History YMMV / Nightcrawler

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: In a movie where everybody is just either corrupt or a morally gray individual jumping off the slippery slope it can be pretty hard to find a character to root for.

* MoralEventHorizon: Louis' EstablishingCharacterMoment is trespassing on private property to steal scrap metal and mugging the security guard for his wristwatch, setting him firmly in VillainProtagonist territory. If that didn’t convince you, roughly halfway through the film it's demonstrated more explicitly how far Louis is willing to go for good footage by [[spoiler:sabotaging Joe's van to eliminate his competition in a car crash which he then proceeds to callously record,]] setting up his subsequent ruthless actions in the film.

* MoralEventHorizon: Louis' EstablishingCharacterMoment is trespassing on private property to steal scrap metal and mugging the security guard for his wristwatch, setting him firmly in VillainProtagonist territory. If that didn’t convince you, Louis begins to cause accidents that he can then film, starting with [[spoiler:sabotaging Joe's van to eliminate his competition in a car crash, followed by letting the capture of the two gangsters escalate into a gunfight, and tricking Rick into getting shot so Louis wouldn't have to pay him.]]

* AmbiguousDisorder: It's never outright stated, but Lou seems to be a sociopath. He has absolutely no empathy for anyone and cares only about his own success. While he presents himself as a friendly go-getter, it's clear that all of his personal interactions with people are just him trying to [[ManipulativeBastard manipulate them into furthering his goals]]. Rick states that Lou doesn't understand people, but Lou counters that he understands people, he just doesn't like them, and has zero compunctions with hurting them. Additionally, he's constantly smiling and talks in overly formal sentences, and seems to be unable to read when someone's annoyed with him.

* AmbiguousDisorder: While never stated outright, Lou seems to be a sociopath.

* MoralEventHorizon: Louis' EstablishingCharacterMoment is trespassing on private property to steal scrap metal and mugging the security guard for his wristwatch, setting him firmly in VillainProtagonist territory.
** Louis begins to cause accidents that he can then film, starting with [[spoiler:sabotaging Joe's van to eliminate his competition in a car crash, followed by letting the capture of the two gangsters escalate into a gunfight, and tricking Rick into getting shot so Louis wouldn't have to pay him.]]

* UncannyValley: IntendedAudienceReaction. Jake Gyllenhaal [[DyeingForYourArt lost 20 pounds]] in order to give Lou a creepy, off-putting vibe and with his already large eyes looking freakishly amphibious, and his face angular and jutting, the whole effect is deeply disturbing. According to Gyllenhaal, his appearance was inspired by the director in conversation comparing Lou to a coyote.

* EightDeadlyWords: When you have a film that features a [[CompleteMonster morally reprehensible]] VillainProtagonist, a supporting cast of characters who are all either morally ambiguous at best or [[HateSink Hate Sinks]] at worst, this trope definitely can come into play.

* AwardSnub: Creator/JakeGyllenhaal's performance was completely glossed over in the Best Actor category, while the film itself was eventually expected to earn a Best Picture nomination after being cited by various guild awards (including the Producers Guild of America) even if it only got a Best Original Screenplay nomination.

* HilariousInHindsight:
** After all the jokes after getting this film confused with the Marvel character, Creator/JakeGyllenhaal and Creator/RizAhmed would go on to appear in Marvel adaptations within a year of each other, coincidentally both playing villains connected to ComicBook/SpiderMan [[note]]Ahmed plays the main antagonist in ''Film/Venom2018'' while Gyllenhaal plays Mysterio in ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome''[[/note]].

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: In a movie where everybody is just either corrupt or a morally gray individual jumping off the slippery slope it can be pretty hard to find a character to root for.

