Those who are looking for a scientifically accurate portrayal of amnesia in movies might struggle to find one. Movies like to use creative license, and they don't always portray amnesia the way it works in the real world. But realism isn't the most important part of a movie, creating a memorable story with strong characters is.
And working with the topic of amnesia allows for some creative storytelling since the amnesiac doesn't usually remember everything, so it can be difficult for them to learn what's happening or solve a certain problem. Amnesiacs often appear in mystery and thriller movies, but it's not a rule and some of the most iconic amnesiacs in movies come from a variety of genres.
5 The Winter Soldier
Considering the popularity of the MCU, it would be a mistake not to recall its most famous amnesiac, Bucky Barnes aka the Winter Soldier. After being captured and manipulated by Hydra, Bucky loses his memory, his mind is wiped, and he becomes the assassin known as the Winter Soldier. He, of course, manages to regain his memories in the end but has a hard time dealing with all the atrocities he committed while he still worked for Hydra.
The Disney Plus show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier gives even more space to Bucky and details his inner struggle. Another amnesiac, who, however, hasn't had as much space in the MCU just yet, is Captain Marvel. Carol Danvers doesn't remember she comes from Earth, and it's only after she finds out her true origin story that she realizes who are the real bad guys. All of this happens in Captain Marvel (2019) but unlike with Bucky Barnes, doesn't have as much impact on the events of future MCU movies and TV shows.
4 Dory
It's rare to see an amnesiac in a light-hearted (for the most part) story since they more commonly appear in serious movies. Finding Nemo (2003) is one of the greatest animated classics of all time and the characters, including Dory, are a big part of the movie's success. It's true that the movie centers on dad Marlin who's trying to find his son Nemo and goes on an unforgettable adventure as a result. But the amnesiac fish Dory who decides to help Marlin and follows him on his journey is just as memorable.
Her inability to remember certain things isn't in the movie just for laughs, but it also has a real impact on the movie's plot. Dory became a fan favorite of many, so she got her stand-alone movie Finding Dory in 2016 which turned out successful as well. The only reason why Dory doesn't rank higher is that she wasn't originally the main character, but that doesn't diminish her likability.
3 Douglas Quaid
Arnold Schwarzenegger portrayed multiple characters that went on to become iconic, most notably the Terminator. In 1990, he played the leading part in Total Recall, a movie based on Philip K. Dick's story. The movie keeps the audience guessing what's true and what's not because Douglas himself isn't so sure about who he is. He originally believes to be a construction worker but then discovers he's actually a secret agent... or maybe it's even more complicated.
Whatever the answer is, it makes for an action-filled story that offers more than one surprise or a twist. Total Recall became both a critical and commercial hit, so it's no wonder it spawned a remake in 2012 in which Colin Farrell took on the leading part. But the original movie remains undefeated and Douglas Quaid is a symbol of people who dream about something better.
2 Leonard Shelby
Christopher Nolan is one of the most respected and well-known directors. He's also no stranger to sci-fi, having directed movies such as Tenet (2020), Inception (2010), and Interstellar (2014). In many ways, one of Nolan's earliest feature films, the 2000 movie Memento, is similarly fantastic. It follows the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man who's unable to retain any new memories after he was attacked. As such, he needs to be creative while he's trying to find out who is responsible for his wife's death.
The movie's title is based on the fact that Shelby keeps mementos of past events in the form of photos and tattoos. It keeps the audience guessing and just like multiple Christopher Nolan movies, it's best to watch Memento at least twice in order to put things together. Considering Guy Pearce's performance and the movie's overall quality, watching it more than once is an easy task.
1 Jason Bourne
Dealing with amnesia is difficult enough, let alone when somebody is trying to kill you. That's what Matt Damon's Jason Bourne learns the hard way. In the Bourne trilogy, Jason Bourne is trying to find out the truth about who he is and in the meantime, deals with people who are going after him. Even though he doesn't know his own identity - The Bourne Identity, as the first movie is called - he luckily knows how to fight and do other things in order to survive.
Uncovering the mystery at the heart of Bourne's life is a major draw and combined with the action scenes as well as Matt Damon's performances in the titular role, it makes for a compelling mix. Some viewers might find the story a bit confusing at first but that only fits Jason's perspective since he's also confused about what's happening around him. The first movie premiered in 2002 and spawned multiple sequels, making Jason Bourne one of the most popular movie amnesiacs as well as one of the most successful action heroes leading their own series.