Summary
It doesn’t take much to ruin a movie character, and some promising characters have even been destroyed by a single scene. Whether it’s a decision that goes against their character or an unnecessary plot twist that makes no sense, these scenes show how difficult it can be to create and maintain compelling characters. Manymovie characters get worse in sequels, once they have exhausted the narrative thrust which first made them interesting, but it’s rare to be able to point to a single moment that made everything worse.
These scenes can infuriate audiences and critics, and they often have unfortunate knock-on effects on the entire movie. If a central character suddenly becomes uninteresting or otherwise betrays their character, it can shatter the immersive effect of the movie, and the narrative tends to lose most of its dynamism. In other cases, great side characters see their potential halted by a nonsensical decision, and it’s hard to recover from this.
10 Movie Characters With The Best Development Of All Time
Strong character development is pivotal in shaping a movie’s narrative. These transformative arcs rank among some of the best in cinematic history.
Blofeld is one of thebest James Bond villains, and certainly the most iconic, but Christoph Waltz’s performance proved divisive. Donald Pleasence remains the standard by which all others are judged.Waltz’s Blofeld didn’t quite live up to some of his other memorable screen villains, but he wasn’t helped by the disappointing twist inSpectrethat revealed Blofeld was James Bond’s adopted brother.
This twist added very little to the dramatic thrust ofSpectre,and it even made Blofeld’s motives seem pettier and less interesting.
This twist added very little to the dramatic thrust ofSpectre,and it even made Blofeld’s motives seem pettier and less interesting. Similar twists have worked brilliantly in other movies, but Blofeld and Bond are not Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, so it made little sense to reframe their dynamic in this way. This one moment shattered Blofeld’s potential in the Daniel Craig era of the Bond franchise.
Men in Blackgave Agent K his happy ending living a civilian lifestyle. It replaced him with Agent L, formerly Dr. Weaver, who looked ready to partner with Will Smith’s Agent J for their next adventure. WhenMen in Black IIeventually rolled around five years later, Agent L was gone and Agent K returned, almost as if nothing had happened.Agent L isn’t inMen in Black II,and the sequel sends her character off in the worst way possible.
If the producers wanted to reunite the unlikely dream team of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, they could have done so without disrespecting Agent L’s character.
If the producers wanted to reunite the unlikely dream team of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, they could have done so without disrespecting Agent L’s character. The movie explains in a throwaway line that she wanted to return to her previous life, so she was neuralyzed.This completely contradicts everything thatMen in Blackshowed audiences about a character who was smart, self-sufficient, and endlessly curious.
Kingdom of the Crystal Skullwas a disappointment, but Indiana Jones still returned for one last adventure in 2023.Dial of Destinysees Indy competing with Nazis for a powerful ancient treasure just as he did in bothRaiders of the Lost ArkandThe Last Crusade,even though he’s now a New York-based professor in the 1960s. Sadly,one of cinema’s great action heroes deserved a better send-off.
He does eventually get a warm ending with Marion, but he has to be knocked out by his goddaughter to get there. He should be more active in forging his own destiny.
Even after gradually learning to value the human side of his work more, Indy still chooses to stay in the past rather than return to his own timeline. It’s a foolish and idealistic decision that ignores his development. He does eventually get a warm ending with Marion, but he has to be knocked out by his goddaughter to get there. He should be more active in forging his own destiny, rather than entertaining the fanciful idea of living and dying in ancient Syracuse.Indiana Jones had a better finale inThe Last Crusade.
Dylan’s bizarre character twist at the end ofNow You See Mecompletely goes against everything that had been established about his character, and not in a good way. As it turns out, Dylan is not the angry and slightly inept FBI agent trying to track down the Horsemen. He’s actually the shadowy figure who has been controlling the group all along. This raises more questions than it answers.
Dylan’s bizarre character twist at the end ofNow You See Mecompletely goes against everything that had been established about his character, and not in a good way.
Dylan could have been an interesting character without this twist. He’s an investigator way out of his depth, and in many ways he’s the perfect mark for the Horseman’s various illusions.Now You See Meis a game of cat-and-mouse between the brilliant and unpredictable magicians and Dylan, who is determined to bring them crashing down to Earth and face the consequences of their crimes.Now You See Me 2pulled off a similarly perplexing twist with Thaddeus, so it’s probably wise to expect the unexpected fromNow You See Me 3.
Johnny Depp earned an Oscar nomination for his oddball performance as Captain Jack Sparrow in the firstPirates of the Caribbeanmovie. Jack is a charming rogue who seduces Will and Elizabeth into a life of swashbuckling adventure, and he also has a good proportion of the funniest moments in the movie. The popularity of the character tempted the writers into giving him a more central role for the sequel. Unfortunately, this is exactly what Jack didn’t need.
While Depp’s shenanigans are still a joy to watch inDead Man’s Chest,Captain Jack Sparrow works best as a side character.
