Here's a draft for your spine-chilling movie villains countdown:
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**#Pennywise #Loki #Villains**
And they would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for... Welcome to WatchMojo.world, and today we’re counting down the most spine-chilling, reprehensible, and - in some cases - oddly likable movie villains of the 21st century thus far. Our countdown includes villains from movies like “No Country for Old Men”, “Star Wars”, “Training Day” and more! Which villains do you think have defined the century so far? Let us know in the comments.
### Top 10 Movie Villains of the 21st Century
**10. **Anton Chigurh - *No Country for Old Men* (2007)**
Javier Bardem’s chilling portrayal of the ruthless hitman Anton Chigurh is both terrifying and captivating, making him one of the most memorable villains of modern cinema.
**9. **Kylo Ren - *Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens* (2015)**
Adam Driver’s complex performance as Kylo Ren brought a new depth to the Star Wars villain, showcasing his struggle between the dark side and the light.
**8. **Alonzo Harris - *Training Day* (2001)**
Denzel Washington’s Oscar-winning performance as the corrupt LAPD officer Alonzo Harris is both charismatic and terrifying, making him a standout villain of the 21st century.
**7. **Loki - *The Avengers* (2012)**
Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki, the God of Mischief, has made him a fan-favorite villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, known for his charm and cunning.
**6. **Pennywise - *It* (2017)**
Bill Skarsgård’s terrifying performance as Pennywise the Dancing Clown brought Stephen King’s horror creation to life in a chilling and unforgettable way.
**5. **Joker - *The Dark Knight* (2008)**
Heath Ledger’s iconic performance as the Joker redefined the character, delivering a chaotic and menacing villain who left an indelible mark on superhero cinema.
**4. **Killmonger - *Black Panther* (2018)**
Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of Killmonger brought a depth and complexity to the character, making him a villain whose motivations were both relatable and tragic.
**3. **Thanos - *Avengers: Infinity War* (2018)**
Josh Brolin’s portrayal of Thanos, the Mad Titan, brought a sense of gravitas and menace to the character, making him one of the most formidable villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
**2. **Hans Landa - *Inglourious Basterds* (2009)**
Christoph Waltz’s Oscar-winning performance as Hans Landa, the cunning and ruthless SS officer, is both charming and terrifying, making him a standout villain of the 21st century.
**1. **Darth Vader - *Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith* (2005)**
While Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader began in the prequels, his full turn to the dark side in Episode III cemented his status as one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history.
Which villains do you think have defined the century so far? Let us know in the comments.
---
Feel free to adjust the list or add other villains
---
**#Pennywise #Loki #Villains**
And they would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for... Welcome to WatchMojo.world, and today we’re counting down the most spine-chilling, reprehensible, and - in some cases - oddly likable movie villains of the 21st century thus far. Our countdown includes villains from movies like “No Country for Old Men”, “Star Wars”, “Training Day” and more! Which villains do you think have defined the century so far? Let us know in the comments.
### Top 10 Movie Villains of the 21st Century
**10. **Anton Chigurh - *No Country for Old Men* (2007)**
Javier Bardem’s chilling portrayal of the ruthless hitman Anton Chigurh is both terrifying and captivating, making him one of the most memorable villains of modern cinema.
**9. **Kylo Ren - *Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens* (2015)**
Adam Driver’s complex performance as Kylo Ren brought a new depth to the Star Wars villain, showcasing his struggle between the dark side and the light.
**8. **Alonzo Harris - *Training Day* (2001)**
Denzel Washington’s Oscar-winning performance as the corrupt LAPD officer Alonzo Harris is both charismatic and terrifying, making him a standout villain of the 21st century.
**7. **Loki - *The Avengers* (2012)**
Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki, the God of Mischief, has made him a fan-favorite villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, known for his charm and cunning.
**6. **Pennywise - *It* (2017)**
Bill Skarsgård’s terrifying performance as Pennywise the Dancing Clown brought Stephen King’s horror creation to life in a chilling and unforgettable way.
