Top 10 Movie Villains

Okay, so the list is a purely personal one and the criteria of selection is based on what genuinely freaked me out or impressed me, in terms of completely bad ass, sinister behavior. After compiling the list, I noticed that I didn't think of any female candidates in the category. There are many, but the list, as I said, is based on my reaction to 'evil' and it seems I react more to overt, violent and physical shades of evil than the more subtle, deeper but equally deadly emotional/psychotic variety which most of the women in movies seem to display - Kathy Bates in Misery, Faye Dunaway in Mommy Dearest, Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, Louise Fletcher in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and so on. Not that there aren't any physically violent, gory femme-fatales in mainstream cinema, many such women appear in action/thriller movies, especially in the Asian cannon. But in compiling a top ten list, I had to prioritize. Oh, by the way, the list is in no particular order of 'evil'ness.

So here goes..

1. The Joker

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008)

He finds humor in suffering and mayhem, doesn't want anything material and hates everyone and everything. The prospect of death doesn't even give him pause and his message to the world is simply that "Everything burns.."
Extremely intelligent and unpredictable..

2. Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Certifiable genius, an accomplished psychiatrist and an extremely dangerous psychopathic, cannibalistic serial killer with an unknown body count.

3. Anton Chigurh

Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men (2007)

Calm, deadly and ever so menacing in his movements, deliberate speech and the coldness in his eyes - an assassin who relishes his work.

4. Michael Myers

Halloween Franchise

The physically imposing, unstoppable killing machine that escapes from the darkest of asylums to pursue his baby sister, the sole survivor of his massacre of his family as a child. Pure animalistic psychopath, driven simply by the need to kill and hides his perceived ugliness in a generic Halloween mask revealing only his soul less eyes..

5. Col. Hans Landa

Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds (2009)

The highly intelligent, soft spoken, articulate Nazi 'Jew Hunter' whose eyes hint at the malevolence and darkness that lies beneath. Piercing but polite conversationalist who slides effortlessly from chit chat to menace to explosions of violence and then returns, smiling, to his charming self.

6. Idi Amin

Forrest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland (2006)

The real life, brutal Ugandan dictator whose volatile temper, bloodthirsty savagery and paranoid personality formed a dangerous mixture resulting in the horrifying torture and murder of many - those who oppose him and those closest to him.

7. Amon Goeth

Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List (1993)

Another real life fiend, a cowardly but sadistic Nazi Commandant of a Polish labor camp who kills and tortures the prisoners for work and pleasure - even to alleviate boredom. An example of the atrocities that can occur when evil obtains undeserved power over the helpless.

8. Pazuzu - the demon

Linda Blair in The Exorcist (1973)

The ancient, demonic entity that possesses a young girl, transforming her into a hideous, foul mouthed, powerful and just creepy being who emotionally, physically and spiritually tortures and kills those who come in contact with her.

9. The Devil

Al Pacino in The Devil's Advocate (1997)

Need I even say anything.. Charming, seductive, master manipulator and all powerful bad guy who will take your hand and walk you in to the darkness, laughing and cracking jokes the whole way.

10. Gabbar Singh

Amjad Khan in Sholay (1975)

The eccentric, sadistic and brutal outlaw bandit who became an iconic villain in Indian movie history.


There are so many honorable mentions that I'm having trouble deciding..but  Denzel Washington in Training Day, Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones, Jack Nicholson in The Departed, Hopkins again in Fracture and Red 2, Ian Mckellan in Apt Pupil,  are a few that come to mind right now.. Yeah, I know it's a strange selection but then I have specific tastes when it comes to evil..

Gimme a few suggestions of your own..

