Top 10 Movie Villans

In today’s top ten list, I am going to be examining the top ten movie villains. I am only choosing from movies that I have personally seen, which does not cover every movie out there.

In my opinion, a movie villain is not evil, they are just the character who opposes the protagonists. This list is about the people you love to hate. Just a friendly warning, spoilers might be ahead.

10. Animal House- Dean Wormer

Double Secret Probation!

The man who all fraternities in the 1960’s must fear. The man who has the power to put a fraternity on not just prohibition, but double secret prohibition. Throughout the movie, Dean Wormer is constantly opposing Delta House and their crazy exploits. Wormer is not evil, he is just doing his job, but you have to hate him. He is never calm and he is going out of his way to take Delta’s charter. All he needs is an excuse. When Delta house is on the stand to present their case, after one word, Wormer tells them the case is closed. Delta never even had a chance. He is the least evil villain on this list, but he sure is a memorable one.

9. A Nightmare on Elm Street- Freddy Krueger

Invading dreams before it was cool!

This monster can invade dreams and kill you. He can turn your peaceful happy dreams to deadly nightmares. He thinks he is a funny guy nonetheless. He has a messed up face and wields a bladed glove. He can only kill in dreams, but people can witness the brutal deaths of their friends in dreams in the real world. To make Freddy even scarier, it turns out he was a child killer before he became the nightmare. Freddy can only be hurt in the real world meaning to escape him, one must either be awake while he is in the dream world, or they must take him to the real world and kill him there.

8. Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2- Bill

Terrible husband, great dad

Bill, the titular character in the series, is the leader of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad and was the former lover of the Bride. When the bride leaves the gang, she tries to settle in for a new life. However, on her wedding day, she watches as Bill leads the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad to massacre everyone in front of her and ‘kill’ her unborn child. After four hours of killing, the Bride finally finds Bill, only to learn that he has her daughter and has been raising her. The bride does not know what to do and Bill offers her a choice, he just wants them to be a family. Bill is also the strongest fighter in the series and nobody in their right mind would cross him.

7. The Lion King- Scar

At least he can sing!

He is the definition of living in his brother’s shadow. He was second in line to the throne until that pesky little twerp Simba was born. Scar wants the throne so bad, he tricks Simba into putting himself in front of a stampede of animals and when Mufasa saves Simba and asks his brother for help, Scar helps, but not in a good way. He kills Mufasa and chases Simba out of the kingdom. To make Scar all the more evil, his henchmen are insane hyenas, he rules in fear and the kingdom becomes dark and impoverished under his reign. Scar could care less though. He is king. He is as ruthless as it comes for a Disney villain, who kills his own blood, usurps the throne, could be found guilty of kidnapping and he is just a terrible King.

6. Saw- Jigsaw

Let's play a game!

If you were terminally ill, you would gain a new appreciation for life. Jigsaw has gained a twisted new appreciation that he wants everyone to experience. Jigsaw captures his victims and forces them to play games to see how bad they want to live. These tests include deciding to save the person in front of you or your family dies. Each person trapped has been blackmailed to make choices to save themselves. At the end of the film, when  

5. Rocky IV- Ivan Drago

I still can't tell if he is a super human!

Ivan Drago comes in at number 5. This big beast of a man is just pure muscle and packs a strong enough punch to kill Apollo Creed. Creed was the guy who beat Rocky in the original and was Rocky’s rival. Drago killed Creed and just utters “If he dies, he dies”, there is no remorse. Drago is the ideal Communist man of the USSR. In the greatest cinematic boxing match in history, the man embodying Capitalism and the United States Rocky is forced to clash with the man embodying Communism and Russia. This takes place during the cold war which makes the stakes even greater. This mean dude sure can pack a punch and makes for an iconic antagonist.  

4. Se7en- John Doe

So plain, yet so messed up!

A serial killer who kills people who represent the seven deadly sins. For the first half of the movie, we have no idea who John Doe is and the only thing we can determine about him is that he is brutal and unforgiving. We see how he tortures his victims to their death. What really makes him unique is when we finally meet John Doe, he has blood on him and he has turned himself in. Then as the movie heads to the finish, John Doe manages to complete his plan while in police custody. He is the second most manipulative and messed up person on this list.

3. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith- Darth Vader

He is one mean daddy!

All 6 Star Wars movies have two characters that appear, Obi-won Kinobi and Anakin Skywalker. Skywalker starts as a protagonist, but eventually he becomes the leader of the empire that oppresses Galactic Civilization. Vader destroys planets to send examples to those who oppose him. Vader also kills his mentor Obi-won and also chops off his own son’s hand and leaves him to die. What makes him such a good antagonist is throughout all his evil, Vader even tries to kill the Counselor who turned him to the dark side. Vader has such a memorable appearance and such memorable lines that Vader deserves the number 3 spot.

2. The Dark Knight- The Joker

Why so serious?

“Why so serious” is the best way to describe The Joker in The Dark Knight. What makes the Joker so memorable is he represents chaos. He has no motives to kill people and steal money other than to turn order into chaos. He is so messed up that he manipulates Batman into saving Harvey Dent instead of Rachel to then turn Harvey against Batman. The Joker is constantly promoting anarchy throughout the film and everything he does promotes that. What also makes him such a great villain is he is constantly able to outsmart the World’s greatest detective

1. Silence of the Lambs- Hannibal Lector

Quid Pro Quo!

If you have ever seen Silence of the Lambs, you will know why Hannibal is number one on this list. He is the most manipulative person in the world and while being in a maximum security asylum, he still manages to escape. He is a cannibal, a genius and a gentleman. He values manners and civility above all else. But he also understands the refinement of human flesh. He has no mercy, but he has this obsession with Sterling the whole film. He also displays two opposite points of view. The civility yet brutality of everything Lector does, along with his ability to manipulate anyone makes him the greatest movie villain of all time.