**5. **Joker - *The Dark Knight* (2008)**
Heath Ledger’s iconic performance as the Joker redefined the character, delivering a chaotic and menacing villain who left an indelible mark on superhero cinema.
**4. **Killmonger - *Black Panther* (2018)**
Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of Killmonger brought a depth and complexity to the character, making him a villain whose motivations were both relatable and tragic.
**3. **Thanos - *Avengers: Infinity War* (2018)**
Josh Brolin’s portrayal of Thanos, the Mad Titan, brought a sense of gravitas and menace to the character, making him one of the most formidable villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
**2. **Hans Landa - *Inglourious Basterds* (2009)**
Christoph Waltz’s Oscar-winning performance as Hans Landa, the cunning and ruthless SS officer, is both charming and terrifying, making him a standout villain of the 21st century.
**1. **Darth Vader - *Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith* (2005)**
While Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader began in the prequels, his full turn to the dark side in Episode III cemented his status as one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history.
Which villains do you think have defined the century so far? Let us know in the comments.
---
Feel free to adjust the list or add other villains
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00I am your redeemer! It is by my hand you will rise from the ashes!
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down the most spine-chilling,
00:13reprehensible, and in some cases oddly likable movie villains of the 21st century thus far.
00:20We're leaving off animated villains because they could populate a whole other list.
00:25You could die, Joey.
00:2730. Raúl Silva – Skyfall
00:32Daniel Craig's tenure as James Bond arguably reached its creative apex with Skyfall,
00:38thanks in part to Javier Bardem's deliciously evil turn as Raúl Silva.
00:43Despite not arriving until around the 70-minute mark in a 143-minute film, Silva lights up the
00:50screen with such devious showmanship that he casts a shadow over the rest of the picture.
00:55Chasing spies? Oh, so old-fashioned.
00:59His winking devil persona effectively offsets Bond's poised demeanor.
01:03In this more grounded era of 007, Silva harkens back to the age of clever quips and colorful
01:10bad guys, yet he doesn't feel out of place in a grittier environment, complete with a grim backstory.
01:17Look at your work, my love.
01:21Prosthetics can conceal his warped face, but Silva's mind is beyond salvaging,
01:27clouded by revenge. Bardem simply sinks his teeth into the role.
01:32All this jumping and fighting, it's exhausting.
01:3629. The White Witch – The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
01:42Bringing C.S. Lewis's classic fantasy book into reality saw numerous challenges,
01:47but casting the villain was fairly easy. From the get-go,
01:51the filmmakers eyed Tilda Swinton for Jadis, a.k.a. the White Witch.
01:57Edmund! And how, Edmund, did you come to enter my dominion?
02:01Swinton immediately sends a chill throughout the theater as a cold, calculating villainess,
02:07whose heart is most certainly frozen over, assuming she has one to begin with.
02:12Well, I suppose you're not a total loss then.
02:16Despite her intense manner, the White Witch is a master of deception,
02:21putting on a warm, nurturing act when she needs to.
02:24In a story full of biblical parallels, Turkish delight is the forbidden fruit,
02:29and the White Witch is the snake ready to bite. Whether using reserved subtlety or stern authority,
02:35she'll make every hair on the back of your neck stick up.
02:39Think about whose side you're on, Edmund. Mine?
02:46Or theirs?
02:48Number 28. Megan. Megan.
02:51This film will have you laughing and jumping out of your seat simultaneously,
02:55through its titular killer doll alone.
02:57What are you?
02:59I've been asking myself that same question.
03:06Megan not only balances humor and horror,
03:09but the benefits and dangers of artificial intelligence as well.
03:13For much of the runtime, Megan is an infinitely more nurturing
03:16parental figure than Katie's aunt Gemma. Whether it's a tablet or a sophisticated robot, though,
03:22allowing a machine to raise a child is bound to have repercussions.
03:26Have I done something to upset you, Gemma?
