Top 10 Underdeveloped Movie Characters
Script written by Garrett Alden
Top 10 Underdeveloped Movie Characters
They’re the characters that films just scratch the surface of. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Underdeveloped Movie Characters.
For this list, we’ll be listing the characters that, for whatever reason, didn’t get enough big screen time to have their personalities fleshed out to a satisfying degree. Since we’ll be talking about the fate of many of these characters, a spoiler alter is also in order.
#10: Corporal Dwayne Hicks
“Aliens” (1986)
One of the Colonial Marines sent down to investigate the alien-infested colony of LV-426, Hicks is third in command. After his superiors are killed and incapacitated, he develops a rapport with Ellen Ripley, and they both manage to make it out alive, along with Bishop and Newt. Hicks, however, is the only marine who manages to escape. Why is he on this list if he survives until the film’s end? Well, not only because he’s unceremoniously killed off screen by the time we begin the 3rd film, but also because an extended director’s cut of “Aliens” proves that his quasi-romantic subplot with Ripley was meant to have been much more fleshed out. Fans just wanted to more Hicks, and no, the “Colonial Marines” videogame does not count.
#9: Ford Brody
“Godzilla” (2014)
Now you might have expected us to choose Joe Brody, Ford’s father, played by Bryan Cranston, for this list, given that character’s early death. However, the elder Brody receives more character development and growth during his brief screen time than his son does throughout the entire movie. Ford is not so much a character as he is a vehicle to carry the audience through the film. He never stays in one place long enough for the audience to see him interact with any of the other characters, besides Joe. And because the audience follows Ford, we don’t get much time with many of the other characters either.
#8: Marcus Wright
“Terminator Salvation” (2009)
The result of experiments done on an executed criminal, Marcus is a human-terminator created by Skynet to lure John Connor to his death. This is a mission he unknowingly accomplishes, though he ultimately gives his own heart to protect humanity’s savior. Marcus is easily one of the best parts about “Salvation,” and even upstages Connor. As such, Sam Worthington’s portrayal of a man coming to grips with his changed existence would certainly make for a more compelling narrative. And so it would seem that this is another case of a character’s potential being curtailed by a poorly chosen death.
#7: Carson Wells
“No Country for Old Men” (2007)
It’s easy to forget that Woody Harrelson was in this film and for good reason: his character doesn’t get much to do. A bounty hunter, Carson Wells is one of the few people to have seen the implacably murderous Anton Chigurh and lived to tell the tale. Hired by the same people who hired Chigurh to retrieve their money, Wells explains to both his employers, and Chigurh’s target Llewelyn Moss, just how dangerous the psychopath really is, before being killed. Carson may have received more in-depth attention in the novel “No Country” is based on, but unfortunately, some things had to be cut in the adaptation and we would have loved to have seen more.
6: Janek
“Prometheus” (2012)
The captain of the Prometheus, Janek is one of the few people onboard without a specified agenda, while the rest of the crew is mainly composed of starry-eyed researchers or cynical jerks in it for the money. You’d think such an important character would have more to contribute. He is one of the few voices of reason, however, so when his advice for the scientists to keep their helmets on is ignored, the results are predictable. It’s just a shame this pragmatic character had to sacrifice himself. Any franchise would be lucky to have an actor of Idris Elba’s caliber. We’re looking at you, “James Bond!”
#5: Rachel Dawes
“The Dark Knight” franchise (2005-12)
Love interests always seem to get the short end of the stick in superhero films, don’t they? Either they’re being shoehorned into the plot, or they’re reduced to a mere catalyst to move the story forward. Rachel Dawes suffers from a little of both of these, not getting much to do besides providing opportunities to make Batman look cool in the first film, and a motivating factor for both he and Harvey Dent in “The Dark Knight.” It didn’t help that the character was recast between the installments either.
#4: Alexis ‘Lex’ & Timothy ‘Tim’ Murphy
“Jurassic Park” (1993)
The two grandchildren of Jurassic Park’s creator, John Hammond, Lex and Tim are characters essentially used to attract younger viewers, as well as to gain instant sympathy from elder ones, and they are way more underdeveloped compared to their literary counterparts. When children are in danger, our hearts go out to them, no matter what our age. And when you think about it, the adults in the movie don’t get into half as many dangerous situations as these two – electrocution, falling fossils, falling cars, that kitchen scene! In order for the audience to more easily identify with them, the pair aren’t given a lot of individuality either – although Lex is shown to be good with computers; at least the ones from the early ‘90s anyway!
#3: Eames
“Inception” (2010)
While most of the “mind heist” crewmembers in this sci-fi thriller are given very little development, our pick had to go to the suave, charismatic forger, Eames. An expert at falsifying both physical materials, as well as his own appearance, in dreams, he also has the ability to impersonate others, even if they’re of the opposite sex! As such, Tom Hardy’s portrayal left us wanting more. When it comes to Eames, we wish Christopher Nolan would’ve followed the advice of his own character: “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”
#2: Maria Hill
Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-)
You’d think a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and one of Nick Fury’s right-handed people would get more to do. But enough about Clint Barton! We kid, we kid. Mostly. But seriously, Agent Maria Hill, despite appearing in three films, as well as a few episodes of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” is usually relegated to being a means for exposition and helping Nick Fury get things done. The real world is full of unsung heroes who make things easier for the top dogs to make their mark. It’s just too bad that art has to imitate life, at least in this case.
Before we get to our top pick, here are some honorable mentions:
Vision
“Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015)
Frigga
Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-)
Judge Dredd
“Dredd” (2012)
Janine Melnitz
“Ghostbusters” franchise (1984-)
#1: Darth Maul
“Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999)
Although we considered choosing Boba Fett over thirty years of supplemental material and an origin story in the prequels have done a lot to flesh out that iconic character. Darth Maul is still comparatively more shortchanged. Introduced as a mysterious Sith Lord who is intimidating both visually and in combat, he is then killed off at the end of “Episode I.” Maul thus represents a wasted opportunity for a more hands-on villain for the prequel trilogy. And while he does return in “The Clone Wars” TV series, the damage to the character, and his potential contribution to the franchise, had already been done.
Do you agree with our list? Which movie character do you feel needed more development? For more underused Top 10s posted daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.