In my last post I gave my pick for the top 25 movie villains, now comes the second entry in my trilogy of posts dedicated to some of cinemas greatest characters, this time focusing on antiheroes. There are several characters in cinema that neither fit into the hero nor villain category, they are generally too flawed to be a hero yet have enough good qualities to distinguish them from villains. These are the antiheroes and are generally heroes with flaws or villainous characters who act as a protagonist. So without further ado, here is my list of my top 15 movie antiheroes. Warning, it will contain spoilers.
15. The Devil's Rejects- The Devil's Rejects
Okay I am aware that there are three characters here but I'm bending the rules a bit to count it as one entry, this sadistic trio consisting of Otis Driftwood (Bill Moseley), Baby Firefly (Sheri Moon Zombie) and Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) terrorised the Texas backwoods with their evil ways prompting the authorities to hunt them down. First introduced as the antagonists of Rob Zombies House of 1000 Corpses, they were brought back for his sequel The Devil's Rejects where they were portrayed more as antiheroes as opposed to villains. Don't get me wrong, they still do some pretty sick stuff like murdering and mutilating but somehow Zombie manages to make these psychos likable and we actually feel for them in the final scene of the film where they meet their demise at the hands of the law. They're humorous and have good chemistry together, they might be maniacs but they're lovable maniacs.
14. Marv- Sin City
There are many citizens of Basin City that I could have chosen for this list, but Marv (Mickey Rourke) has to be the coolest and most memorable of them all. Based on the character created by Frank Miller, he is a hulking figure with a scarred face and chiseled jaw, Marv is an imposing character and has immense strength, on top of that he is also a skilled fighter making him a very powerful force. He is framed for the murder of Goldie (Jaime King), a prostitute with whom he had relations, which leads him to set out and find the real culprit by using any means necessary. He does not shy away when it comes to violence and will inflict it upon anybody who gets in his way, he is also slightly unstable which makes him all the more imposing as the cannibalistic Kavin (Elijah Wood) found out. Although he is violent and extremely unhinged Marv is not a bad guy, his methods are simply questionable in some cases.
13. Rorschach- Watchmen
Superheroes have various views on morality, many of them believe in justice and that killing should be avoided at all times, Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) does not. Based on the character created by Alan Moore, Rorschach was a member of The Watchmen and began investigating the murders of masked heroes years after the team disbanded. He is ruthless in his ways, he has no remorse for his enemies and has developed a profound hatred for criminals after several horrific incidents in his life. He is completely committed to getting to the bottom of the mysterious string of murders, jotting down all of his finds in his journal, and despite his tough demeanour, he seems to care about his former teammates. He is one of the most prominent protagonists in the ensemble of heroes in Watchmen and is willing to kill anybody who tries to foil his investigation.
12. Frankenstein's Monster- Frankenstein franchise (Universal)
The character of Frankenstein's monster has had countless onscreen adaptations, sometimes he is the villain while sometimes he is merely misunderstood. In the case of his portrayal by Boris Karloff in Universal Studios' Frankenstein and its subsequent sequels, he is the latter. Resurrected by the ambitious Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive), Karloff's monster is a sympathetic character who is only beginning to understand how the world works. He is timid and only becomes violent when provoked, he is also curious and seems to appreciate simple things in the same way a child would. However, he is misguided and has not yet developed a real sense of logic which is seen when he throws a young girl into a lake believing that she will float. Of course the local villagers don't take too kind to him and desperately try to hunt him down and kill him, but Frankenstein's monster is the real victim who simply needed time to learn how the world works.
11. Machete Cortez- Machete franchise.
I am still unsure if Machete from Spy Kids and the eponymous badass from Machete are the same character as they are both portrayed by Danny Trejo and both franchises are directed by Robert Rodriguez, but this entry goes out to the latter. Machete Cortez is a former Mexican Federale who becomes a hired hand of sorts after the murder of his family. After he is set up by a corrupt businessman (Jeff Fahey), Machete seeks revenge when he discovers that the businessman was in league with his wifes killer Rogelio Torrez (Steven Seagal). Machete is a total badass and a Hispanic Chuck Norris of sorts, armed with his signature machetes he is a skilled fighter with a thirst for violence. He also seems to be popular with the ladies as he is seen with countless women over the course of both Machete films. Tough as nails and incredibly deadly, Machete may not be your conventional protagonist, but he is without a doubt one of the coolest characters Robert Rodriguez has ever came up with.
