Top 10 Movie Villains: Part 3 (Final)

The final part of my Top 10 Movie Villains list is here. If you missed the previous parts you can click here for part 1 and here for part 2.

3: The Joker (The Dark Knight)

Quote: "You wanna know how I got these scars?"

How could Heath Ledger's Joker not make the list? Anyone who does not include him in the Top 10 would effectively be lynched by the internet! With that said, there is no denying that The Joker is a legendary film villain. Ledger’s performance is the highlight of The Dark Knight. For me personally, he is at least 90% of the reason The Dark Knight is entertaining to watch. Christian Bale's Batman is fine, but Ledger steals every scene he is in. My only minor issue with the Joker is that he is more of an antagonistic force opposed to a fully fleshed out character, and that definitely works perfectly for what the film required. 

2: Loki (Marvel)

Quote: "All humans crave subjugation."

Despite the fangirl raving, Loki is an incredibly complex character with well developed motivations and understandable actions. Starting with his first appearance in Thor, many viewers not familiar with the comics were apparently surprised that Loki turned out to be the villain in the film. In the comics, Loki was always present but rarely as memorable as Marvel's other villains, and after his appearance in The Avengers, Loki turned from a mid-tier Marvel villain to one of the most popular characters. In fact, I would go as far to say that the film version of Loki is better than the one in the comics at that time, or at least the ones I read (which were not many with him in it). Tom Hiddleston changed the character's image from a trickster into a tragic and likable villain that is still ultimately villainous. Loki is not just a compelling villain, but a well crafted character with just as much development as many protagonist, something rarely seen in film villains. Before anyone makes the argument that Loki is becoming more of an anti-hero than a villain, remember, his seemingly heroic actions in The Dark World *Spoilers* were ultimately to enact his plan to take the throne of Asgard from Odin. *End Spoilers* However, he can still be considered a "tragic villain." 

1: Darth Vader

Quote: "You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me."

Could there be any other? Along with the Joker, Death Vader is easily the most iconic villain in the history of media. Whether or not Anakin in the prequels counts as Vader is debatable, but to me, Darth Vader is James Earl Jones voicing someone in the iconic suit, or at least after Anakin was dubbed Vader by Palpatine. In Star Wars (1977), Vader's entrance is unforgettable, and arguably the best villain introduction. At first, Vader served as the imposing antagonist against our lovable heroes. While his past is hinted at the first film, even more is revealed until the ultimate plot twist is revealed. (If, for whatever insane reason you do not know what the twist in Empire Strike Back is, continue to the comment section.) Darth Vader is Luke's father, and the entire dynamic of the character changes, which all comes together with his ultimate redemption in Return of the Jedi. Darth Vader is not just my favorite villain; he is always vying for number one spot as my favorite character of all-time. 

Who are your favorite movie villains? What do you think of my top picks? Please comment below and let me know! 

• Top 10 Movie Villains: Part 1
• Top 10 Movie Villains: Part 2

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 10 Movie Villains: Part 2

My Top 10 Movie Villains list continues with several more entries in the list! If you missed it, you can check out the first part of the list by clicking here.

7: Agent Smith

Quote: "You hear that Mr. Anderson?... That is the sound of inevitability... It is the sound of your death... Goodbye, Mr. Anderson..."

Played by the always entertaining Hugo Weaving, Agent Smith from the Matrix is a truly menacing antagonist. Seemingly unkillable at first, Agent Smith is the perfect opposing force against Neo and the others. He serves to challenge the hero and force him to overcome, and that is exactly what a great villain needs to be. Despite the Matrix sequels being, well, rather disappointing to say the least, Weaving as Smith continued to be an entertaining antagonist to watch.

6: T-1000 (T2: Judgement Day)

Quote: "Just need to ask him a few questions."

For me, it was a real tossup between the T-800 in the first film and the T-1000. Part of me wants to give it to the T-800, but my opinion is bias due to the T-800 being such a great hero in the second film, so I gave it to the T-1000. Regardless, the T-1000 is a revolutionary antagonist for the special effects industry, just like the next villain. While he is more of a force of destruction rather than a fleshed out character, he is a perfect example of how to make the antagonist such an unstoppable force that the heroes must struggle to defeat him.

