Matt’s Top 10 Film Antagonists
These are the characters that do everything they can in to thwart the protagonist’s plans. They are the ones we root against (or sometimes root for), and absolutely enjoy watching them lose in the end. Sometimes the antagonist isn’t necessarily a bad guy, but someone with different ideals or a different plan that happens to conflict with the protagonist. Some of Hollywood’s greatest performances have come from the antagonistic characters of our favorite films. They sometimes are the best parts of a film when the film isn’t all that special to begin with.
Today, I will be talking about my favorite antagonists in films. This list was very difficult for me to create. There are too many bad guys out there that I love, so it took me awhile to compile this list. This was originally going to be a Top 25, but I decided against that very quickly. I’ll make sure to put a short list of honorable mentions at the end, but until then here are my Top 10 Film Antagonists!
#10. Agent Smith – The Matrix Trilogy
While the latter films were very disappointing, there’s no doubt that Hugo Weaving’s performance as Agent Smith was one of the trilogy’s redeeming factors. His intellect, dialect, and overall evil nature made him a force to be reckoned with, always inducing fear and tension throughout the trilogy. Even though he dresses like all the other agents, his stature and presence always seem to send a slight shiver up your spine, especially during the interrogation scene in the first “Matrix” film. If you’ve never seen any of these films, I highly recommend checking them all out. You’ll love the first, roll your eyes at the second, and hate the third, but you’ll enjoy Agent Smith through them all.
#9. Aaron & Roy – Primal Fear
This is the performance that solidified Edward Norton’s career, in my opinion. It’s tough to live inside the body of one character, which many actors work their whole lives in order to achieve. But it’s even more difficult to live inside two characters at the same time. Ed Norton does it in excellent fashion here. With Aaron being the abused alter boy and Roy being the psychotic, this film is the perfect example of Norton’s range as an actor. All the production companies and directors needed to do was watch this film, and they would immediately understand how reliable and talented a young Ed Norton was. I believe many of them did, and that’s why we’ve seen Norton grow into one of the industry’s most popular actors. His performance is so convincing and haunting in “Primal Fear” that the twist at the end will throw you for a complete loop.
#8. Colonel Fitts – American Beauty
This character isn’t necessarily a bad guy, but his internal struggles and obsessive personality turn him into an abusive/controlling father by the end of the film. “American Beauty” might have won best picture and Kevin Spacey might have won best actor, but Chris Cooper deserves an Oscar for this performance. Cooper makes you hate Fitts, of course, but you’ll also understand that he’s a father who loves his family and only wants his son to live the best life. It induces a feeling of conflict within the audience. As you watch the film, you do everything you can to hate the character, but in the end you love Cooper’s performance and his character arc, creating your very own internal struggle.
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#7. Scar – The Lion King
This one is a no-brainer for me, and it probably is for most of the people who grew up in the early 90s. Scar has always been a symbol of antagonism. He’s the perfect bad guy for a perfectly crafted story. “The Lion King” is one of the best films ever made, and Scar is one of the main reasons for that title. He never stops getting in the way of the protagonist, and he never stops being evil. Add in Jeremy Irons’ wonderful voice performance, and you’ve got the perfect concoction of elements that creates a pure bad guy.
#6. Michael Myers – The Halloween Series
Jason, Freddy, Leather-face, Ghost-face, and Chucky are all wonderful serial killers and villains (in Film), but Michael takes the cake for me. He’s the only one of the famous Cinema Serial Killers that ever actually frightened me as a child and as an adult. Jason, with his machete, kind of ran his course by the time I was 14. Freddy is just a great villain to me, now. Leather-face is just a troubled individual with a chainsaw. Michael is… different. He’s the epitome of evil and Hell rolled into one jump suit and William Shatner mask. The long shots of Michael in “Halloween” still give me goosebumps and heart tremors to this day. His eerie presence and unforgiving nature have terrorized teenagers and cops for years. Even if the latter films were lackluster and forgettable, Michael was always Michael – scary, methodical, and poetic. I’ll never forget Michael Myers for as long as I live. He taught me a lot about horror films and villains in general, and he’s one of the main reasons I fell in love with this art form. His knife, mask, walk, and famous theme song make him a timeless antagonistic force.
