10 Characters That Single-Handedly Ruined Recent Movies

Just one ill-judged character choice can destroy a film, as 2018's Peter Rabbit proves.

Even if Peter Rabbit ultimately foundered, it did have some solid things in it. The cast and visuals were good and some of the jokes landed, so this could've been a good family film if only they hadn't insisted on making the titular character so detestable.

This movie's Peter Rabbit is an arrogant, snarky, selfish and obnoxious prick in every possible way, and he also seems to be a total psychopath. In an early scene, he joyously celebrates after his human nemesis, Farmer McGregor (Sam Neill), dies of a heart attack in front of him. The rest of the movie revolves around his conflict with McGregor's great-nephew Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson), who has come to sell the estate.

Essentially, the movie is a completely unlikable CGI animal tormenting and bullying Thomas, an anxious and unhappy man who's only crime was trying to keep the rabbits out so that they wouldn't ruin the house's garden (which is perfectly fair when you're trying to sell a house!). He even deliberately gives Thomas an allergic reaction at one point. As a result, instead of being the fun film it could easily have been Peter Rabbit is far too mean-spirited, and it leaves a very nasty taste behind.

Still, unlike the rest of these characters, Peter Rabbit was redeemed as the film's vastly superior 2021 sequel completely fixed the character and made him genuinely likable, so that's something.