10 Horror Movie Characters You Didn’t Trust (Even Though You Should Have)
3. Michael McDonnell + The Weird Janitor - Urban Legend
In Urban Legend's opening scene, a young woman called Michelle stops at a gas station which is managed by a stuttering, gangly eccentric called Michael McDonnell. When he tries to lock Michelle in his office, she suspects he's a lunatic and freaks out.
But as she gets in her car and drives off, Michael yells out, "Someone is in the backseat!" Unable to hear Michael's warning, the parka-wearing serial killer in Michelle's car decapitates her.
Not only is this a solid way to kick off the story, it warns us not to judge a book by its cover. And yet, everyone who watches Urban Legend presumes the janitor is the killer, simply because he looks odd.
Having said that, you have to go against every instinct not to suspect this guy. Because of his skeletal appearance and bug eyes, he looks like a textbook psychopath. Also, he owns the same parka as the killer. On top of that, he's literally credited as Weird Janitor!
When you discover Weird Janitor isn't the perp, you feel embarrassed that you fell for the film's misdirection not once, but twice.