10 movies where the protagonist is also the villain

Movies where the protagonist is also the villain tend to be from the horror and/or thriller genres, But there are possibilities beyond that. Everyone loves a good villain in the same way that the best Disney villains are pure evil, but movies where the main character is the villain are inherently darker. This structure is typically used to delve into the most disturbing aspects of the human psyche and what crimes a person will commit to get what they want.

Some of the best crime movies to watch over and over are led by characters who are arguably the villains, because the whole point of the story is their morally corrupt actions to increase their power. Other villainous protagonists may be vigilante crusaders who take their noble intentions too far. Or are just generally destructive. As long as people like watching movies with villains, the occasional movie entirely about a villain will be interesting, further exploring the basic character framework of someone who hurts others.

10

Scarface (1983)

Tony Montana (Al Pacino)

Al Pacino is one of the most famous gangster actors of all time, leading both Sharpface And The godfather As a character who is undoubtedly a villain When his activities are not better than those who are against him. Pacino’s second big crime drama follows an aspiring crime boss who builds his empire rather than inheriting it. However, this means that there are only that many more heinous crimes for him to commit to rise to the top.

The worst things Tony Montana does Sharpface Include but are not limited to numerous murders and his own sister beaten for dating someone he did not approve of. Most crime movies like this lean into the theme of threats and violence to maintain power. Characters like Tony Montana and Michael Corleone always expect to get what they want And terrorize their enemies, business partners and families to make sure that happens. They both achieve enormous wealth at the cost of their moral integrity, destroying most relationships in their lives as a result.

9

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio)

The Wolf of Wall Street Has similarities to the rest of Martin Scorsese’s crime epics as well The godfather And SharpfaceBut with a more modern streak. Based on the true story of criminal stock brokers, The Wolf of Wall Street is almost nothing but greed and corruption. The multi-Oscar nominee is set to deliver a dark comedy and showcase the perspective of Jordan Belfort, As it is based on his autobiography after prison. However, no one is likely to apologize for what he does.

As he climbs the ranks in his profession as a stockbroker, Jordan commits massive fraud to grow his own fortune. Along the way, Jordan is also generally horrible to his family, ditching one wife for a younger woman he met at a party and eventually driving her to Leave him too. Few of Scorsese’s characters are moral paragons When the legendary director became so fascinated with patterns of greed and corruption in American history.

8

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Alex Delarge (Malcolm McDowell)

There isn’t much to say about Alex DeLarge, one of the most famous villains to get his own movie in history. Alex and his gang are murderers and rapists who run rampant in the streets of a dystopian Britain without remorse, leading the movie to depict some controversial, ultra-violent scenes. This is the premise for the main premise of the movie of Alex getting arrested and undergoing terrible reconditioning to be repulsed by violence, Then the aftermath when he was released.

The genre conventions of dystopia and the deeply disturbing Ludovico treatment scenes may lead people to the conclusion that the British government is A Clockwork OrangeS evil entity. Alex’s relationship with him is dangerous, but that doesn’t make him a better person. The movie is not meant to achieve any kind of redemption for him, but to pose larger, disturbing philosophical questions about his life of violence and where it leads him.

7

Tragedy Girls (2017)

Sadie and Makayla (Brianna Hildenbrand and Alexandra Shipp)

If Carrie is the villain of her movie, Sadie and Makayla are certainly the villains of theirs. Tragedy Girls Demonstrates the desire for success of two teenage girls, they laugh at very few followers as they try to build an online brand. However, like many other high school-centric thrillers, Teenage angst and desire manifest in murder when Sadie and Makayla start killing their classmates to fuel their new true crime blog.

Sadie and McKayla commit murder for superficial reasons and are only rewarded for it. Tragedy Girls is a classic villain-focused movie in that it shows the main characters being ridiculously awful and doesn’t offer a moral lesson. What is left to discuss is whether Tragedy Girls offers some commentary on today’s high school experience, Perhaps showcasing the desperation for online popularity in the form of a modern slasher.

6

Nightcrawler (2014)

Louis Bloom (Jaeke Gyllenhaal)

Louis “lu” Bloom is an intensely creepy character, Resolutely unbounded by what he does to become a successful crime journalist. This includes constantly pressuring his sole employee to put himself in increasingly dangerous situations, keeping the promise of an eventual promotion and the paycheck that Rick badly needs hanging over his head. Meanwhile, Lou sexually harasses Nina, a news producer who depends on the footage Lou sells her to further her own career.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance sells the whole thing as a completely irredeemable villain protagonist, with the movie’s only purpose being to show how far he will go. His complete emotional detachment from everything he does is the most disturbing part, illustrating how people will make calculated choices without concern for morality. Nightcrawler Can’t give people the ending they want About Lou’s character.