#5. Magua – The Last of the Mohicans
Whew. Okay, if you’ve never seen this film, it isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s violent, realistic, and haunting. Not to mention, it has a wonderful villain. With a mind full of vengeance and violence, Magua makes your adrenaline pump and heart patter every time he steps on screen. There’s one particular scene that pretty much sums up Magua’s evil nature. It’s when he cuts out the heart of his most hated advisory, Colonel Munro. It’s not the fact that he kills the man, but it’s the way he does it, all while telling him that he plans on killing his daughters and wiping his seed from the earth. That’s just one scene. You should go watch the rest of the film. Haunting, malicious and malign are only a few words to describe Magua. The character might be memorable in the novel, but Wes Studi brought this character to life, creating one of cinema’s ultimate bad guys.
#4. Captain Vidal – Pan’s Labyrinth
“Pan’s Labyrinth” is my favorite Guillermo del Toro film, but it’s also one of my favorite stories, in general. Mixing fairy tale with the last remnants of the Spanish Civil War, you get an evocative and troubled tale of family, love, and sorrow. This film really has everything when it comes to defining the mastery of the filmmaking craft. One of those elements is the performance del Toro got out of Sergi López. Within the first five minutes of the film, you perfectly understand Captain Vidal’s villainous nature. His character doesn’t slow down throughout the rest of the film, rarely giving any kind of empathy for the audience to work with. I recommend “Pan’s Labyrinth” to anyone who hasn’t seen it, but I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see an incredible villain who induces pain, misery, and atrocity in excellent fashion.
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#3. The Joker – The Dark Knight
The Joker has always been my favorite comic book villain. Mark Hamill has done a wonderful job creating The Joker for the Batman animated series and video games, but Heath Ledger had the most groundbreaking performance in 2008. He took a beloved character and turned him into something new, different, and even more sinister, all while keeping the same troupes and antics of the villain we’ve all come to love. I’ve heard many people say they don’t want to watch any of the “Batman” films or televisions shows. That’s fine, if that’s what you wish. But I demand everyone watch “The Dark Knight.” It’s a near-perfect film, and Heath Ledger’s Joker commands the screen. If there were a list of “Ultimate Bad Guys” in film history, this iteration of The Joker would be in the Top 5; no doubt about it.
#2. Darth Vader – The Star Wars Films
Here’s another “Ultimate Bad Guy.” First things first, if James Earl Jones never did the voice of Darth Vader, the cloaked villain would’ve never been the methodic and well-spoken villain we’ve all come to love. Vader is evil and does many terrible things throughout the original Star Wars trilogy, but it’s his character arc I enjoy the most. While he’s just a typical antagonist in “A New Hope,” Darth Vader slowly burns the empathy candle during “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” He goes from the main antagonist to a man who only wants to save his son. It’s one of the most rewarding character arcs in film history, and it all comes to a sorrowful and painful end. Darth Vader taught me that villains could be bad and good, allowing me to understand the definition of empathy. Yes, he will forever be the bad guy of “Star Wars,” but he’s also an amazing character.
#1. Ace Merrill – Stand By Me
This is Kiefer Sutherlands’ best performance. Yes, he’s made a name for himself in the entertainment industry after years of memorable roles, but nothing beats Ace Merrill. He may not be in “Stand By Me” a lot, but he’s the main antagonistic force that is always lurking in the background. He commands the screen during every scene he’s in, even when he’s being a soft-spoken jerk. The final scene between him, Gordy and Chris is still one of my favorite scenes. It’s a scene full of talent and tension that makes it hard for your heart not to jump, especially when Ace flips open his knife. That scene would’ve been nothing if someone else played Ace and if director Rob Reiner didn’t take the time to introduce the audience to this wonderful antagonist. Some may believe “Stand By Me” is boring and slow, but you cannot argue about Ace Merrill. He is a villain. He is an antagonist. He is what fills the film’s world with wickedness and cruelty.
Honorable Mentions
Col. William Lavington – The Patriot
Elijah Price – Unbreakable
Tommy Conlon – Warrior
The Mist – The Mist
Jack Torrance – The Shining
Frank Costello – The Departed
Alec Trevelyan – GoldenEye
Don’t forget to check out Matt’s Top 10 Protagonists!