P.S. Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger - you guys make me smile too.. ;)

The Orlando Bloom Syndrome

Bloom in a romantic scene in Kingdom of Heaven

Bloom getting knighted in Kingdom of Heaven

Bloom knighting commoners and inspiring them to defend Jerusalem against Saladdin in Kingdom of Heaven

Bloom saying goodbye to his new bride and true love for ten years in Pirates of the Caribbean : At World's End

Bloom is the new immortal captain of the Flying Dutchman in Pirates of the Caribbean : At World's End

Bloom looking at the horizon after releasing his enslaved father from his bond in Pirates of the Caribbean:At World's End

Bloom professing his love for Helen in Troy

Do you see what I see? I assure you I did not cherry pick the shots to make my point, in fact I specifically looked for the most dramatic scenes in these movies that's available on Youtube. Now, either the directors of all these movies gave him specific instructions to display minimal emotions in powerful and pivotal scenes when acting with great actors like Pitt, Bana, O'Toole, Depp, Rush, Yun Fat, Neeson, Nighy, Weaving, Mckellan, Mortensen etc. or maybe ..just maybe this right here is his 'range'. I really did not have the energy to go  through the Lord of the Rings movies looking for this, sorry..

Also, let me make this clear. I do not hate the guy. I don't know the guy. I'm sure he's great. However, I know for a fact that he is capable of displaying emotions because he does so really well in interviews, red carpet and the blooper reels of the very same movies.

Why did I do this then? Because the guy keeps showing up to play important roles in epic movies.. That annoys me. I mean c'mon - Balian, Paris, Legolas, Turner.. He is the new Keanu Reeves; another guy capable of literally no emotion or the wrong one and gives the same reaction whether he just found out that the Oracle was right, the count is a vampire, the bus is about to explode, demons are entering our world because an Archangel is helping them or that his father is the actual Devil.

 For the sake of clarity - I've no issues with him making movies, There's room in the world for us all. And he does have his fans. But, why, why would you choose him for the really emotional/ character driven plots and that too with the really great actors? Why can't he just stick with the kind of stuff that doesn't require much from him, in terms of emotional substance. For example, it was physically painful to see Keanu react to the mental breakdown and subsequent suicide of his loving wife played by the mesmerizing and talented Charlize Theron, and struggling to come up with a genuine human reaction to Pacino's masterful 'Sympathy for the Devil' monologue at the end of 'The Devil's Advocate'. His most believable performance so far has been as Klaatu in the 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' remake. Somehow, he managed to play an emotionless extra-terrestrial being really well. There's a masterclass in acting for ya.. Although, I understand that movie has its haters in the classic sci-fi fan community, as well.

Oh, honorable mention in the category, Dr. James Franco, Ph D. The frickin' WIZARD OF OZ? Really?? Just stick with the CGI apes, dude.. (Though Caesar  the chimp did give a more convincing performance, hmm...)

The next in line to this particular throne, I think, is the wolf guy from the Twilight. I haven't seen the Twilight movies but I'm aware of the plot, somewhat, from certain biting reviews on Youtube. I saw a few minutes of one of the movies when I was channel surfing once. Wolf-boy was delivering a monologue to the stoic brunette chick with dead eyes about how much he loves her and how he was, well...frustrated, enraged, depressed, (horny?)..couldn't really tell from all the spectacularly contrived and painful acting. Though if memory serves his shirt was either already off or he was about to take it off... indoors, while having a meaningful, deep conversation. Oh boy! Can't wait to see him play Julius Caesar or some shit.. Zack Snyder will direct, Caesar will be stabbed in slow mo, with CGI blood everywhere, and I will die inside.(why God, why!!)

I don't get it, people give Megan Fox so much crap, but she plays what she can (though badly), and yeah, her personality sucks if I were to believe the, ahem..'news' stories. But I'm pretty sure you won't see Megan Fox playing Cleopatra or Lady Macbeth. Why do these guys get a pass, if the criteria is not just 'looking good'? And what are the guidelines for that except a good agent and a decent publicist. I have seen equally good looking guys or maybe even better looking ones playing non-recurring supporting roles on TV shows. You know..actually acting. Could it just be dumb luck or is the universe being deliberately ironic and cruel.. to me?

What? "No talent, but hot" girls are unacceptable and disgraceful, and never hear the end of it, even as high school love interests in an alien robot movie or over the top action movies but "No talent, but hot" guys are not only acceptable but appreciated and 'cool' in  huge franchises, and as important historical and literary figures? Talk about double standards!

In conclusion, let me just say that this is all in good fun. Take it or leave it guys.. Don't bother with the hateful comments just yet.