5

American Psycho (2000)

Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale)

It’s not that much American Psycho Beyond what the title suggests. The main character is a bored banking executive who acts like a serial killer, taking out his friends, colleagues and people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The audience gets the thriller part of the movie from watching the slasher from the killer’s perspective. Maybe there is something about basic human nature, but the protagonist is still indulging in violent tendencies in the service of this philosophy.

American Psycho‘s ending complicates this seemingly simple premise. If all of Patrick’s murders never even happened, his villain status is inherently different. However, Patrick is not a particularly likable character without all the murders. Although it may be framed by a dream-like scenario, American Psycho is about a selfish man who envisions how he can be even more terrifying to those around him.

4

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman/Chris Sarandon)

The Nightmare Before Christmas Technically, it gives the audience another villain – the iconic Oogie Boogie – so Jack can exist separately as a protagonist who ruins everything through his hubris. however, Oogie Boogie’s isolation prevents him from being a villain as people expect; He spends the entire movie in his lair and the only reason he ends up with Santa in his grasp is Jack. Jack is the character with the agency and the resources to ignite conflict in a way only a villain can.

After garnering some sympathy with his musical portrayal of discontent, Jack embarks on one misadventure after another that causes misery for others. He is terribly arrogant; Even if he can do Christmas right, he still has no right to take the holiday away from the people who usually make it. Ultimately, Jack’s inadvertent villainy is the only reason The Nightmare Before Christmas Happens.

3

Shattered Glass (2003)

Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen)

Shattered glass presents Stephen Glass in a uniquely sympathetic light that is tempting to buy into, Even if a viewer goes into the movie with the context of the actual fall of Glass. The staff of The New Republic They are very loyal to each other, with one coworker wondering if she should quit in protest of Stephen being scrutinized. The initial discrepancies in Stephen’s posts seem like they could be genuine misunderstandings and mistakes, but there are hints of a larger problem.

As the movie goes on, Stephen becomes less likable, coming across as Vinny and a producer of inexcusably shoddy work. Eventually it becomes clear that he has blatantly created stories to further his career, and manipulates his editor and co-workers at every turn to keep their sympathy. Satisfaction just comes in Shattered glass When the rest of The New Republic Accept that they need to dissuade Stephen And proudly wrote an apology to their readers.

2

fight club (1999)

Taylor Durden (Brad Pitt)

Action Club Depicts toxic masculinity and the battle against a capitalist culture taken to the extreme, spearheaded by the enigmatic and destructive figure of Taylor Durden. The narrator, deeply bored and philosophically disillusioned with his life, conjures Tiller to make things more interesting. While It initially seems like the narrator and teller just run a fight club and live outside the norm with willing conspirators, Their movement turns into a dangerous plot to destroy the world.

to his credit, Action Club Vividly illustrates the mind-numbing mandate of the corporate world and consumerism as the characters see it, and as they believe it threatens them personally. However, Taylor then plots a series of bombings to throw society into chaos and destroy the true oppressor of civilization itself. Action Club‘s violent ending shows that while Taylor may have been a tempting idea for the narrator, he was poisonous and dangerous all along.

1

Joker (2019)

Arthur Fleck / Joker (Joaquin Phoenix)

Each subsequent take on Batman is arguably better at addressing the wealth gap in Gotham City that gives rise to some of the most famous Batman villains. in JokerArthur and his mother are extremely poor, which makes it more difficult for Arthur to care for her and get the treatment he needs for his mental health condition. While other people in Gotham are already angry at the wealthy class that the Vines represent, Arthur is given further reason to hate them when his mother claims that Thomas Wayne is his father.

Joker Shows how a series of bad circumstances give rise to the Joker, Who is still evil when he takes out his anger on the poor and the rich by inciting anarchy that will only lead to death and destruction. The movie is a psychological thriller, showing the human side of the Joker in one possible origin story. However, this is a case in point for movies with a villainous protagonist, because people would have seen the marketing and gone to see Joker Expect a movie that indulges in the villainy of the main character.