10. Eric Draven- The Crow
After he and his girlfriend Shelly (Sofia Shinas) are murdered in their apartment by a gang of criminals, musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) is resurrected a year later by a supernatural crow so as he can enact his vengeance on his killers. Draven is a powerful character driven by love and a lust for vengeance, his gothic, ghost-like appearance is also strikingly memorable, especially to his victims. Draven is a kind man at heart, caring for the young girl Sarah (Rochelle Davis) whose mother neglects her, however his lust for vengeance pushes the undead antihero to the limit and he takes great pleasure in killing his enemies. He is a tragic hero of sorts but in the end Draven manages to set things right and he returns to his grave where he can finally be at peace with Shelly.
9. V- V For Vendetta
Another Alan Moore adaptation, V for Vendetta saw young Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) being enticed into the world of the mysterious V (Hugo Weaving), a freedom fighter who challenges the strict authoritarian government that rules over the United Kingdom. Clad in all black apart from his white Guy Fawkes mask, V is an intelligent character who seeks to overthrow the government and give the power back to the people. He acts also as a vigilante of sorts who takes down corrupt individuals such as government officials and clergymen, taking a certain pleasure in doing so. Although he carries out some of his actions as an individual, his main goal was to inspire the people to rise up themselves and join him in his endeavours, most notably to witness the bombing of Parliament. Cultured, humorous, but also deadly, the anarchistic V eventually acted as a martyr, dying in the name of his cause and receiving a Viking funeral in an underground train full of explosives.
8. Amy Elliot Dunne- Gone Girl
It is tough to say if Amy Elliot Dunne (Rosamund Pike) is an antihero or just a straight out villain, but I believe that her actions (although extreme) were somewhat justified. Upon discovering that her husband Nick (Ben Affleck) had been cheating on her, along with several other incidents, Amy decided to enact her revenge by making herself disappear and using that as a means to frame her husband for her murder. She is extremely intelligent and resourceful, taking every little detail into account when plotting her revenge scheme. She is also quite manipulative as seen when she confronts her ex-boyfriend Desi Collings (Neil Patrick Harris). Amy has all the qualities of a sociopath along with being a strong and driven woman who is willing to go to extreme lengths to get back at her husband including self-harm, fabricating a fake diary and even contemplating suicide. She is the embodiment of every fantasy somebody who's been cheated on has experienced and although she is violent and manipulative, you have to appreciate her commitment to revenge.
7. T-800- Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Contrasting the original model 101 that was sent to kill Sarah Connor in The Terminator, this model (Arnold Schwarzenegger) was sent back to protect her son John (Edward Furlong) from the sinister T-1000 (Robert Patrick). Although he was initially programmed to fight against the humans, a future John Connor reprogrammed him so as to defend his younger self. Despite having no emotions, the robot forms a strong bond with the young John Connor, acting as his father figure while John teaches him phrases such as the iconic 'hasta la vista baby'. Dressed in his signature leather jacket along with his black shades, the T-800 is a deadly killing machine, however he is loyal to those who he is sworn to protect and will do whatever it takes to save them, even if it means destroying himself.
6. Deadpool- Deadpool
Only very recently did the popular Marvel character hit the big screens (that's if you discount X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which you should) but Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) has already become extremely popular among cinemagoers. Before becoming Deadpool, Wade Wilson was a mercenary working in New York and was engaged to his girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), however when he discovered that he had cancer he underwent a dangerous experiment that ultimately turned him into a mutant. Seeking vengeance on those who disfigured him, Deadpool went on a violent hunt through the city looking for his arch nemesis Francis (Ed Skrein), breaking skulls and the fourth wall on his way. He is arguably the most comedic superhero, being fully self aware of the fact that he is in a film/comic and Reynolds is immaculate in portraying him. With a sequel already in the works it is safe to say the world has fallen in love with the merc with a mouth.