03:29No, of course not.
03:30In Megan's case, she soon takes her objective too far.
03:34When she feels unappreciated by Katie, Megan's objective changes to self-preservation,
03:39and she isn't playing around anymore.
03:42For all the cheeky one-liners,
03:44Megan encompasses a cautionary tale for how quickly AI can turn on its creator.
03:49How could you do this? How could you kill someone?
03:53I didn't kill anyone, Kurt.
03:55Number 27. Magneto. The X-Men franchise.
03:59One could agree that Eric Lensherr is an anti-hero,
04:02especially considering where he started from.
04:05It takes a monster to make a monster, however.
04:08You must be Wolverine.
04:11That remarkable medal doesn't run through your entire body, does it?
04:16In his pursuit to bend the world into a better place for mutants,
04:20Magneto becomes what he claims to loathe.
04:22A fascist who views himself as a member of a master race,
04:26seeking to dominate those he considers to be less evolved.
04:30Who will you stand with? The humans or us?
04:35Since Magneto has spent most of his life being feared,
04:38it's only natural he'd use it as a weapon.
04:41Magneto also has charisma on his side,
04:44amassing a brotherhood of followers who share his mentality.
04:47While Magneto isn't beyond reason or empathy for some of his enemies,
04:51his unyielding prejudice and vengeful instincts continually bring him back to villainy.
04:56Charles always wanted to build bridges.
05:08Number 26.
05:09Howard Stambler.
05:1110 Cloverfield Lane.
05:13Few characters from this century kept us guessing like bunker dweller Howard Stambler.
05:18Is he a paranoid survivalist, a possessive villain, a complete lunatic or all of the above?
05:24What are you gonna do to me?
05:27I'm going to keep you alive.
05:31The fact that he's on this list might tip you in one direction,
05:34but even as the credits roll, Howard isn't easy to categorize.
05:38John Goodman wears many masks in a powerhouse performance,
05:42the most prominent being the antagonist.
05:44Even at his most well-intentioned, Howard frequently leaves you on edge,
05:49especially in a confined underground area.
05:52Crazy is building your arc after the flood has already come.
05:57There comes a point where you're better off taking your chances outside the bunker,
06:00assuming Howard will let you go.
06:03We wouldn't want him as an enemy,
06:04although we're not sure we'd want this wild card as an ally either.
06:09After I saved you and kept you safe, this is how you repay me.
06:14Number 25.
06:15Commodus, Gladiator.
06:18Joaquin Phoenix does an impeccable job
06:20molding Commodus into one of cinema's most slappable villains.
06:24Chances are, if you did slap him, he'd go down without much of a fight.
06:29Don't get too comfortable. I may call on you for a moment.
06:33Being the Roman emperor though, the consequences would be dire.
06:36Commodus is every bit as powerful as he is pathetic,
06:39which is largely what makes him so amusing to watch.
06:42Rome has changed.
06:44It takes an emperor to rule an empire.
06:47He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty,
06:49even when his own flesh and blood is on the receiving end.
06:52No amount of backstabbing will change the fact
06:55that he isn't worthy of the throne where Maximus should rightfully be.
06:59Commodus nonetheless puts himself on the highest of pedestals,
07:02seemingly beyond reach.
07:04Any pedestal can be knocked down, however.
07:06The taller, the harder the fall.
07:14Number 24. Vincent. Collateral.
07:17We're used to seeing Tom Cruise as an action hero,
07:20but Collateral reminds us he can be equally entrancing as a villain.
07:24Little is learned about the enigmatic Vincent, including his last name.
07:28You killed him?
07:30No, I shot him. Bullets in the fall killed him.
07:32All we need to know is that he's been tasked with taking out five targets,
07:36although his killing spree isn't limited to that number per se.
07:40This leaves cab driver Max on constant edge,
07:43as he's forced to drive Vincent from job to job.
07:46Okay.
07:47What are you talking about? Sure you can, man.