!![[ComicBook/{{Nightcrawler}} The Comic Book Character]]
* {{Adorkable}}: His original characterization was this just through his wacky antics; later interpretations and adaptations often have him as a huge fan of one fandom or another--see ComicBook/UltimateXMen.
** In one issue's DangerRoomColdOpen, he and Rachel argue over what the best pirate film is.
** In ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'', he would flirt shamelessly with Meggan only to become embarrassed and befuddled if she turned the tables on him.
* DorkAge: Poor Kurt went through a massive one after his return from Excalibur in the late 90s. First, he got turned into a priest with basically no build-up. Fans found this pretty strange, but at least the ensuing miniseries was well received for the most part. But then he fell into the hands of "writer" Chuck Austen and was subjected to some really, REALLY unpopular retcons in regards to his heritage. After the infamous Draco storyline no one (except Chris Claremont who just flat out ignored everything written during Austen's run) really seemed to know what do with him. He was less frequently featured when Pixie (also a teleporter and supposedly much better at it than him) got introduced to the X-Men. Then he was outright killed during the Second Coming storyline and didn't return to the comics for almost five years (although his [[DarkerAndEdgier darker and edgier]] counterpart Kurt Darkhölme from Age of Apocalypse found his way to the 616 universe during that time). Thankfully when he finally did return in Amazing X-Men, Jason Aaron managed to turn Azazel into a character fans actually enjoyed (by making him a pretty cool hell pirate) as well as bringing Kurt's [[CharacterRerailment characterization back on track]]. He has been with the main X-Men team ever since.
* StrangledByTheRedString: Most fans seem to think that his romance with ComicBook/RachelSummers in ''ComicBook/XMenGold'' comes out of nowhere. Not helped by the fact that they barely interact or spend any significant time together.
* UglyCute: People in-universe generally react in horror to his demonic appearance. However, Kurt has more then his fair share of admirers due to his charming personality and art often making him look like a CuteMonsterBoy rather than scary.

!![[Film/{{Nightcrawler}} The film]]

** Could also be seen as HarsherInHindsight but Nina shouting “I don’t give a goddamn about [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] Corona!”, with Corona being an LA suburb, sounds quite ironic to hear following the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.

* EightDeadlyWords: When you have a film that features a [[CompleteMonster morally reprehensible]] VillainProtagonist, a supporting cast of characters who are all either morally ambiguous at best or completely HateSinks at worst, this trope definitely can come into play.

** Could also be seen as HarsherInHindsight but Nina shouting “I don’t give a goddamn about [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] Corona!”, with Corona being an LA neighborhood, sounds quite ironic to hear following the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.

** After all the jokes after getting this film confused with the comic book character, Creator/JakeGyllenhaal ends up in a film adaptation of a comic book character in 2019, specifically Mysterio in ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome''.

* CompleteMonster: [[VillainProtagonist Louis "Lou" Bloom]] is what is known as a "Nightcrawler," a reporter who prowls the nights for the most gruesome footage he can gather. Louis is also a total sociopath who [[EstablishingCharacterMoment opens the film]] by attacking and perhaps murdering a security guard for his watch. Once he discovers the money in reporting, Louis devotes himself wholeheartedly to the endeavor. He [[SexualExtortion blackmails his boss into sleeping with him]] once his position is secure, knowing that she needs his footage. Lou sabotages the brakes of a van belonging to a rival so he can film said rival dying on a stretcher. Lou later reports gang violence as a home invasion so he can create a panic-laden story of urban crime creeping into the suburbs, and later engineers a confrontation with the police in a crowded diner so he can film the resulting carnage as gang members, police and innocent civilians die. Finally, Lou follows a car chase and when one of the gang members crashes, Lou lies to his assistant Rick that the gangster is dead, causing Rick to be shot dead by the gangster once he goes over to film the body; the motive was Rick wanted more of the profits. [[KarmaHoudini A media sensation with his new company of Video Production News]], Lou covers his lack of humanity with a [[FauxAffablyEvil seemingly friendly mask]], all the while promising his new employees [[ExactWords he'd never ask any of them to do something he wouldn't do himself]].

* HilariousInHindsight: After all the jokes after getting this film confused with the comic book character, Creator/JakeGyllenhaal ends up in a film adaptation of a comic book character in 2019, specifically Mysterio in ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome''.

* CrazyAwesome: In ''ComicBook/XForce'', the ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse version of Nightcrawler kills AOA!Blob (who's a literal FatBastard in this continuity) by teleporting a [[ThreateningShark SHARK]] inside his stomach causing him to be eaten alive from the inside out. YMMV may vary, but the sheer audacity of the act and [[CrossesTheLineTwice the delighted expression on AOA!Nightcrawlers face ]] puts it into this territory for most readers.

