10 Movie Characters Who Became Total Caricatures In Sequels

When people think about flanderization in film, one of the first characters they think of is Freddy Kreuger. And for good reason, because he really is a perfect example of the trope.

In the original film, there really aren't that many jokes coming from Freddy, at least not ones that aren't meant to have frightening double meanings. Otherwise it's just mocking and cajoling the various victims as he picks them off one by one. Freddy Krueger is a violent psychopathic child rapist who returns from the dead to seek revenge against the children of the people who murdered him.

What about that setup sounds remotely funny?

Sure the concept is out there enough for humor to be found, but the sequels just keep getting goofier and goofier as they went on. Granted, this isn't to say they weren't fun to watch (except for The Dream Child) but they came at the cost of the genuine existential terror that Kreuger instilled in the audience.

To the forgettable remake's credit, it tried its best to return to the unknowable menace of Freddy Kreuger. But the film wasn't very good in general so it failed. Oh well, at least we'll always have the power glove scene.