20 Horror Movie Characters Everyone Underestimated

Mike Flanagan's terrific horror-thriller Hush presents audiences with a protagonist we expect to be especially vulnerable, given that Maddie (Kate Siegel) is a deaf-mute woman who lives alone in the woods.

When she's terrorised by a masked killer (John Gallagher Jr.), the deck seems firmly stacked against her, because she can't hear his movements and can't easily summon help.

But Maddie has what might firmly be called the Survival Instinct - despite her natural disadvantage in a scenario like this, she still demonstrates incredible situational awareness and resourcefulness.

Just as her assailant underestimates her ability to fight back, so too do we, but ultimately Maddie survives almost bleeding to death and being strangled by the man. 

Moreover, with the help of a flashing smoke alarm and a trusty corkscrew, she's able to both disorientate and then kill her attacker.

Considering how familiar Hush's premise otherwise was, Maddie's unique vulnerability in a home invasion situation helped make it feel totally fresh.