07:49It's fitting that Cruise is allowed to play against type,
07:52as Vincent doesn't immediately strike Max or the audience as a killer.
07:56The Silver Fox seems like such a charmer at first glance,
07:59but Vincent can switch gears with a sudden pull of a trigger.
08:07I'm not playing.
08:09Number 23. Frank Costello. The Departed.
08:12Jack Nicholson and Martin Scorsese are such an obvious pairing
08:16that one can only wonder why it took them so long to collaborate.
08:20We couldn't have asked for a more appropriate character to unite them than Frank Costello.
08:25School's out.
08:27Scorsese excels at crafting hot-headed criminals whose greed only matches their ambition.
08:32Likewise, Nicholson has practically built his career
08:35around playing menacing yet humorous characters.
08:38Although the role was tailor-made for him,
08:40Nicholson never veers into self-parody as Costello,
08:44turning in one of his most intimidating performances.
08:47Are you still a cop?
08:48No! No!
08:50Swear on your mother's grave you're still not a cop!
08:53Beyond money and power,
08:55Costello values his legacy with the hope that one of his protégés will keep his name alive.
09:00Unfortunately for Frank, he finds himself surrounded by rats.
09:04Of course, loyalty isn't one of Costello's strong suits either.
09:09You got something you wanna ask me?
09:1322. Captain Vidal
09:15Pan's Labyrinth
09:17If we were ranking this list purely based on how much we hated the villain,
09:20Captain Vidal would place even higher.
09:23There's nothing redeemable about this ruthless phalangist,
09:26other than the fact that he's played brilliantly by Sergi López.
09:35Aside from hunting the rebels in the area,
09:38Vidal only cares about his soon-to-be-born son.
09:41Even then, that's because his son is an extension of himself,
09:45and if he was having a daughter,
09:46Vidal would treat her with the same disdain he shows young Ophelia.
09:54For all the grotesque foes that Ophelia comes across,
09:57no character is more frightening than Vidal, who laughs in the face of mercy.
10:02When he isn't delighting in the torment he inflicts,
10:04he's indifferent to it, which is just as heartless.
10:1321. Davy Jones
10:15The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise
10:18Captain Barbossa returned from the grave as an ally,
10:21but Davy Jones more than filled the villain void.
10:24Long before his swashbuckling series,
10:26we had all heard the name Davy Jones.
10:29Do you not fear death?
10:33After he stormed onto the scene in Dead Man's Chest, though,
10:36it was as if we were being introduced to this legendary figure for the first time.
10:41Part of that can be attributed to his instantly recognizable design,
10:44brought to life through effects that are state-of-the-art years later.
10:50You will watch this.
10:52Behind the tentacle beard and motion capture technology
10:56is an arresting performance by Bill Nighy,
10:58who has a ball in the role while bringing a sense of dignity to Jones that commands respect.
11:04His face is the last anyone wants to confront on the seven seas.
11:1220. Bane
11:13The Dark Knight Rises
11:15No one cared who I was till I put on the mask.
11:18It was incredibly hard to follow up Heath Ledger's Joker,
11:21but Tom Hardy managed to do it with his brilliant portrayal of Bane.
11:25Hardy gained 30 pounds of muscle for the role,
11:28crafting a certifiable and physically imposing brute of a villain.
11:31It also helps that his physique and costume stayed within the realm of realism,
11:36as it allowed us to see Bane as a threatening revolutionary rather than a goofy comic book villain.
11:41Looking at you, Batman and Robin.
11:50And let's be honest, that mask and voice are now iconic.
11:53Who amongst us hasn't done the Bane voice at least once since 2012?
12:03Too bad about his crappy anticlimactic death, though.
12:0619. Terrence Fletcher
12:08Whiplash
12:09While our previous entry is a larger-than-life character,
12:13Terrence Fletcher is not.
12:14He's just a music teacher and conductor.
12:17He doesn't weave any diabolical plots or have ambitions of world domination.
12:21And that's part of what makes him such a standout villain.
