10 Most Hated Movie Characters In Recent History
The absolute cream of a pretty rotten crop.
Cinema, like so many other art-forms, is an inherently subjective medium and as such a film can be an extremely emotive and evocative experience for an audience. Although the old adage still exists in the minds of so many cinephiles of 'they don't make 'em like they used to', this is not necessarily ground in any truth as modern films can be just as capable, and even adept, at evoking emotion from an audience- no matter the emotion.
A large part of this can be credited to the characters who exist in the realms of cinema, as the medium allows us to be privy to all manner of character we wouldn't necessarily encounter in our everyday existence. Whether through design or haplessness, an actor embodying a character can summon an ire in an audience that few other artforms are capable of.
From maniacal villains to veritable mis-steps, there are so many modern day film characters who have left audiences with a sour taste taste in their mouths that, for good or for bad, they just can't help but share with anyone who will listen. A truly reprehensible character can live longer in the memory than even the most gallant of heroes and modern cinema has been no slouch at conjuring up some prime targets for cinema-goers hatred.
10. Dodge Landon- Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
The recent Planet of the Apes trilogy was a surprisingly fantastic collection of films and one of the things that they did extremely well was blur the lines of whose side the audience should be on. Those lines were a lot more distinct however when it came to Harry Potter alum Tom Felton's Dodge Landon.
In the film Felton plays a young man working at his father's monkey sanctuary who needlessly and consistently berates and abuses the primate residents. Felton, perhaps still playing within type after his years as Draco Malfoy, is deeply and understandably dislikeable as a cruel and bafflingly angry man who has no business working in a place looking after creatures he so obviously hates.
When it becomes apparent there is something different about Caesar upon his arrival, as is the classic bully move, Dodge zeros in on him as the main target for his cruelty and abuse. Dodge Landon does not have a great deal of screen-time in the film but even with such a short window, he managed to burn himself as a figure of hatred into the minds of film audiences who no doubt erupted in cheers collectively when he finally got what he deserved.