10 Film Characters Who Suffered Horrendous Fates In Other Media

10. Luther Whitney - Absolute Power

Absolute Power is the kind of absurd, high concept thriller that used to be made in the 70s, but its plot and era render it much less believable. It wouldn't be out of left field post-Watergate for a movie to feature a President trying to cover up a murder, stymied only by the cat burglar who witnessed the death, but in the days of Whitewater being largely dismissed, the plot rang false.

Odd, considering David Baldacci's novel was a huge success, enough for Columbia Pictures to secure the rights for $5 million. And though an old pro like Eastwood capably handles the action and delivers a reflective performance too good for the material, that doesn't forgive the absurdity afoot.

Part of that may have been Eastwood's own fault, who liked the novel but felt that all the interesting characters were killed off too early. Eastwood's aging thief Luther Whitney, the film's protagonist, died fairly early in the book - presumably more grounded in reality where a simple burglar would be done away with.

He demanded William Goldman change the story so that "everyone the audience likes doesn't get killed off," effectively neutering any shock value or thrills the film may have offered instead of turning in a by-the-numbers thriller with a ludicrous hook.