12:24He's the sort of antagonist that any one of us could encounter
12:27in our own academic or professional careers.
12:33As Fletcher, J.K. Simmons plays a master emotional manipulator,
12:37preying on the vulnerability and ambitions of his students on his quest for musical perfection.
12:42He's cruel and violent, and yet he's fundamentally human and not without sentiment or honor.
12:48Like so many real-world villains, he doesn't see himself as one.
13:00We love a great villain protagonist, and Patrick Bateman is among the best of the best.
13:12Many academics and literary critics view Bateman as a social critique of consumer
13:17culture and capitalism.
13:19He's shallow, rooted in physical appearances and surface-level observations,
13:23and flaunts his materialistic wealth.
13:33Oh, and he's also an insatiable serial killer,
13:36a rather bloody but apt metaphor for the unquenchable hunger of consumerism.
13:48It's also a personal statement about the band itself.
13:52It works well on paper, and Christian Bale brings Bateman to a terrifying life for the movie.
13:57While other A-list actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt were considered for the role,
14:02we think Bale was a truly inspired bit of casting.
14:05He's just got that creepy look about him.
14:08You're my lawyer, so I think you should know I've killed a lot of people.
14:10Some escort girls in an apartment uptown,
14:13uh, some homeless people, maybe five or ten, um...
14:22It's not the first time we've said it, but the MCU, for all its strengths,
14:26has really struggled to bring compelling villains to the big screen.
14:30With Killmonger, however, they absolutely hit it out of the park.
14:33Black Panther was the first comic book superhero movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the
14:38Academy Awards, and while there were many contributing factors,
14:42Killmonger felt like a key part of the equation.
14:44I lived my entire life waiting for this moment.
14:47Played expertly by Michael B. Jordan, Killmonger is a fully fleshed-out villain
14:52who, despite his lethal methods, has relatable and sympathetic motivations.
14:56You will destroy the world, Wakanda included!
14:59The world took everything away from me! Everything I ever loved!
15:02He's a character with real emotional depth and a powerful backstory,
15:07and when you add that to his physicality,
15:09you've got a villain worthy of our hero in every regard.
15:12Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors that jumped from the ships,
15:17because they knew death was better than bondage.
15:25Sauron is certainly an imposing and terrifying figure,
15:28but you can't go wrong with Christopher Lee.
15:31J.R.R. Tolkien often pointed to Sauron to defend the criticism that
15:35the Lord of the Rings is too black and white in its characterizations.
15:38You do not seriously think that a hobbit could contend with the will of Sauron?
15:42And we have to agree.
15:44Sauron is a wonderful villain and a brilliant example of a tragic fall from heroism into villainy.
15:50He's the Gandalf that fell in with Sauron,
15:52the pure good who was swayed by the lore and promises of power,
15:55and the casting of Christopher Lee was genius.
15:58We couldn't imagine another actor better suited for the role,
16:01and we saw one of modern literature's most popular villains brought to vivid life through his genius.
16:16Picture this.
16:17You meet the girl of your dreams and everything seems to be going great.
16:20After a few months, she asks you to meet her parents, and you go along with it.
16:25The next thing you know, they're trying to sell your body to the highest bidder.
16:29The Armitage family is deeply racist.
16:31Take the term manipulative to sickening new heights,
16:34and can only be described as evil through and through.
16:36You can't stop the inevitable.
16:39And who knows?
16:41Maybe one day you'll enjoy being members of the family.
16:47Theaters saw no shortage of memorable villains over the last decade,
16:51but what really makes the Armitages stand out is that for all intents and purposes,
16:55they're just your average family next door.
16:57They pose as open-minded and progressive, but behind closed doors,
17:01they indulge in humanity's darkest, cruelest, and most selfish of impulses.
17:19Coba is arguably one of the most sympathetic movie villains of the century,
17:22and his character arc has been widely lauded by critics and fans alike.
17:27Love humans more than apes.
