The number one reason Batman is considered one of the better superhero films ever is due largely in part to Jack Nicholson’s performance as The Joker. Aside from the fact that Tim Burton actually got Jack Nicholson to cover his face in white makeup, die his hair green and dance around to Prince this is simply one of the better performances we have seen Jack give. He is evil, he is maniacal and he is, most importantly, convincing. Honestly, if The Joker had ended up winning at the end of Batman would anyone have really complained?
Just look at that face up there. Don’t you wanna reach out and give that poor guy a hug? He is being picked on by Dave Kujan throughout the entire film, to the point where he actually starts to cry. I have seen some people call The Usual Suspects an overrated film, but with a villain the likes of “Verbal” I just can’t subscribe to that opinion.
Kevin Spacey nails this character and his drab and helpless performance only sucks the audience in that much deeper until the final revelation. It is not only one of the better performances it is certainly one of the best villains of all time.
In case some of you have still not seen this movie (get out from under that rock) I won’t spoil it any further, but here is a great scene from the flick. “Hand me the keys you cocksucker, what the fuck?”
This guy is just a straight up dick. General Zod has no care or compassion for anyone or anything. He and his hooligans fly to the moon and start picking on the astronauts as if they stole their lunch money. What the hell did those astronauts ever do to these guys?
Then, once on Earth, Zod couldn’t be any more nonchalant in his treatment of the people and the destruction he causes. Killing people and starting shit on fire is all in a day’s work for this guy.
Some of you might think this is a stretch, but this guy is a perfect candidate for best villain. Michael Douglas’ performance as Gordon Gekko made Wall Street a good movie. Without Douglas all you have is a whiney Charlie Sheen and that is the last thing any of us need.
Gekko is calculating and manipulative and he does it in a way that the victims don’t realize what hit ’em until it is too late. Of course, he gets his ass handed to him in the end, but it is just as much fun to watch Gordon fall as it was to watch him rise. Quite simply, “Greed is good.”
This will probably be the one addition I will get the most shit for, but I think Tom Cruise nailed this character from the very first moment he steps into frame. Under the direction of Michael Mann Cruise was a fucking juggernaut as the hired killer Vincent. The scene featured below says it all, that final gunshot had me sold on this movie and on his character. The way he takes ’em down, grabs his things and fires one last shot gave me the chills.