While Depp’s shenanigans are still a joy to watch inDead Man’s Chest,Captain Jack Sparrow works best as a side character. This positions him as the comic relief, and he isn’t weighed down by so many plot considerations. The scene in which Jack receives the Black Spot sets in motion the rapid deterioration of his character’s charms.He and Will quickly find their goals aligned, and they act as one character at times.This diminishes Jack’s unique unpredictability.Jack Sparrow could return forPirates 6,which underlines how he has taken over the franchise.
The Breakfast Clubfollows a group of high school misfits forced to spend a day together. Even among this odd group, Allison is the clear outlier. She is shy, reserved and awkward, so her eventual makeover represents the culmination of her character growth. However, while the intentions of this scene may be kindhearted, the makeover has been interpreted as Allison conforming to the group’s aesthetic.
While the intentions of this scene may be kindhearted, the makeover has been interpreted as Allison conforming to the group’s aesthetic.
Although Allison initially struggles to fit in, she at least has a bold, independent style, and she shouldn’t have to sacrifice this for the approval of the group.The makeover scene remains controversial.It can be seen as Allison shedding her protective layers and embracing her femininity, but it could just as easily represent Allison suppressing her true self to adopt the ideals of other people.
The Menudoesn’t always manage to wrangle its disparate tones and genres, but there are moments when it reveals itself to be a cunning, socially conscious satire. Chef Slowik, played a wonderfully menacing Ralph Fiennes, is an under-appreciated artist whose final great masterpiece is set to result in the deaths of himself, his staff, and his guests. AsThe Menudraws toward its final course, the guests see that there is no escape.
At first, Chef Slowik seems to be punishing the upper class for their snobbery and contempt. They have robbed him of his passion, and they must pay the price.
At first, Chef Slowik seems to be punishing the upper class for their snobbery and contempt. They have robbed him of his passion, and they must pay the price. However, one scene flips the entiremeaning ofThe Menu.As Chef Slowik tells his guests that they are going to die by the end of the night, they try various tactics to bargain and plead with him. It may be a fun punchline when he tells one guest that they deserve to die based on where they went to college, butthis decision transforms Slowik from a deranged artist into a psychopathic killer without any subtlety.
It was always going to be impossible to live up to the hype that swirled aroundStar Wars: The Force Awakens.Some parts of the hotly-anticipated legacy sequel seemed to play it safe by rehashing plot points from the original trilogy and bringing back beloved characters for a victory lap. As a disillusioned stormtrooper, Finn represents one of the movie’s most exciting new ideas, and his sensitivity to the force introduces an intriguing mystery.
He is almost entirely sidelined inThe Rise of Skywalker,but the problem begins inThe Last Jedi.After Captain Phasma’s death, Finn struggles to find relevance.
Ultimately,Finn’s arc couldn’t deliver on his potential. He is almost entirely sidelined inThe Rise of Skywalker,but the problem begins inThe Last Jedi.After Captain Phasma’s death, Finn struggles to find relevance, and his story is overshadowed by Rey and Kylo Ren’s dynamic. Killing off Captain Phasma and Supreme Leader Snoke, who looked set to play more important roles, inevitably shifts more focus onto Kylo Ren.
TheScreamfranchise has always parodied other slasher movies. The in-universeStabfranchise is a brilliant piece of self-referential parody, and Randy Meeks also deconstructs the tropes and conventions of the genre. He’s often the smartest person in the room, and his awareness of the structure of horror movies makes him relatable to the audience. Horror fans often complain that characters act foolishly, and that they would be much smarter. Randy acts how horror fans would act.
Horror fans often complain that characters act foolishly, and that they would be much smarter. Randy acts how horror fans would act.
Randy’s death inScream 2suddenly betrays his character. He abandons his usual intelligence to go off on his own when he knows that a killer is in the area. This breaks the first rule of horror movies, and it’s something that Randy should have known.His death is also a sad waste of a good character. He and Dewey are the two funniest characters in the franchise, and eliminating him cuts his potential short.
Colin Firth’s performance as Harry Hart is one of the highlights ofKingsman: The Secret Service.Harry is Eggsy’s guide as he takes his first furtive steps into the world of espionage. Not only does he hone his combat skills, he also teaches him the importance of decorum and grace. His death marks a huge turning point in Eggsy’s fledgling career as a spy, as he suddenly has to save the world without his mentor.
Bringing Harry back from the dead also destroyed the stakes of the franchise and undid Eggsy’s growth all in one scene.
Harry’s sudden reappearance inThe Golden Circleruins his legacy.He is no longer the legendary secret agent who helped Eggsy begin his journey. Instead, he is a liability with amnesia, and this makes him a nuisance.The Golden Circlecould have worked just as well with Eggsy and the Statesman agents. Bringing Harry back from the dead also destroyed the stakes of the franchise and undid Eggsy’s growth all in one scene. With any luck, theupcomingKingsman 3will learn from the mistakes ofThe Golden Circle.