17:32Coba serves as the perfect foil to Caesar.
17:35Whereas Caesar is thoughtful and diplomatic,
17:37Coba is bloodthirsty and hell-bent on revenge.
17:40His character development is fluid and natural,
17:42and we understand how and why Coba became such a ruthless tyrant.
17:46It's easy to make a character like that one-dimensional,
17:49but the writing, direction, and Toby Cabell's wonderful mo-cap performance
17:53provides Coba a surprising amount of depth.
17:56He is a villain, but a tragic villain,
17:58and those always make for fascinating characters.
18:20Like Joaquin Phoenix,
18:21Leonardo DiCaprio is considered among the most talented actors of his generation.
18:25Who else could take a role like Jordan Belfort
18:28and simultaneously make him both reprehensible and so magnetically charming?
18:32As DiCaprio had already proven a year earlier, however,
18:36he's every bit as capable of turning off that charm.
18:47Playing against type as 19th century slave owner Calvin Candy,
18:51DiCaprio wholly commits to the sadistic, hate-filled, and thoroughly repulsive villain.
18:56His bigotry and racism know no bounds,
18:58but as detestable as Candy is,
19:01the manner, swagger, and quirks with which DiCaprio imbues the character
19:05makes him the sort of villain we love to hate.
19:07You do not have anything to drink.
19:08Can I get you a tasty refreshment?
19:11Yes, I'll have a beer.
19:12Wunderbar.
19:20The MCU was the biggest movie event of the 2010s,
19:23and Loki was at the heart of it.
19:25Well, for a while anyway.
19:26I am Loki of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose.
19:32Loki was first introduced in 2011's Thor,
19:36before transitioning to the series' main antagonist in The Avengers.
19:40Luckily, he's not just relegated to basic comic book villainy,
19:43as he goes through an interesting character arc
19:45and takes on more anti-heroic traits as the series progresses.
19:49Actor Tom Hiddleston has described Loki as a delusional autocrat
19:53and compares him to Edmund from King Lear,
19:56an apt description concerning his family lineage and immoral plots for power.
20:00Maybe we'll still be talking about Loki in 400 years' time?
20:04I won't touch Barton, not until I make him kill you.
20:08Slowly, intimately, in every way he knows you fear.
20:13And then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work.
20:16And when he screams, I'll split his skull.
20:22Police dramas and corrupt cop characters are a dime a dozen,
20:26but no movie has managed to do it quite like Training Day.
20:29Put your pants down.
20:32Come down.
20:34What's next you want?
20:34Alonzo Harris inhabits many of the corrupt police officer traits,
20:38including a preference for violence and a willingness to ignore standard and lawful procedures.
20:43You get the picture?
20:44But he also takes his immoral dealings further than any other,
20:48which includes robbing and murdering suspects,
20:50blackmailing his rookie partner with PCP-laced marijuana,
20:54and paying to have him killed.
20:56He is a horrible, hateful person,
20:58and Denzel Washington brings him to thrilling life,
21:00earning himself an Academy Award for his efforts.
21:03He's the corrupt cop to end all corrupt cops,
21:06and watching him scheme makes for tantalizing drama.
21:09King Kong ain't got shit on me!
21:1210. Pennywise – It and It Chapter 2
21:24It is a terrifying cosmic being who most commonly takes the form of a sinister clown.
21:29Need we say more?
21:30Okay.
21:31It is a shapeshifter and a reality manipulator,
21:34who knows how to appeal to the good-natured sympathies of children so that he can eat them,
21:38but only after seasoning their meat with fear.
21:41Well, though, down here.
21:43Yes, would you?
21:47We never dreamed that someone could hold a candle to Tim Curry's take on the titular terror,
21:52but Bill Skarsgård has turned in the performance of a lifetime
21:55to make a whole new generation of cinemagoers terrified of this monstrous villain.
22:00The horror genre isn't short on horrific creatures,
22:03but with his unique quirks and the clear joy he takes in his work,
22:06Pennywise is cut from a different cloth.
