10 Best Western Movie Villains, Ranked

One of the most celebrated and celebrated genres in popular culture, Western Movies have been a mainstay of cinema since its earliest days and have produced many memorable villains. From John Wayne to Clint Eastwood, Western films feature the work of some of the most celebrated and beloved filmmakers of all time, paying homage to the spirit and struggle associated with the American West. From films that emphasize stunning cinematography to Westerns lasting over three hours, the genre has played host to a diverse and ever-evolving lineup of cinematic offerings.

From low-budget productions to the best westerns ever made, many of these films owe much of their success to the efforts of their main antagonist. Every great story needs a great villain, and westerns are no exception. From charismatic outlaws and gunslingers to corrupt lawmen and sadistic slave owners, Westerns have produced some of cinema's most prominent villains. Bringing to life an evil character who later becomes synonymous with the film is no easy task, but a series of the best western villains of all time make it look like child's play.

10

Tom Chaney - True Grit (2010)

Played by Josh Brolin

True courage has one of the most memorable villains in the western genre. An adaptation of the novel by Charles Portis and a remake of the 1969 film of the same name, from 2010 True courage follows Hailee Steinfeld's Mattie Ross, a tenacious young woman who sets out to hire the "most cruel" lawman she can find to hunt down her father's killer. Said killer is Josh Brolin's Tom Chaney, a cold-blooded killer and career outlaw who's equal parts frightening and pathetic, transforming a basic archetype into something deeply (and uncomfortably) human.

A murderer and cowardly thief, Chaney has a veritable list of criminal accolades to his name. In addition to killing Mattie's father, Tom is pursued across state lines by Matt Damon's Texas Ranger LaBoeuf for the murder of a local senator. Chaney isn't the most evil or sophisticated villain the genre has to offerbut he is the main antagonist of one of the most celebrated and influential Western films of all time and serves as an ideal example of the type of villainy found in the genre.

9

Ernest Burkhart - Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Played by Leonardo DiCaprio

Legendary director Martin Scorcese's epic western Flower Moon Assassins chronicles a series of murders of members of the Osage Nation after oil is discovered on their tribal lands. In his sixth collaboration with Scorcese, Leonardo DiCaprio takes on the role of Ernest Burkhart, a cowardly and cowardly veteran of the First World War who becomes involved in the murders through his personal connection to Robert De Niro's devious William King Hale. Even Burkhart's marriage to a wealthy Osage, Mollie Kyle, is clouded by his dark ambitions and stubborn cruelty.

While he may seem more like a buffoon than a Machiavellian villain against the backdrop of one of Martin Scorcese's best films, Burkhart is one of the most morally reprehensible characters in the genre in recent memory. Burkhart, played by DiCaprio, is clearly conflicted about his role in the proceedings, but that does little to excuse the gravity of his transgressions. Not only was the man complicit in the murders of Mollie's sisters, Ernest went so far as to attempt to poison his wife by tampering with her insulin, highlighting the lengths a good villain will go to.

8

John Fitzgerald - The Revenant (2015)

Played by Tom Hardy

Narrating a seemingly impossible story of survival against all odds, 2015 The Return tells the story of Hugh Glass, a fur trapper who is nearly mauled to death by a grizzly bear. Played by Leonardo DiCaprio, Glass soon comes face to face with an antagonist far more sinister than his furry attacker in Tom Hardy's John S. Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is so evil that he inspires Glass to return from the dead just to carry out his revenge.

An amoral killer concerned only with his survivalHardy's accusation murders Glass's son Hawk before his eyes after the latter tries to stop him from killing his father. Fitzgerald underlines his ruthless credentials by partially burying the injured hunter in a makeshift grave and leaving him for dead. All these actions are performed with a sadistic touch. It's a stern and ugly character, brought to life by Hardy. The Return remains one of Tom Hardy's best films to date, with the actor earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Glass' tormentor.

7

Rufus Buck - The Harder They Fall (2021)

Played by Idris Elba

Featuring a killer soundtrack and a revenge story for the ages, The more they fall has a particularly impressive villain thanks to Luther star Idris Elba. One of the most underrated Westerns of the 2020s, Jeymes Samuel's 2021 film owes much of its success to a crackling arc from Elba as the charismatic outlaw Rufus Buck. The character benefits from the actor's legendary charms and bravadobut it hides a much crueler side just beneath the surface.

A ruthless gang leader and a smooth-talking gunslinger who would shoot a man to death as soon as he laid eyes on them, Buck is a deeply memorable character. Elba's ability to alternate between friendly and ruthless kicks off the film's story of bloody retribution, murdering protagonist Nat Love's family and carving a cross into the boy's forehead. Buck's penchant for theatrics, ruthless disposition, and menacing aura make him a must-see movieand one of the most memorable Western villains in recent memory.

6

"Little" Bill Daggett - Unforgiven (1992)

Played by Gene Hackman

One of the best Western offerings in Clint Eastwood's famous filmography, 1992 Unforgivable stars Eastwood as William Munny, an aging gunslinger who is tempted to come out of retirement for one last job after his finances are running low. Munny's main foil in Unforgivable is Gene Hackman's Sheriff "Little" Bill Daggett, a morally devoid lawman who ruthlessly abuses his position to his advantage and eliminates anyone who gets in his way. In stark contrast to Munny's retired darkness, Daggett is a vocal and brutal "lawman."