* DorkAge: Poor Kurt went through a massive one after his return from Excalibur in the late 90s. First, he got turned into a priest with basically no built up. Fans found this pretty strange, but at least the ensuing mini series was well received for the most part. But then he fell into the hands of "writer" Chuck Austen and was subjected to some really, REALLY unpopular retcons in regards to his heritage. After the infamous Draco storyline no one (except Chris Claremont who just flat out ignored everything written during Austens run) really seemed to know what do with him. He was less frequently featured when Pixie (also a teleporter and supposedly much better at it than him) got introduced to the X-Men. Then he was outright killed during the Second Coming storyline and didn't return to the comics for almost five years (although his [[DarkerAndEdgier darker and edgier]] counterpart Kurt Darkhölme from Age of Apocalypse found his way to the 616 universe during that time). Thankfully when he finally did return in Amazing X-Men, Jason Aaron managed to turn Azazel into a character fans actually enjoyed (by making him a pretty cool hell pirate) as well as bringing Kurt's [[CharacterRerailment characterization back on track]]. He has been with the main X-Men team ever since.

* AwardSnub: Jake Gyllenhaal's performance was completely glossed over in the Best Actor category, while the film itself was eventually expected to earn a Best Picture nomination after being cited by various guild awards (including the Producers Guild of America) even if it only got a Best Original Screenplay nomination.
%%* CapitalismIsBad

%%* CrapsackWorld

* HilariousInHindsight: After all the jokes after getting this film confused with the comic book character, Jake Gyllenhaal ends up in a film adaptation of a comic book character in 2019, specifically Mysterio in ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome''.

* MissingTrailerScene: A trailer for the film ends with us seeing Bloom utter the phrase "If you want to win the lottery, you need to make the money to buy a ticket" multiple times. Some of these are said directly into the camera, implying a case of NoFourthWall, while another is stated while Lou is in an agitated state. In the film itself, he says it ''once'' at the beginning in a relatively calm manner.
* MoralEventHorizon: Louis's EstablishingCharacterMoment is trespassing on private property to steal scrap metal and mugging the security guard for his wristwatch, setting him firmly in VillainProtagonist territory.

* DorkAge: Poor Kurt went through a massive one after his return from Excalibur in the late 90s. First, he got turned into a priest with basically no built up. Fans found this pretty strange, but at least the ensuing mini series was well received for the most part. But then he fell into the hands of "writer" Chuck Austen and was subjected to some really, REALLY unpopular retcons in regards to his heritage. After the infamous Draco storyline no one (except Chris Claremont who just flat our ignored everything written during Austens run) really seemed to know what do with him. He was less frequently featured when Pixie (also a teleporter and supposedly much better at it than him) got introduced to the X-Men. Then he was outright killed during the Second Coming storyline and didn't return to the comics for almost five years (although his [[DarkerAndEdgier darker and edgier]] counterpart Kurt Darkhölme from Age of Apocalypse found his way to the 616 universe during that time). Thankfully when he finally did return in Amazing X-Men, Jason Aaron managed to turn Azazel into a character fans actually enjoyed (by making him a pretty cool hell pirate) as well as bringing Kurt's [[CharacterRerailment characterization back on track]]. He has been with the main X-Men team ever since.

* CompleteMonster: [[VillainProtagonist Louis "Lou" Bloom]] is what is known as a "Nightcrawler," a reporter who prowls the nights for the most gruesome footage he can gather. Louis is also a total [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who [[EstablishingCharacterMoment opens the film]] by attacking and perhaps murdering a security guard for his watch. Once he discovers the money in reporting, Louis devotes himself wholeheartedly to the endeavor. He [[SexualExtortion blackmails his boss into sleeping with him]] once his position is secure, knowing that she needs his footage. Lou sabotages the brakes of a van belonging to a rival so he can film said rival dying on a stretcher. Lou later reports gang violence as a home invasion so he can create a panic-laden story of urban crime creeping into the suburbs, and later engineers a confrontation with the police in a crowded diner so he can film the resulting carnage as gang members, police and innocent civilians die. Finally, Lou follows a car chase and when one of the gang members crashes, Lou lies to his assistant Rick that the gangster is dead, causing Rick to be shot dead by the gangster once he goes over to film the body; the motive was Rick wanted more of the profits. [[KarmaHoudini A media sensation with his new company of Video Production News]], Lou covers his lack of humanity with a [[FauxAffablyEvil seemingly friendly mask]], all the while promising his new employees [[ExactWords he'd never ask any of them to do something he wouldn't do himself]].

** NarmCharm: But it also works as NightmareFuel.
** Speaking of NightmareFuel, the entire film for those who watch the news.