22:089. Amy – Gone Girl
22:15There are so many ways in which this film could have gone wrong.
22:18The manipulative, crazy woman is a tired trope,
22:21and often serves as a lazy stand-in for actual character development.
22:25Amy checks a lot of the boxes traditionally associated with this archetype,
22:29but she's anything but two-dimensional.
22:31I've killed for you. Who else can say that?
22:35Despite all the mystery initially surrounding Amy's disappearance,
22:38this film takes us deep inside her mind,
22:41inviting us to understand what makes this character tick.
22:44The fact that she's an unreliable narrator only adds to her appeal.
22:48Start with the fairy tale early days. Those are true, and they're crucial.
22:52You want Nick and Amy to be likable. After that, you invent.
22:57Conniving, unflinching, and brilliant,
23:00Amy is a villain worthy of a greater hero than she ever faces,
23:03and so in the end, she wins.
23:06This is undeniably Rosamund Pike's career-defining role.
23:09When two people love each other and can't make that work, that's the real tragedy.
23:148. Kylo Ren – The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
23:18Show me again the power of the darkness.
23:22No one will ever top Darth Vader in terms of iconic Star Wars villains,
23:26but since he only made a brief, albeit badass, cameo in Rogue One,
23:30it would feel like cheating to include him on this list.
23:32In Kylo Ren, however, Vader has a worthy heir and successor.
23:37There's too much Vader in him.
23:38Ben Solo feels like Vader's internal struggle
23:40between the dark and light sides of the Force personified.
23:43He's a slave to his emotions, both positive and negative.
23:47In many ways, he feels like the sort of complex,
23:49tortured character that George Lucas was trying to craft
23:52with Anakin Skywalker in the prequels.
23:55No.
24:03A powerful Force user, played with nuance by Adam Driver,
24:08Kylo Ren does the franchise proud without feeling like a retread of old ground.
24:12The Sith, the Jedi, the Rebels, let it all die.
24:177. Bill the Butcher – Gangs of New York
24:21We didn't think Daniel Day-Lewis could be scary,
24:23but Gangs of New York proved us wrong.
24:26Somebody steals from me, I cut off his hands.
24:29He offends me, I cut out his tongue.
24:32He rises against me, I cut off his head sticking on a pike.
24:36This movie was considered a disappointment by some,
24:39but even its most ardent critics agreed that Bill the Butcher
24:42made for an intriguing and relentlessly terrifying villain.
24:45Bill is the leader of the Natives, an aggressively patriotic New York gang
24:49opposed to immigration and willing to kill for their true American values.
24:53To defeat my enemy, I extinguish his life and consume him as I consume these flames.
25:01The story takes place in the mid-19th century, but is proving eerily topical,
25:05especially in today's turbulent and tribalist political atmosphere.
25:09Bill is a brilliantly written and brilliantly performed character
25:12who transcends his story to say something larger about America and democracy.
25:17Now you're tasting my mutton, how do you like it, huh?
25:206. Arthur Fleck – The Joker – Joker
25:23When you bring me out, can you introduce me as Joker?
25:27The Joker is one of the most iconic villains of any medium.
25:30With this film, he proved that he doesn't need Batman to maintain that status.
25:35Though 2019's Joker had its detractors,
25:38few critics could find fault with Joaquin Phoenix's brilliant performance.
25:42You don't listen, do you?
25:43Now, mental illness is a tough subject to tackle,
25:46especially when the character in question is supposed to be a villain.
25:49There's always a fear of demonizing mental illness.
25:51When I was a little boy and told people I was gonna be a comedian, everyone laughed at me.
25:57But Phoenix and director Todd Phillips did a solid job of making this character at once
26:02sympathetic and someone who lives up to his villainous legacy.
26:05When Arthur Fleck gives in to his worst inclinations and embraces his Joker persona,
26:10he becomes an agent of chaos and evil, and an unforgettable one at that.