A ruthless and calculating pragmatist, Hackman delivers a terrifyingly convincing turn as Daggett. It's a performance so disturbing that co-star Morgan Freeman was legitimately afraid the actor was going to hurt him during filming. Winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his ruthless take on the “corrupt lawman” archetype, Hackman shines as the big bad of the deconstructive Western.

5

Frank - Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Played by Henry Fonda

One of the best slow westerns and widely regarded as one of the genre's greatest offerings of all time, 1968 Once Upon a Time in the West is notable for casting beloved everyman actor Henry Fonda against type as ruthless mercenary Frank. It was a decision that paid off, with Fonda taking a spectacular bow as one of the genre's most sinister and unforgettable antagonists. Serving as a direct counterpoint to Charles Bronson's “Harmonica,” Frank is a heartless killer and an imposing force throughout the film.

A ruthless gunman sent to intimidate and drive a landowner off his property, Frank takes matters into his own hands by killing him, setting the film's chain of events in motion with his dastardly antics. An icy killer with a sadistic streak a mile wideFrank is one of the most notable antagonists in the genre. Anyone who has never seen Fonda in a film before would have a hard time believing that the actor hasn't made a career out of playing terrible villains.

4

Ben Wade - 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Played by Russell Crowe

Starring Russell Crowe in one of his best film performances, 3:10 to Yuma is one of the most consistently underrated modern Western offerings. Directed by James Mangold, the 2007 film features one of the most morally ambiguous villains in recent memory with Crowe's outlaw Ben Wade. A charismatic and surprisingly honorable assassin, Christian Bale's Civil War veteran Dan Evans is tasked with ensuring that the captured gunman boards the film's titular train to take him to prison.

In contrast to Wade's hopelessly evil right-hand man, Charlie Prince, 3:10 to Yuma takes great care to emphasize that Foster's accusation is not inherently evil. Despite this complexity, Wade is still one of the genre's most memorable villains, possessing an inimitable air of mystique aided by his reputation for escaping captivity, his artistic tendencies, and a unique pistol that supposedly contains a curse. A ruthless killer who commands a gang of barbaric bandits, Wade is one of the best villains of the genre, even when he insinuates that he's not all bad.

3

Angel Eyes - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

Played by Lee Van Cleef

Arguably the greatest spaghetti western ever made and arguably Clint Eastwood's best film, it's no surprise that 1966 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly features one of the most prominent villains in the broader genre. Unforgettably played by Sergio Leone's frequent collaborator Lee Van Cleef, Angel Eyes is a ruthless mercenary who serves as the main foil to Eastwood's protagonist and represents the "bad" element of the film title. Given the ruthless nature of Eastwood's nameless hero, that's saying something.

One of cinema's most iconic bad guys, the sadistic Angel Eyes proves himself utterly devoid of anything even remotely resembling morals as the film's titular trio hunt for buried Confederate gold. A proficient marksman and efficient assassin who takes great pride in his workVan Cleef's mocking antagonist is the Nameless Man's most formidable foe in all of Leone's iconic work. Dollars trilogy. A deeply memorable villain, Van Cleef's Angel Eyes is a cruel and cruel figure who perfectly encapsulates the idea of ​​a bad guy.

2

Calvin Candie - Django Unchained (2012)

Played by Leonardo DiCaprio

Deftly balancing prim civility with sociopathic cruelty, the plantation owner Calvin Candie serves as the embodiment of the horrors of slavery set against the backdrop of Quentin Tarantino's film Django Unchained. Brought to life by Leonardo DiCaprio in an Oscar-nominated performance, Candie is a charming and charismatic socialite who is also a sadistic slave magnate. Candie has made a huge fortune profiting from the pain and misery of the men and women she sells, giving it a gleefully sadistic and false cultural spin.

Whether the owner of Candyland is forcing two slaves to brutally fight each other to the death for his entertainment or setting a pack of vicious bloodhounds on the run from his plantation, Candie exudes evil in every sequence. The villain is one of Leonardo DiCaprio's best cinematic performances, a genuinely unique entry into the Western canon, whose villainous nature makes him a perfect contrast to the charms of the film's protagonists. Candie's cheesy dialogue and frequent displays of his sadistic nature make him one of the most colorful and memorable villains in the history of cinema as a whole.

1

Anton Chigurh - This Country Is Not for Old Men (2007)

Played by Javier Bardem

One of the most acclaimed films by acclaimed directors Joel and Ethan Coen (as well as one of the best neo-western films ever made) of 2007 There is no country for old people is based on the novel of the same name by legendary writer Cormac McCarthy. Chronicling the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong in the Texas desert, the film also hosts one of cinema's most compelling and unforgettable villains, Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh. Effectively a walking representation of death and despair, the cold Chigurh is an effortlessly frightening villain.

Saying that Chigurh is threatening is like suggesting that Mike Tyson used to hit people pretty hard. An assassin sent to track down a cartel's missing money, Chigurh is a merciless killer who uses a pneumatic pistol as his weapon of choice. The killer's menacing aura and enigmatic personality make him a magnetic screen presence. Bardem effortlessly commands every scene he appears in, giving each appearance an uncomfortable, dark edge. Winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his stunning performance as Chigurh, Bardem produced the best Western villain movie you've ever seen.