20 Overrated/Underrated Movie Characters

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16-05-2025

There are a ton of movies out there where characters are heavily lauded and praised by many in conversation, but for some reason I just don't get the appeal. In many instances, there are also characters that don't get nearly as much love as the more overhyped movie characters. This is a list that shows 20 of the most overrated and underrated movie characters in no particular order.
Overrated: Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story
Though I love Tim Allen's voice acting in all of the Toy Story movies, Buzz Lightyear, while comedic and also a super cool new toy when the going got tough, wasn't reliable. Especially in the first film, since Woody had to spend the entire film getting him to understand that he was just a toy. Plus, the way he got acquainted with Woody put me off, although I will say he redeemed himself in more ways than one in the later films. His character had a lot of unnecessary hype, plus the whole not knowing he was a toy thing got old fast.
Underrated: Ron Weasley from Harry Potter
If certified ride or die was a movie character, it would be Ronald Weasley. Ron was there to help Harry take on magical escapades that included huge snakes, large talking spiders, and a vengeful wizard trying to kill him and destroy the school, all while trying to maintain a good GPA. His character is under-appreciated, and deserves to be acknowledged more.
Overrated: Harry Potter from Harry Potter
Now I have no problem with the boy who lived; however, I feel that his character lacked much depth given all the experiences he went through. Throughout the films it becomes easier and easier to veer away from Harry's story and have more interest into the other characters' stories, which explains all the spinoffs.
Underrated: Hagrid from Harry Potter
Throughout the film series, it seems nobody talks about how loyal Hagrid truly was as Hogwarts groundskeeper. Not only did he teach Harry how to ride a hippogriff, he also ensured his safety after his parents were murdered by he who must not be named. Hagrid is criminally underrated as a movie character; he embodied loyalty, love, and a strong moral code that didn't get the praise he so rightfully deserved.
Overrated: Hermione Granger from Harry Potter
Continuing on the Harry Potter train, one character that I could not understand the appeal of, even back when the movies were in heavy rotation at the box office, is Hermione Granger. Now, there's nothing wrong with someone being intelligent, and to some degree a little arrogant. Unfortunately, her character was poorly written as a bossy, close-minded, and kind of cruel addition to the friend group. Her character is highly praised time and time again as someone who is simply intelligent and confident, when in reality she comes off as more of a close-minded know-it-all who is a bit annoying.
Underrated: Kristoff from Frozen
Although I'm not the biggest fan of the Frozen films, one underrated character throughout is Kristoff. While him and his trusty moose Sven were great comedic relief characters, Kristoff was really down for anything when he meets Anna. He goes to great lengths to help Anna find her sister, which I find to be one of the things that goes overlooked for his character.
Overrated: Elsa from Frozen
I know this one is going to sting, but Elsa is highly overrated. Out of all the Disney Princesses she has the least amount of personality, and while I enjoy "Let It Go" as much as the next person, that's really all she had going for her. A lot of the dialogue is extremely forgettable, plus the movies focus is more on the sister's journey in finding Elsa. A lot of the movie has little to do with Elsa and more about her sister Anna, and I would attribute that to the poor writing of her character.
Underrated: Finn from Star Wars
While there are a ton of things you can debate about the new Star Wars movies, one thing is for sure: Finn is heavily underrated throughout the films. There was so much to like about Finn's character; he had a lot of great qualities, from being a good friend to being a fearless fighter. Although I feel he definitely should've had the way of the force, after we first meet Finn, it seems that the writing for his character just goes down hill to where he becomes a more underrated character within the franchise.
Overrated: Bella Swan from Twilight
It should be no surprise that any character from Twilight lands themselves on this list. This movie was criminally overhyped back when it came out, but after re-watching the saga, it's crystal clear that Bella is very overrated. The age-old tale of two boys fighting over a girl, but let's add vampires that sparkle in the sunlight and werewolves that are more akin to large husky. Throughout the entirety of this movie series, Bella had the least amount of personality and substance out of all the characters, and really entertained the idea of two dudes fighting over her up until she got impregnated with a vampire baby — then everything was off the table. Her character had way too much hype around her, and after watching the movies again, I'll never understand why.