26:165. Voldemort – The Harry Potter Franchise
26:23Before he was brought to the big screen,
26:25Voldemort had already been established as one of the greatest villains in modern literature.
26:30As such, the risk of the live-action interpretation of the character
26:33falling short of fan expectations was incredibly high.
26:37But Ralph Fiennes pulls it off magnificently.
26:40From this day forth, you put your faith in me.
26:46For many fans, it was as if the Dark Lord had stepped right off of the page and onto the screen.
26:51In the final installment of this epic series,
26:54Fiennes holds nothing back, fully inhabiting the role.
26:57His Voldemort is cruel and imposing.
26:59There's danger behind every word he delivers, an inherent volatility that's terrifying to behold.
27:11And yet, he's also charismatic in a way that makes you understand how he's seduced so many to his side.
27:174. Anton Chigurh – No Country for Old Men
27:21Cormac McCarthy plus Coen Brothers equals glorious movie magic.
27:31On the surface, Chigurh is a hitman who was hired to retrieve a suitcase full of cash.
27:36But this being Cormac McCarthy, there is far more to Chigurh than these surface-level observations.
27:41Speculation abounds regarding Chigurh's thematic relevance and his relation to concepts of fate,
27:47death, morality, and justice.
27:49Of course, he's also super entertaining.
27:58He carries some bizarre weapons, has a really goofy haircut,
28:02and has the skills of an unstoppable Terminator.
28:05It's very difficult to bring a McCarthy villain to life,
28:07but the Coen Brothers and Javier Bardem manage to pull it off with aplomb.
28:11We're still shuddering over that gas station scene.
28:193. Hans Landa – Inglourious Bastards
28:27Quentin Tarantino has crafted some captivating characters throughout his career,
28:31but Hans Landa might be one of the greatest of them all.
28:37He's the very personification of evil itself.
28:40Unrelenting, unstoppable, but worst of all, alluring and personable.
28:44It's this mesmerizing dichotomy between pure inner evil and foe-friendly exterior
28:49that makes Landa such a tantalizing villain.
28:52And actor Christoph Waltz pulls off the impossible by making Landa terrifying and charismatic,
28:58effortlessly interesting yet unspeakably cruel.
29:01The first farm scene alone is a masterclass in both acting and writing,
29:06and we truly believe that Landa will go down in history as one of film's most memorable villains.
29:15Landa's forehead swastika may be Aldo's masterpiece, but Landa is Tarantino's.
29:312. Thanos – Avengers Infinity War
29:34Like many of history's greatest villains,
29:36he firmly believes that his devastating methods are entirely justifiable from a
29:41utilitarian standpoint. He's the hero of his own story.
29:49Thanos is a formidable physical threat, but his greatest strength is his unflinching resolve.
29:54A complex and charismatic villain, Thanos raised the bar in multiple ways.
29:59The MCU is the most ambitious world-building ever seen in film,
30:04and after looming over it for years, Thanos shook this universe to its core.
30:11He's a villain without precedent,
30:14whose status is further elevated by the magnitude of the cinematic event in which he appeared.
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30:361. Society – Joker
30:43We truly do live in a society. Okay, but seriously?
30:471. The Joker – The Dark Knight
30:50And while Society created the Joker, nothing can top the Joker himself.
31:02While Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck is fantastic,
31:04we don't think anything can top Heath Ledger's timeless performance in The Dark Knight.
31:14Ledger's casting caused some initial controversy and doubt,
31:17but he silenced the haters with an enthralling performance unlike anything
31:21seen in comic book movies at the time. Ledger's astounding performance,
31:32the complex writing, and the Joker's embodiment of anarchy and disorder
31:35helped elevate The Dark Knight above traditional superhero fare.
31:39All Jokers will forever be measured against Ledger's, and we don't think any will top it.
31:47It's a legendary performance of a legendary character in a legendary movie.
31:57Which villains do you think have defined the century so far?
32:01Let us know in the comments.
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