Top 10 Films with the Most Outrageous Character Arcs, Ranked

Many factors contribute to whether a movie turns out exceptionally well or falls flat. Without clear direction, solid performances, smart writing, or proficient technical aspects, the likelihood of crafting an outstanding film diminishes significantly. A crucial component among these is how characters evolve throughout the story. If their growth seems illogical or off-base, the chance of this film becoming a cherished favorite becomes quite remote.

Over the years, numerous movies have served as prime instances of poorly executed character development. Regardless of their quality, these films fail to adequately evolve their characters. damaging the evolution of a beloved character from a timeless series , or simply introducing a new character with an absurd storyline, these movies highlight the crucial importance of having engaging characters that undergo significant transformations throughout the story’s progression.

There might be minor spoilers coming up!

"Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi" (2017)

Directed by Rian Johnson

Despite its poor reputation , Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi It’s definitely not a poor movie. The production quality is excellent, it includes several heart-pounding key scenes, and it effectively challenges many conventions within its genre. Star Wars mythos are genuinely interesting. However, one aspect it fails to nail down is character growth. .

From the defamation of Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill ), to Finn ( John Boyega ) turning into a marginalized subplot character, to Rey's ( Daisy Ridley ) immediate command over the Force testing all that fans believed they understood about it Star Wars lore, robust and solid character arcs are certainly not among those missing The Last Jedi The movie excels in many areas, yet it could have been much more effective with improved character development.

'Toy Story 4' (2019)

Directed by Josh Cooley

Toy Story 4 Is another film with a poor reputation that turns out to be pretty good. Was an additional chapter in Andy’s toy saga necessary following the impeccable ending? Toy Story 3 Definitely not. However, was the impressive animation, comical wit, and heartfelt storyline sufficient to make this fourth installment a worthy addition to Pixar’s most beloved franchise? Only time will tell. The film's performance at the box office clearly demonstrates this. .

Nevertheless, the primary factor hindering Toy Story 4 returning after reaching a level of greatness at least it has weakly-developed characters In this installment, Buzz, who previously embodied courage and leadership, becomes a clumsy fool; Bo Peep seems like a completely new person compared to her portrayal in the first two movies; despite the emotionally charged conclusion, Woody’s journey towards deciding to leave his companions for Bo just doesn’t feel right.

'Reefer Madness' (1936)

Directed by Louis J. Gasnier

In 1936, a congregation funded Reefer Madness a warning story for moms and dads regarding how cannabis transforms their offspring into aggressive, psychosis-inducing, debauchery-enjoying fiends During the 1970s, the movie was rediscovered, and it has since experienced a revival that transformed its status. a cornerstone of the stoner cult film scene .

There appears to be no real interest in developing its characters significantly at all.

The movie is truly terrible, not only due to its comically incorrect depiction of cannabis usage but also because it shows no inclination towards character development. Instead, it resorts to simplistic fearmongering, turning young characters into absurdly chaotic and immoral figures under the influence of marijuana.

'Batman & Robin' (1997)

Directed by Joel Schumacher

Following Tim Burton 's two exceptional Batman Making movies was always expected to be a challenging endeavor, yet nobody could have anticipated what happened. Joel Schumacher What happened to the character next. Batman Forever It's good and somewhat underappreciated, but Batman & Robin has earned a reputation as one of the poorest superhero films in history for a reason.

The humor works due to the way unfunny Most of the performances are awful. Uma Thurman innocent), and The atrocities committed against the lore of the Caped Crusader within this story are indeed quite atrocious. Every character development feels incomplete and lacks interest, and the interactions between characters, starting with Batman, George Clooney ) and Robin's ( Chris O'Donnell ) bewildering connection with Robin’s similarly perplexing infatuation with both Batgirl ( Alicia Silversone ) and Poison Ivy (Thurman) makes absolutely no sense.

'Thor: Love and Thunder' (2022)

Directed by Taika Waititi

It appears as though there might be a pattern here. superhero films often possess some of the poorest character growth conceivable That's because of this issue. Even though the Marvel Cinematic Universe generally boasts a strong lineup of movies, it too is responsible for perpetuating this trend. Despite producing some films with just one or two poorly developed character arcs, no MCU movie consistently exhibits worse character development than Thor: Love and Thunder .

