Favorite Movie Villains
Everyone loves a hero they can root for. This is synonymous across both fiction and nonfiction works. And while I love heroes, it’s the villains that I find most captivating. The perfect antagonist is rare, but when done correctly, it can be absorbing to watch. Here are my top five movie villains of all time
5. Anton Chigurh- No Country for Old Men
The Coen Brothers’ 2007 western thriller brings to life Anton Chigurh, one of the most terrifying characters ever created. Based upon the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, the film follows protagonist Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) as he is hunted down by ruthless hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem).
Bardem’s character rarely speaks; when he does, he is cool, calculated, and subdued, in the most menacing way possible. In a sense, Chigurh represents the living embodiment of fate, only allowing his prey to live by chance. Chigurh is unaffected by his victims’ pleas for mercy, often leaving their fate up to a single coin toss. Bardem won the 2008 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance. Even with a hideous bowl cut, Anton Chigurh is not a character to be taken lightly.
Best Quotes:
“What’s the most you ever lost on a coin toss?”
“If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?”
“Would you hold still, please, sir?”
4. Hans Landa- Inglourious Basterds
Inglourious Basterds (2009) begins with one of the greatest opening sequences of all time. We are immediately introduced to Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), a ruthless SS Officer within the Nazi Party. Nicknamed the “Jew Hunter,” Landa is tasked with tracking down innocent Jewish civilians during World War II. The opening scene takes place on a dairy farm in a rural French town. There, Landa interrogates members of the LaPadite family, who he believes to be harboring Jews.
While Hans Landa is a fictitious character, director Quentin Tarantino does an excellent job of weaving the villain into the WWII narrative- a narrative that the film drastically alters, at least by the end. Two years after Javier Bardem, Christoph Waltz took home his own Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Hans Landa.
Best Quotes:
“I love rumors! Facts can be so misleading, where rumors, true or false, are often revealing.”
“Oooh, that’s a bingo! Is that the way you say it? That’s a bingo?”
“Au revoir, Shoshanna!”
3. Dr. Hannibal Lecter- The Silence of the Lambs
Dr. Hannibal Lecter… what a great name. Was it always great or was it made better by the eeriness around such a fascinating psychopath? I’m not sure, but damn, he’s an amazing character. While there have been multiple interpretations of Lecter, I’m electing to focus on Anthony Hopkins’ performance, specifically in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).
The 1992 Best Picture winner centers on FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), as she consults Lecter in tracking down another serial killer. While Lecter isn’t the primary villain, he is certainly an anti-hero. However, it’s safe to say that a genius psychiatrist turned violent psychopath, serving a life sentence for murder and cannibalism qualifies as a villain. In what is becoming a theme here, Hopkins also won the 1992 Academy Award for Best Actor. I do wish we could talk more about Lecter, but I’m having an old friend for dinner…
Best Quotes:
“A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans, and a nice chianti.”
“I do wish we could chat longer, but I’m having an old friend for dinner.”
“Well Clarice, have the lambs stopped screaming?”
2. The Joker- The Dark Knight
Let me begin by saying rest in peace, Heath Ledger. You were an incredibly talented actor and are deeply missed. In his final acting role, Heath Ledger delivered (potentially) his best performance as Batman’s arch nemesis, the Joker. Yes, the Joker is an iconic character who has been portrayed by many greats, including Jack Nicholson, Joaquin Phoenix, and Mark Hamill. However, I’m choosing to specifically focus this entry on Ledger’s take on the character.
There’s not much that hasn’t been said about Heath Ledger’s Joker. Is this the greatest superhero movie villain of all time? Easily. Was the character instantly quotable? Absolutely. Ledger brought a darker persona to the Joker, one far removed from the comic goofiness of past renditions of the clown prince of Gotham. Ledger won a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in The Dark Knight (2008).
Best Quotes:
“Why so serious?”
“Introduce a little anarchy, upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos!”
“As you know, madness is like gravity…all it takes is a little push.”
1. Darth Vader- Star Wars
Was it ever really a question? Having grown up a die-hard Star Wars fan, the answer is no. Absolutely not. Surprisingly, this is the only entry to have not won an Academy Award. Still, Darth Vader is easily the most iconic villain of all time, perhaps even the most iconic character, full stop. The character’s ominous breathing would’ve been enough to land him a spot on this list; paired with James Earl Jones’ brilliant voice work and David Prowse’s menacing stature, George Lucas created the perfect antagonist.
Granted, the other four villains on this list are based on singular performances and a smaller body of screen time. Vader had multiple Star Wars installments build out his character, even diving into Anakin Skywalker’s backstory. Nonetheless, the lightsaber-wielding Sith lord is my favorite movie villain of all time.
Best Quotes:
“When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the master.”
“I find your lack of faith disturbing.”
“No … I am your father…”