5:  Gollum/Sméagol (LOTR)

Quote: "We wants it, we needs it, must have the precious"

Whether or not Gollum/Sméagol is a true villain might be debatable, but to me, he is one of the most complex and intriguing ones in film. He is a tragic villain, who is not entirely in control of his own actions due to the One Ring's overwhelming power. Andy Serkis' motion capture performance revolutionized filmmaking by proving that motion capture is a valid form of acting, and he continues to deliver groundbreaking performances in his current films. 

4: Magneto

Quote: "Does it ever wake you in the middle of the night? The feeling that one day they will pass that foolish law or one just like it, and come for you? And your children?"

Whether you include Ian McKellen or Michael Fassbender's role as the character, Magneto is a timeless villain. Magneto should be ranked above the character that next on the list (which you will see in the next post) because he is a far more complex and well developed character, but due to Magneto being more of an anti-hero, especially in the last two films, he is ranked at number four. With that out of the way, Magneto is an intriguing antagonist due to his motives not always being straightforward. You never know what his true intentions are until his plan unfolds, and yet his ultimate goals are not always wrong, but rather he is going about them in the wrong way.

What do you think of my list thus far? Please comment below and check back next week for the final part of the list.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 10 Movie Villains: Part 1

Who doesn't love a good villain? Without them who would give our heroes a reason for being? In the words of Ledger's Joker referring to Batman, "You complete me." A truly great and timeless villain challenges the hero; he knocks him down and forces him to overcome, despite the odds. A villain can be the hero's physical equal that challenges the hero with brute force or an intellectual mastermind pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Often times the villain can be the most fascinating character in a story, and it is those types of villains that become timeless. However, while constructing this list, I discovered that there are not as many truly great villains in the medium of film as one might think. Many classic villains are almost forces of nature bent on killing or destroying, like the Shark in Jaws or the Xenomorph in Alien, and while those are effective antagonists for what the film requires, my favorite villains are the ones with depth that make more than a simple opposing force. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, some of which are in this list. My criteria for this list are that the character must be featured in a film, the villain must be humanoid in appearance (monsters will have their own list), and my rankings are only including their appearances in film, not novels, television, ect. Antagonists who are anti-heroes to a degree still count since they are often the most complex and intriguing. Lastly, only one villains per franchise, although Fox's X-Men and Disney’s MCU count as two different franchises. Now, to quote the Joker: "And here we go!" 

10: Doctor Octopus (Spider-Man 2)

Quote: "Still the naive little Spider!"

Potentially an unpopular choice, Doctor Octopus is one of my favorite tragic villains. After a failed science experiment, mechanical arms with a malfunctioning microchip are graphed to Doctor Otto Octavius, thus driving him to madness. A central theme of Spider-Man 2 is about overcoming your inner struggles and Doctor Octopus' character arc reflects Spider-Man's journey in the film. Sure, very few others will agree with my choice, but he is a personal favorite of mine.

9: Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Quote: "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."

Some readers might wonder why Lector is not higher on the list, and while he is an undeniably classic villain, based on my experience with The Silence of the Lambs, he is not actually the main antagonist, despite being the best part of the film. With that said, Hannibal Lecter is exactly the type of intellectual antagonist that I enjoy watching. He manipulates the protagonist, Clarice Starling, in a way that does not make her seem gullible, to obtain what he desires. Everything in his plan falls into place in a way that is more believable than many other villains’ escapes.

8: Mrs. Bates

Quote: "We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes"

Often considered the first slasher film, Psycho is a classic masterpiece of suspense and thrills, and the antagonist, Mrs. Bates is one of the first film characters to show true insanity. If you have not seen the film, be sure to skip ahead because spoilers for the film are incoming. *Spoilers* If you have seen the film, you know that Norman Bates is the actual antagonist, and as to not spoil the classic twists, I included a misleading name. Anthony Perkins allows the audience a glimpse into the disturbed mind of Norman Bates with just his delivery of dialogue and mannerisms. I even wrote a paper comparing Psycho to a short-story I read for my college writing course. *End Spoilers* 

What do you think of my choices? Please comment below and let me know.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

The Votes are in for Your Top 10 Movie Villians and More...

The Winner is......

Darth Vader!!!!!!!

With 7 Votes!!

Tied for Second place Emperor Palpatine and Saruman with 6 votes.

Boba Fett, Witch King and Saron are tied with 4 votes.

Dath Maul has 3 votes.

Others tied with 2 votes.

Survivor South Pacific starts tonight.

Top 25 Best Movie Villains.

The poll is still open to vote on your Top Favorte Movie Villains Click here to vote if you have not already.