Following the exceptional character development Thor: Ragnarok With whatever this was, it was nearly an accomplishment in its own right. Valkyrie Tessa Thompson Jane's character is hardly developed, Natalie Portman ) arch is as delicate as parchment, and even though Christian Bale Despite his best efforts, Gorr the God-Butcher remains a terribly disappointing villain However, the most poorly developed character arc belongs to Thor. Chris Hemsworth The most powerful Avenger had already experienced quite an uninspiring progression. Avengers: Endgame , but the manner in which Waititi develops the character remains distinctive. another An existential crisis (haven't they occurred multiple times before?) and his frequent attempts to find humor in the immense losses he has suffered so far are profoundly upsetting for devoted followers of the character.

'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' (2023)

Directed by James Mangold

If adventure could have a name, it would undoubtedly be Indiana Jones . Steven Spielberg 'S iconic action movie series is considered a masterwork (with the exception of the letdown that was the fourth film). Therefore, when news broke about a fifth installment, fan anticipation ran sky-high. Unfortunately, Indiana Jones and the Fate Spinner did not manage to reach those expectations—quite the opposite.

The reality that a follow-up movie from a well-established series flopped tremendously at the box office. was surprising in principle , yet it appeared less startling due to the fact that Dial of Destiny is a disappointing addition to the series. Firstly, the characterization is lacking and could use improvement. Helena Phoebe Waller-Bridge ) alters motivations and personality without any consistency according to what the plot demands; Voller Mads Mikkelsen ) stands as a formidable antagonist, yet ends up being rather unmemorable; and Indiana Jones' (Harrison Ford) journey is so pitiful that it becomes nearly disheartening to witness it progress. , especially for those who accompanied the hero on his adventures during their childhood.

'X-Men: The Last Stand' (2006)

Directed by Brett Ratner

2000's X-Men is one of The top essential superhero films of all time, arguably The film that initiated the surge of superhero movies. That has defined much of the cinematic scene for 21st-century blockbusters. The series' initial follow-up was remarkable; however, the trilogy’s concluding movie didn’t quite match up to expectations. X-Men: The Last Stand It was significantly lower than that.

The movie attempted to cram far too many elements into its storyline, leading to an overly stuffed and chaotic end product, including in terms of character growth. This includes the rather abrupt demise of Cyclops. James Marsden ) and Charles Xavier ( Patrick Stewart early in the story or entirely ruining the Dark Phoenix character Famke Janssen ) There isn't a single character in the movie that the screenplay handled correctly.

'The Island of Dr. Moreau' (1996)

Directed by Richard Stanley and John Frankenheimer

Famously terrible and with a production history that was even more notoriously nightmarish , The Isle of Doctor Moreau is inspired by a science fiction book written by a British author H.G. Wells . Featuring horrendous acting and A story that is overly confused and not engaging enough to be worthwhile. It ranks among the most notorious film flops of the 1990s.

It’s not quite a movie that’s enjoyable because it’s so bad. Honestly, there aren’t many reasons to watch it. The Isle of Doctor Moreau Other than out of macabre interest. Characters who show genuine intrigue are swiftly eliminated, whereas those lacking appeal receive extensive screen time, along with storylines that lead nowhere and character developments that fail to mesh coherently at all.

'The Room' (2003)

Directed by Tommy Wiseau

The quintessential example of a film that's so bad it's good, Tommy Wiseau 's The Room it ranks as a colossal cinematic failure, a nightmarish "movie" that you have to witness to comprehend. Despite this, it undoubtedly falls into the poorest movies ever produced It's also an incredibly fun experience precisely because it fails miserably in every aspect conceivable.

Aside from how incredibly enjoyable it is to watch the movie, There are absolutely no positive aspects to it whatsoever. This naturally encompasses some of the most bizarrely dismal character growth ever witnessed in film. Story arcs lead to nothing; characters enter and exit the narrative without clear justification; nobody comes across as likeable, leaving viewers unsure about whom they should support. Additionally, the dialogue delivered by each character is so peculiar that it becomes comical.

'Manos: The Hands of Fate' (1966)

Directed by Harold P. Warren

While The Room is appalling; it’s challenging to label it as the worst film ever made. Should such a distinction have to be assigned to any single movie, Manos: The Hands of Fate Would be as solid a contender as you might hope for. Inexpensive, nonsensical, poor quality, and bizarre in all the wrong ways, it offers a uniquely odd cinematic encounter that stands as evidence that It's entirely feasible for definitely everything to err in producing a film .

The terribly-done reasons why Manos is a must-see There are far too numerous instances to enumerate, yet one thing stands out: woeful character growth—or rather, an utter lack thereof. Effective character evolution becomes impossible when individuals behave erratically without rhyme or reason solely due to a shallow and confusing storyline that dictates their actions nonsensically. This phenomenon serves as both a testament and a quintessential demonstration of abysmal character progression within cinematic works.

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