10 Great Movies With Villain Protagonists

latest dreamworks cartoon bad guy It was an unexpected success, with critics and audiences alike loving the film’s wild humor and lovable yet mean-spirited characters. It also proves that sometimes the best protagonists aren’t the good guys, but villains that are just as entertaining and engaging as any great hero.

While Hollywood screenwriters often cling to the idea that the main characters must be likable and sympathetic, many films have found a way around this rule. These films go against tradition, proving that even the most villainous protagonists can resonate with fans.

Night Hunter (2014)

Dan Gilroy’s film is one of the director’s most original debuts of the past decade sleepwalker tells the story of Lou Bloom, a petty criminal turned photojournalist who gets too involved in the violent stories he covers. It was a brilliant and completely counter-genre role for Jake Gyllenhaal, shocking many when he wasn’t nominated for an Oscar.

One of the reasons Lou is so great is that he makes audiences think he’s an eccentric but nice guy with clumsy charm and an interesting job. But when the layers return, we discover that he is a total bad guy who will do anything for a quick buck, including ruthlessly betraying others. to get a better shot.

Common Suspects (1995)

Suspects line up in The Usual Suspects

classic crime bryan singer common suspects Known for its famous twist ending, in which the tense and soft-spoken Gent turns out to be the long-legendary Kaiser Sozer. What makes this twist so impressive is that it literally changes everything about the film, from the story of a meek survivor to an almost demonic character.

Witnessing Soze killing his own family makes it clear that he is a trustworthy man, in contrast to the image he adopts to betray his comrades. Although Kevin Spacey’s reputation is now tarnished, Kevin Spacey’s performance of Verbal is still excellent, making Verbal very sympathetic, right down to his villainous final scene.

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Reservoir Dog (1992)

Two men point guns at each other in Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Tarantino is a cinematic genius, and even in his film debut, his prodigious skills on paper and behind the scenes are outstanding. Like all of his later films, reservoir dog The main actors are morally ambiguous, even downright evil, but worth watching characters.

The smugglers in the film run an array of non-heroes, from the rather noble but still criminal Mr. White to the fierce and brutal Mr. Blonde, but none of them are anyone’s idea. anyone about a good person. While they’re filled with moments of witty banter and humanity, scenes like Blonde tormenting Officer Marvin Nash suggest that these men live in a dark world where evil rules.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990)

Portrait of serial killer Henry 1990

Michael Rooker is a beloved character actor with a film and television career spanning decades, but audiences are mostly familiar with his work. zombie And Guardians of the Galaxy I will have nightmares after watching Henry: Portrait of a serial killer.

Based on the confession of real-life killer Henry Lee Lucas, Henry: Portrait of a serial killer is a radical deconstruction of the popular Hollywood serial killer archetype. Henry is neither charming nor intelligent, but a sadistic thug who kills for no reason, even when his victims are innocent children.

An Orange Watch (1971)

by Stanley Kubrick orange watch Initially, the film caused great controversy due to its violent content, but gradually gained a cult following and is now considered a classic movie. Even fifty years later, orange watch Still a disturbing look at the psyche of an immoral proud young man and how society ruined him.

Alex DeLarge is as evil as the protagonist, a rapist obsessed with extreme violence who doesn’t care about those he destroys. However, Malcolm McDowell’s performance gives him some surprising layers, and the horror he experienced during Ludovico’s infamous treatment scene was enough to make audiences almost feel sorry for him. ta.

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Aces (1951)

Billy Wilder is one of Old Hollywood’s most versatile directors in terms of drama noir a trump card is one of his masterpieces. The film is at the forefront of portraying the fierce world of journalism, a world where everything will work out if it gets a good story.

Kirk Douglas ‘Chuck Tatum Almost Feels At Home In The ’50s sleepwalker, gleefully stalking the town, delaying the rescue of a man so he can continue reporting for personal gain. But unlike Lou Bloom, he finally has a conscience, and it’s poignant to see him break down when he realizes he’s killing someone.

Good Friends (1990)

Dude, Henry Hill broke all the rules of the mafia

Of all the films that focus on the criminal lifestyle, good guy Possibly the character that strikes the most important balance, even the silliest of characters can look funny without any of the romance that can leave the less imitators blank.

Few filmmakers can make gangster movies like Martin Scorsese, and Henry Hill is one of his most nuanced characters. He never kills and has a sincere love for his wife and daughter. While still a lying, playboy bandit who never really regretted being a gangster. The final scene, when Henry defends the witness complains he can’t live the high society life anymore, suggests that even people who aren’t really evil may not be interested in atonement when Crime is rewarded handsomely.

The Good, the Bad, the Bad (1966)

While no one has surpassed the iconic status of Clint Eastwood’s “The Man Without One” Blonde, Tuco is ultimately still the star of “The Man Without One.” The good, the bad and the ugly, if not more. Although the lovable villain played by Eli Wallach is a stubborn gangster with multiple convictions, he’s a very interesting character that delivers many of the film’s best lines.

Tuco is not only funny and charming, but his charm is more than his looks. One of the best scenes in the movie is when Tuco meets his brother and confides in him about how he became a criminal because he has no other choice, which gives him There are some surprising aspects to him that make him even more memorable.

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The Godfather (1972)

Vito Corleone Discusses Investing in Nevada With His Advisors in 'The Godfather'

New Hollywood’s timeless jewel and classic, Godfather was one of the most influential films of the 1970s, setting a new standard for gangster movies that few films could match. More than just a mafia story, it can also serve as a family story and a hero’s journey against evil, Corleone’s youngest son Michael is an example.

RELATED: 10 gangster movies, ranked from gripping to brutal

Ironically, for a movie loved by real gangsters, Godfather Ultimately portraying the mafia as a dirty industry, and despite Michael’s efforts to keep it clean, he can’t escape his duties. At the climax, with a series of brutal, obscene attacks aimed at the elite of New York City, he completely transformed into the role of the great villain and became more and more immersed in the plot. the second part.

Taxi Driver (1976)

Robert De Niro wears mohawk hair in 'Taxi Driver'

A lonely, depressed man slowly falls into the abyss of indulgence, taxi driverTravis Bickle is a complex and comprehensive character that is both sympathetic and terrifying at the same time. Compared to many of the other guards in the film, Bickle is clearly not a good person, and even his most “heroic” actions, like rescuing Iris, are shown to be horrible.

Still, it’s easy to see how traumatic his life was, and how his chronic decline makes it easy for anyone who has suffered from mental illness to empathize with him. This is a testament to the work of Scorsese, De Niro and writer Paul Schrader taxi driver Today, Bickle’s story still has the power to shock, disturb, and captivate.

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