Audiences are supposed to side with the heroes, but a well-written villain can have a story that’s just as compelling and sympathetic. Sometimes, it only takes a slight change of perspective to realize that villains have their own tragedies and traumas to deal with, just like any hero.

Tragic villains can add depth to any movie, creating interesting moral conundrums that defy the ordinary binary of good and evil. Many of the best movie villains consider themselves to be the good guys, and if the stories were told from their point of view, audiences would likely agree with them.

10

Blade Runner (1982)

The Replicants Are Merely Misunderstood

Blade Runner has influenced the sci-fi genre for generations, and its exploration of artificial intelligence has only become more relevant in recent years. Harrison Ford plays a detective in a grimy dystopian city tasked with hunting down a group of fugitive Replicants, artificially humans created for labor.

While the Replicants are often seen as villains, Roy Batty’s heartbreaking speech before his death is the final piece of evidence that they are merely people trying to experience freedom in the short lives that they have left. This intelligent thematic approach also colored Blade Runner 2049, and it will likely show up in the upcoming sequel series, Blade Runner 2099.

9

The Incredibles (2004)

Syndrome’s Past Explains His Villainous Actions

Syndrome is one of Pixar’s best villains, partly because of his flamboyant showmanship, but mostly because he represents a fascinating philosophical counterpoint to Mr. Incredible’s ethos. Syndrome has some extreme methods, but his plan to strip superheroes of their unique importance is compelling.

Syndrome’s backstory makes him an even more sympathetic character. He aspires to be a hero as a child, but he is brushed aside by his idol and told to go home. He responds with bitterness and resentment, unwilling to accept that some people are born special and some people aren’t. Buddy doesn’t seem to have a happy childhood, and he carries this trauma throughout his life.

8

Black Panther (2018)

Killmonger’s Ethos Prevails, Despite His Defeat

Killmonger carries the scars from his upbringing throughout his life, and this manifests as a resentment towards the establishment in Wakanda. Despite being raised abroad, he feels a fierce loyalty to Wakanda, and he wants to use his country’s wealth to lift up other African nations and alleviate poverty worldwide.

Killmonger is a political extremist, but this is really the only avenue for change that he has available to him in an absolute monarchy. Although he’s prone to violence and he makes some questionable alliances, it’s all in pursuit of his righteous goals, and driven by a desire to save others from the fate that he has already suffered.

7

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)

Kingpin’s Actions Are Driven By Grief

Kingpin makes a great villain for the first Spider-Verse movie, and his bulky frame is an accurate representation of the amount of power he wields. From Miles’ perspective, he’s a rich crime lord willing to tear the fabric of the multiverse apart to achieve his own goals, but he’s a surprisingly tragic villain.

Kingpin is motivated by his grief over the loss of his wife and son. He wants to get them back by any means possible, and the fact that he disregards his own safety in the process shows that he struggles to find something worth living for without his family.

6

The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Kylo Ren Echoes A Common Theme In Star Wars

Kylo Ren isn’t the only tragic villain in the Star Wars franchise, and his path to the dark side mirrors that of his grandfather and idol, Darth Vader. Kylo’s backstory is arguably more refined and more heartbreaking than Anakin’s, since he feels betrayed by his own family.

Putting his origins to one side, Kylo’s ultimate fate is just as tragic. After an emotional tussle with Rey, he eventually gives in and redeems himself, but he is denied a happy ending. Kylo could have returned to the light and lived a whole new life, but he only has a fleeting moment of contentment before his death. It’s possible that the character will return in some way in the upcoming Star Wars movies, since he’s one of the big positives from the sequel trilogy.

5

Psycho (1960)

Norman Bates Has A Disturbing Mental Break

Psycho is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best movies, and Norman Bates is a major factor in its appeal. Hitchcock’s most iconic villain has been mimicked in many ways throughout film history, but it’s hard to replicate the chilling effectiveness of Anthony Perkins’ performance.

Norman is a terrifying serial killer who preys on the visitors to his motel, but his story inspires a lot of pity. He clearly suffers a severe mental break after the death of his mother, refusing to accept the loss and keeping her body in the house for years. Norman desperately needs help, but his seemingly unorthodox childhood leaves its marks on him.

4

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Tai Lung Was Denied His Fate

Tai Lung is first introduced in Kung Fu Panda as a prisoner under intense conditions, but his dramatic prison break shows that he’s a formidable warrior. This increases his intimidation factor, as does his showdown with the Furious Five on the rope bridge, but his impressive skills are fueled by a righteous anger.

Tai Lung was conditioned for greatness by Master Shifu during his childhood. He was pushed to his limits, both physically and mentally, with the promise that he would one day grow up to become the Dragon Warrior. It’s understandable that having this promise ripped away from him would incense him, especially when he sees that a completely untrained panda has taken his place.

3

John Wick (2014)

Viggo Tarasov Tries To Save His Son’s Life

The John Wick franchise has changed a lot in the last decade, and John Wick Chapter 5 will probably look nothing like the pared-back original. John Wick is a classic revenge movie, with the cold-blooded ᴀssᴀssin coming out of retirement to hunt down Iosef Tarasov, son of mob boss Viggo Tarasov.

Viggo Tarasov knows all about John Wick’s reputation, unlike his arrogant, stubborn son. From his perspective, it’s a story about his desperate attempts to stop the world’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅliest ᴀssᴀssin from killing his son. He tries pleading with him, bargaining and even retaliating, but he fails, and his paternal instincts cost him his life as well as his son’s.

2

War For The Planet Of The Apes (2017)

Woody Harrelson Shines In The Villain Roles

The most iconic villain in the Planet of the Apes prequel series is undoubtedly Koba, but this means that Woody Harrelson’s Colonel often gets unfairly overlooked. The Colonel is a fascinating villain, and he challenges Caesar’s rule over the apes in a completely different way.

As the story progresses, the Colonel’s motivations and goals come into focus. He sees himself as a necessary evil whose harsh practices will save the human race from annihilation. He even kills his own son at the first sign of infection, such is his dedication to his task. Ultimately, he takes his own life when he loses the ability to speak.

1

The Rock (1996)

General Hummel’s Threat Is A Desperate Last Resort

The Rock is a thrilling action movie, filled with great performances and Michael Bay’s flair for big-screen spectacle. Ed Harris deserves a lot of praise for his performance as General Hummel, a complex villain who resorts to taking hostages and threatening a terrorist attack to get proper compensation for the families of his soldiers who died in Vietnam.

Hummel has noble goals, even if his methods cause chaos and panic. He’s simply trying to look after the families of his men, as the government should have done originally. His desperation is tinged with survivor’s guilt, but the fact that he refuses to kill innocent people shows that he still has a firm grasp of morality.