10 Incredible 2017 Movie Characters

Horror movie protagonists are a tricky balancing act. On one hand, they have to be likable enough that we empathize with the horror they're going through. On the other hand, they still have to be realistically flawed individuals capable of going through a character arc through the suffering the film puts them through. And there is no better example of how to create the perfect horror movie hero than Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) in Get Out.

Chris starts the movie as a fairly understated character. He's apprehensive about going to meet his white girlfriend's family, but he's supportive and caring. Most writers would think these characteristics, on top of the gonzo premise, would be enough to sell the film. But Jordan Peele digs deeper and gives Chris some deep insecurities to work through during the course of the film. His emotional hangups about the death of his mother manage to do what countless horror films have failed to do: Justify a character making seriously flawed judgment calls that put him in further danger.

During the third act of the film, it is thrilling to watch Chris think his way out of every trap the Armitages have laid for him. The original ending of the film was far bleaker than the final cut - In his director's commentary, Jordan Peele stated they went with the more optimistic ending because "black people in America don't need another martyr. They need a hero."