5. Jules Winnfield- Pulp Fiction
A dangerous hitman and self proclaimed master of foot massages, Jules is arguably one of the coolest Quentin Tarantino characters ever, only enhanced by the outstanding performance from Samuel L Jackson. Along with his partner, Elvis fanboy Vincent Vega (John Travolta), Jules was sent to recover a mysterious briefcase for his boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) but after a near death experience he manages to develop a strong faith in God. After cleaning brain matter from the inside of a car and talking down a duo of criminals, Jules decides to retire from his violent ways and simply walk the Earth. He is an intimidating figure but also a smooth talker and a man who is not afraid to speak his mind, he is also a skilled negotiator as shown in the films climax. Although he can appear as unhinged, it is evident at the end of the film that Jules is a man who is collected and at peace with himself.
4. Michael Corleone- The Godfather franchise
A man born in to a mafia family, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) did not wish to take part in the family business, instead enrolling in college and taking part in World War II. However, after his father Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is almost assassinated, Michael finds himself slowly being enticed into a life of crime. Eventually he finds himself as the patriarch of the Corleone family, proving himself to be an excellent leader on occasions such as the day of his nephews christening where he orchestrates 5 separate but simultaneous murders. Gradually he becomes more ruthless, taking his position very seriously to the point where he is forced to have his traitor brother Fredo (John Cazale) murdered. He is a complex character who initially finds himself conflicted between his own aspirations and the family business but ultimately he chooses the family and becomes one of the most powerful criminals of his time.
3. Daniel Plainview- There Will Be Blood
A rather nasty piece of work but a protagonist nonetheless, Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is the epitome of greed. Once a silver prospector, he then became interested in oil and owned a number of successful oil wells along with his adoptive son and 'business partner' H.W. (Dillon Freasier). Plainview is a man who is thirsty for wealth and the more he gains, the more greedy he becomes, he even resorts to sending away H.W. and murdering a man claiming to be his brother in order to protect his wealth. Eventually Plainview is left isolated in his lavish mansion, he is rich but suffers from alcoholism and his mental and physical health have both deteriorated. In the films final moments he lashes out at preacher Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) in a catharsis of rage where he kills the preacher after forcing him to denounce his faith. He is a complex character who lets himself be corrupted by greed, eventually leading to his downfall.
2. Travis Bickle- Taxi Driver
Taxi driver Travis Bickle (Rober De Niro) is an ex-Marine living in New York who works late night shifts in some of the seedier parts of the city. He is a loner who observes the criminals and the addicts on the streets and often fantasises about killing them, viewing them as nothing more than mere filth. He becomes increasingly paranoid throughout the film, buying weapons and fashioning a spring loaded gun on his arm and soon his fantasies become a reality. He encounters a young prostitute, Iris (Jodie Foster) who is abused by her pimp Matthew (Harvey Keitel) and it is then when Travis decides to 'cleanse the filth' from the streets. He is a man who is visibly unhinged, who is angry at society and the growing crime in his area and decides to finally do something about it. He views himself as a vigilante, a saviour of sorts and he proves himeslf as such by the films end when he rescues Iris after massacring several criminals.
1. Alex De Large- A Clockwork Orange
Although the protagonist of A Clockwork Orange, Alex (Malcolm McDowell) is anything but a good guy, getting pleasure from beating, robbing and raping along with his three droogs on the streets on a dystopian Britain. Clad in his white clothes and black bowler hat, Alex indulges in ultraviolence night after night which eventually gains him a lengthly term in prison. In order to shorten this term, he takes part in a controversial experiment which leaves him feeling ill even at the thought of violence, leaving him as a shell of his former self. Alex is quite the character from his dress sense to his penchant for violence, always speaking in nadsat (a form of slang) he teases and taunts his droogs and sometimes even resorts to beating them to keep them in line. He is a sadist and a sociopath and despite everything he goes through over the course of the film, nothing really changes for him. In the final scene of the film where he states 'I was cured alright' one begins to wonder what became of Alex...
Of course it tells you in the book.
So those were my top 15 antiheroes, characters who lie close to the center of the good/evil spectrum. I'll have a post up soon for my top 25 movie heroes, also next week will see more from the Vault of Doom and What If so stay tuned for those as well. Until next time!
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