In Orphan: First Kill, some fans are divided by the performance and actions of the main character, Tricia, played by Julia Stiles. Viewers were confused at the portrayal which was somewhat stilted and not particularly motherly. The film's twist reveals why this is actually an important acting choice, but some viewers were already set in what they thought of the character. This is just one case of a film character being much more disliked than they probably deserve.
It is a difficult balance for filmmakers to create characters who are at once both sympathetic enough for the audience to care about them and have enough personality flaws that viewers are invested in the growth or direction the character will take. Sometimes that balance is struck but audiences still for whatever reason can decide at once that they dislike someone on-screen even if there is a good reason for their actions.
Frodo (The Lord Of The Rings)
Redditor puffypurplecloud writes, "Frodo from Lord of the Rings. A lot of people say he is whining all the time, doesnt treat Sam well..." Frodo is often accused of not being all that helpful in the Lord of the Rings film series, instead, being a burden on everyone else in the story.
The truth is that the hobbit has the most difficult job in the trilogy. He has the huge responsibility of carrying the one ring, an object designed to sap the will of the carrier. The fact that he is able to make it to Mount Doom intact is a testament to the strength and importance of his character.
Jenny (Forrest Gump)
Forrest Gump is the uplifting story of one man's journey through life and how his naivety leads to him stumbling into success and fame. The story itself might have been just a bit too sappy if it weren't juxtaposed with the story of Jenny, who has been forced to learn too many ugly things about the world from a very young age.
But there are many online who get frustrated with the character and how she treats Tom Hanks' character. Reddit user Thot_robot_superman posts, "Jenny from Forrest Gump, it's ridiculous how much hate she gets. She's a victim..." Jenny is a victim of childhood sexual violence. It is no wonder that the character struggles with understanding herself and the world around her.
Grandpa Joe (Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory)
There has always been a dislike for Grandpa Joe ever since the original Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory was reappraised online. Reddit has an entire subreddit dedicated to people's annoyance with a character they consider lazy and a freeloader, r/grandpajoehate.
Redditor AVgreencup defends Joe, "I give him a pass[sic]" Most of the dislike for the character stems from the fact Grandpa Joe appears to be stuck in bed until a fun opportunity comes along. But it is important to remember that this is one of many Roald Dahl fantasy stories aimed at children. So with this in mind, Grandpa Joe suddenly being able to walk again should just be taken into stride.
Kylo Ren (Star Wars)
When Star Wars: The Force Awakens was announced, one of the many reasons audiences were excited was the anticipation of whom the new big bad would be. Kylo Ren's first appearance on screen was certainly welcomed, thanks in part to his sinister appearance, but some fans complained that they did not like his childish characterization.
On Reddit, user LookAtThisRhino says, "Everyone thinks he's a whiny little angsty bitch, but damn it, that's the point!" Kylo is a young Sith Lord and his immaturity mixed with his extreme power is all part of the compelling character arc the villain goes through over the course of the sequel trilogy.
Johnny Lawrence (The Karate Kid)
One Reddit user believes that The Karate Kid gives the main antagonist and his crew a bad rap. User cheggles says, "Daniel is the bad guy in karate kid 1." And if Daniel is the bad guy, that makes Johnny Lawrence and his Cobra Kai friends much more sympathetic.
Daniel wins the final tournament with an illegal head kick and then Lawrence is the one to hand him the trophy anyway, saying, "You're alright, Larusso!" Not many film villains are so gracious in defeat. And with the follow-up show Cobra Kai being a vehicle to reexamine Lawrence, it seems the filmmakers also considered him sympathetic.
Summer (500 Days Of Summer)
500 Days of Summer is a film that requires a number of rewatches to fully grasp the movie's intentions. Upon first viewing, audiences will most likely have very different reactions to the characters than they will if they watch it again knowing that Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been an unreliable narrator the whole time.
Reddit user oktoberkind writes about how Zooey Deschanel's character is unfairly mischaracterized, "...people still see her as a typical 'manic pixie dream' girl." It doesn't help that Deschanel went on to play a prototypical "manic pixie dream girl" in New Girl, but her character in 500 Days is mischaracterized as one because the audience is watching the film through Gordon-Levitt's character's eyes.
Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter)
Redditor Shadowycats sums the issue with people hating on Draco Malfoy, "...but he is 11 years old and is raised by rich bigots." While Malfoy does not make it easy for audiences to like him throughout the films and books it's important to remember how he was raised.
When viewers first meet Malfoy, he is of course cruel and stuck-up. He berates Hermione and Hagrid early in the film but if one looks at his upbringing, it's clear he has been raised to act like this. Malfoy is just a child and his major fault is that he is parroting the same rhetoric he most likely heard his whole life.
Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars)
Jar Jar Binks was one of the most derided decisions in The Phantom Menace, a film that had its share or criticisms. One user, Floppydisksareop, sticks up for the character, "He still took down a tank and like 5 droids alone.... he became a pretty competent senator... he is aimed as comic relief for children."
This is a strong argument for the character. While there is a case to be made that Binks is too silly for the universe, he was designed with children in mind. Something similar happened when Ewoks were introduced in Return of the Jedi. And like the user says, Binks ends up being critical to winning the war against the droids and even ends up working in politics.
Mister Glass (Unbreakable)
The M. Night Shyamalan original creation, Mister Glass, is a different kind of supervillain than audiences were used to when Unbreakable released in 2000. Samuel L. Jackson's character doesn't appear to be much of a threat until the end of the film when all his misdeeds are revealed.
Mister Glass is a frail, nerdy character who hurts others to make himself feel more powerful. Not a very likable trait but Redditor MagicBandAid defends his feelings, "He felt weak. Life wore him down his entire life, and he felt he needed something to believe in." Mister Glass is a broken character, but he went too far trying to make sense of his life.
Koba (Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes)
Koba first appeared in Rise of the Planet of the Apes as a chimpanzee brutally tested on who is eventually freed by the series' lead, Caesar. He makes for a menacing figure in the few moments he has in the first film but in the second, Koba becomes a full-fledged villain, earning the audience's ire when he kills a young ape that viewers had grown attached to.
Reddit user LordJaeger6277 writes, "One of the biggest d***s in cinematic history, but you understand why he does what he does because of what happened to him in the first film." So while Koba comes off as ambitious and bitter in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the pain he suffered under humans in the first film goes a long way to explaining his character.