’s faced with hundreds; she can’t win. Across a four-part franchise we’ve seen her character desperately fight for survival against the relentless threat of science-fiction cinema’s most frightening alien creation. Despite an assortment of directors taking the reins in each film with their creative idiosyncrasies producing four very different stories, actress Sigourney Weaver as Ripley has held it all together. She excels in a role that reveals female heroes can be just as successful as their male counterparts.
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1. Star Wars franchise (Han Solo)

Okay, now grab your lightsaber and let’s hope the hyderdrive system is working as we hop on board the Millennium Falcon. Yes, when it comes to galaxy-questing, star-fighting and space-adventuring, there are few characters as charismatic as Han Solo. Played by Harrison Ford in George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy, this roguish hero is a loose cannon who comes to the aid of Luke Skywalker and his pals on more than one occasion. Of course, being a ladies man, it helps that the reward is the beautiful Princess Leia! Like the character himself, the Star Wars films have become ingrained in popular culture so it’s even more exciting to note he’ll be making a reappearance when the next part of the Star Wars saga takes off in 2015.
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Written by Daniel Stephens & Presented by Rebecca Perfect

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