The requirements for our list are that the villain is the antagonist of the movie that the character was in and the character has to be in a movie example Cad Bane does not count because he has not been in an movie.

At Number 25: Dr. No

Played by: Joseph Wiseman

Movies: Dr. No

Quote: "One million dollars, Mr. Bond. You were wondering what it cost."

At Number 24: Saruman

Played by: Christopher Lee

Movies: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Quote: "I gave you the chance of aiding me willingly, but you have elected the way of pain."

At Number 23: Jabba the Hut

Movies:Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Quote:"This bounty hunter is my kind of scum. Fearless and inventive"

At Number 22: Professor Moriarty

Played by: Richard Roxburgh, Many others

Movies: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, various Sherlock Holmes movies

Quote: "A deadline has a wonderful way of concentrating the mind."

At Number 21: Captain Barbossa

Played by: Geoffrey Rush

Movies: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Quote: "Perhaps you'll conjure up another miraculous escape, but I doubt it. Off you go."

At Number 20: Red Skull

Played by: Hugo Weaving

Quote: "I did not come this far, doctor, out of security!"

Movies: Captain America: The First Avenger

At Number 19: Gollum/Smeagol

Played by: Andy Serkis

Movies: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Quotes: "We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. They stole it from us. Sneaky little hobbitses. Wicked, tricksy, false!"

At Number 18: Jaws (The Shark)

Movie: Jaws

At Number 17: Odd Job

Played by: Harold Sakata

Movies: Goldfinger

At Number 16: Witch King

Movies: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

At Number 15: Count Dooku

Played by: Christopher Lee

Movies: Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Quote: "That was brave, boy, but foolish. I would have thought you'd have learned your lesson."

At Number 14: Jaws(person)

Played by: Richard Kiel

Movies: The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker

No, he is not the shark but he is the villain in James Bond movies.

At Number 13: Ernst Stavro Blofeld

Played by: various actors

Movies: various James Bond movies.

Quote: "The firing power inside my crater is enough to annihilate a small army. You can watch it all on TV. It's the last program you're likely to see."

At Number 12: Green Goblin

Played by: Willem Dafoe

Movies: Spider-Man

Quote: "Think about it, hero!"

At Number 11: T-1000 Terminator

Played by:

Movies: Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Quote: "   Just need to ask him a few questions."

At Number 10: Sauron

Movies: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

At Number 9: Darth Maul

Played by: Ray Park

Movies: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Quote: "I've killed your master and now it is your turn to die, young Jedi!"

At Number 8: Doctor Octopus

Played by: Alfred Molina

Movies: Spider-Man 2

Quote:

At Number 7: T-800 Terminator

Played by: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Movies: Terminator,

Quote: "I'll be back"

At Number 6: Boba Fett

Played by: Jeremy Bulloch

Movies: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Quote: Quotes: "Put Captain Solo in the cargo hold.",

"What if he doesn't survive? He's worth a lot to me.",

"He's no good to me dead."

At Number 5: Emperor Palpatine

Played by: Ian McDiarmid

Movies: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

 Quote: "I have forseen it"

At Number 4: Auric Goldfinger

Played by: Gert Fröbe

Movies: Goldfinger

Quote: "No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die."

At Number 3: Agent Smith

Played by: Hugo Weaving

Movies: The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions

Quote: "Hello Mr. Anderson"

At Number 2:

Played by: Ian McKellen

Movies: X-Men, X2, X-Men: The Last Stand

Quote: "Does it ever wake you in the middle of the night? The feeling that one day they will pass that foolish law or one just like it, and come for you? And your children?"

At Number 1: Darth Vader

Played by: James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Sebastian Shaw, Hayden Christensen

Movies: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Quote: "I find your lack of faith disturbing.","No. I am your father."

Did you really think we would pick any one else. His tragic fall and ultimate redemption make him the most fascinating character in any movie ever. In fact, when one watches all six films, it becomes apparent that the series is more about Vader's redemption than Luke's ascension.

Please post a comment and tell what you think of the list.

Click here to see JediKnightGrl's at A Dreamer's Galaxy Top 20 Movie Villains.

What are Your Top 10 Favorite Movie Villains.

Please post a comment and tell us what is your Top 10 Favorite Movie Villains. You can choose any character from any movie as long as that character is considered the antagonist of the movie. We will revel the results of the poll on Wednesday 9/14 or when most of our followers have voted.  The battle begins who will win? Please tell us what you think of our new header.