Underrated: Charlie Swan from Twilight
I definitely can't give this man the award for Father of the Year; however, given his dilemma of having a teenage daughter in a love triangle with a mysterious vampire and her childhood friend now turned werewolf, I'd say he did the best any father could have. His character is underrated just for the fact that people don't give him enough credit for him being so trusting of his daughter. Half the time Bella would be gone for days, and Charlie would be at home waiting for her with open arms. Plus they were on a first name basis; if that doesn't scream underrated parent trying to the best they can, I don't know what does.
Overrated: Edward Cullen from Twilight
There's simply no denying that while Robert Pattinson had the hearts of all the pre-pubescent girls of 2009 in the palm of his hand, his character is undeniably overrated. There are many times throughout the movies where his character doesn't come off as a hot vampire that's dating a human girl, but rather a creepy boyfriend that's a bit of a stalker. Keep in mind this man popped up in Bella's room while she was sleeping just for funsies. His character is highly overrated, and the hype over him was as unfathomable then as it is now.
Underrated: Cameron Fry from Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Cameron was more than just the guy who went along with all of Ferris's antics. Anyone that lets their best friend drive their dad's beloved Ferrari deserves the utmost respect. Not to mention, Cameron dealt with a lot in that one day all while being actually sick, unlike Ferris. His character is overlooked greatly and deserved more recognition.
Overrated: Jacob Black from Twilight
Jacob Black's character throughout the Twilight series was the epitome of annoying guy who doesn't take no for an answer and isn't fond of wearing a shirt. Also imprinting on an unborn child is weird no matter how you slice it; his character is highly overrated and really didn't deserve to have a whole team rallied on his behalf.
Underrated: Batman from Batman franchise
This may be up for debate, but many believe that Batman is guilty by association when it comes to being deemed a superhero. Although, it's valid to say that Batman is just some rich guy that knows how to fight and use fancy gadgets, but there's definitely more to it than that. It's his lack of resources that truly solidify the case that he's an underrated movie character that deserves more praise.
Overrated: The Joker from Batman franchise
While the Joker definitely goes down as one of the most notable villains in movie history, he's definitely one of the most overrated. As phenomenal as the relationship between the Joker and Batman is throughout the films, his plans always get thwarted by the Bat, and the only thing that keeps him around is Batman's vow of not killing. There are more villains that Batman faces that not only give him more of a run for his money and challenge his intelligence, but due to the history between the two, it makes sense why there's so much unnecessary hype around the Joker.
Underrated: The Riddler from Batman franchise
The Riddler is one of the villains that Batman deals with who is disrespectfully underrated. He's one of the few villains that doesn't simply wreak havoc on Gotham City; he tries his hardest to challenge the world's greatest detective. Even in the new Batman movie we see what the Riddler's potential truly can be when he's in the spotlight.
Overrated: Forrest Gump from Forrest Gump
There's no denying that Tom Hanks performance as Forrest Gump was one of the best performances in film. However, his character is severely overrated, as he goes through the entire movie trying to get a girl who blows him off throughout the entirety of the film. As heartwarming as the film is, Forrest Gump as a movie character is highly overrated, and it only gets worse the more times you watch the film.
Underrated: Professor Lambeau from Good Will Hunting
Professor Lambeau was not only an example of a phenomenal teacher, but he was also the most underrated character in the film. Matt Damon's character was literally the worst, and the fact that Professor Lambeau was so patient because he saw more in Will Hunting than Will Hunting saw in himself made his character extremely underrated. He deserved way more recognition.
Overrated: Willy Wonka from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka, while a great chocolatier, was actually overrated and kind of terrible as a tour guide and host. Not only did he not ensure the safety of the attendees, but he also tried to cut Charlie from obtaining his chocolate factory after they drank some fizzy lifting drink. Out of all the things that went wrong throughout the tour, the fact that Charlie survived and didn't expose any of the factory secrets should've more than sufficed. While Willy Wonka's character is cherished by many, he had way too much hype around his character for how terrible he actually was.
Underrated: Grandpa Joe from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
I don't think there's a better movie grandpa than Grandpa Joe; his character was highly overlooked throughout the film. Not only was he a former Wonka employee, but he was also bedridden yet got out of bed just to take his grandson on a chocolate factory tour. He had such a deep love for his grandson, and it could be seen throughout the film, but it's easy to see his character get overlooked by many due to all the other highly animated characters in the movie.
Do you agree with my list? Who would you add? Let me know in the comments section below!