The 7 Best Movie Villains Featured In Otherwise Bad Movies

Movies require a few fundamental characteristics to succeed as a narrative, including – above all else – conflict and eventual resolution.

Showcasing the heroes’ journey throughout the entire film, most movies thrive off the tumultuous obstacles a hero faces in the course of their narrative progression. That being said, what better personification of conflict is there than a worthwhile villain? Serving as a formidable roadblock standing in the hero’s way, the strength of a prospective antagonist can make or break an entire film. As further proof of this fact, just imagine The Dark Knight without the Joker, Star Wars without Darth Vader, or The Silence of the Lambs without Hannibal Lecter.

Sadly, not every movie lives up the hype surrounding its central villain. From hostile artificial intelligence units to buccaneers experiencing a midlife crisis, here are seven fantastic movie villains featured in otherwise terrible films.

Armando Salazar (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales)

Some actors are born to play heroes while others seem to naturally excel in the role of a villain. Case in point with Javier Bardem, who once again shows off his supreme acting chops in the panned Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. A spectral Spanish Naval captain doomed to wander the Bermuda Triangle for eternity, Bardem’s slithering Armando Salazar proves to be every bit as enticing an antagonist as Hector Barbossa, Davy Jones, or Cutler Beckett before him.

Ultron (Avengers: Age of Ultron)

Given the sheer number of movies that make up the MCU, it’s no surprise that some of the studio’s films fell below audiences’ expectations. Sadly, this is certainly true for The Avengers’ disappointing sequel, Age of Ultron, a meandering superhero epic that sacrificed substance for style. Yet even then, James Spader assuredly made for an ingenious addition to the MCU as the sultry-voiced rogue A.I., Ultron. A sentient supercomputer seeking to save the world by destroying it, Ultron’s rich personality is anything but robotic, allowing for plenty of moments showing off Ultron’s endless potential as a character.

Captain Hook (Hook)

We won’t go so far as to call Hook a horrible movie – but even the most generous critics have to admit that the film falls short of Steven Spielberg’s other, far better projects. Overly long and far too complex for a universal audience of viewers, Hook’s single best feature has to be Dustin Hoffman’s role as the suave and debonair title character. Displaying the cartoonish characteristics of Disney’s Captain Hook, Hoffman completely disappears into his role as Peter Pan’s arch-nemesis, commanding viewers’ attention the very moment he appears on-screen.

General Thade (Planet of the Apes)

Reportedly, Tim Roth turned down the role of Severus Snape in Harry Potter for a chance to star in 2001’s Planet of the Apes remake. While we won’t criticize the logic of this specific career decision, we’ll also be the first to admit that Roth’s role as General Thade is one of the best things about this lackluster Tim Burton fantasy film. Displaying the imposing physicality of an actual chimpanzee, Roth’s unstable ape general might very well be the greatest villain we’ve seen in the Planet series yet; it’s only a shame that he didn’t appear in an altogether better film.

Lord of Darkness (Legend)

Leave it to Tim Curry to be the best thing in a disastrous fantasy film. Despite being buried in thick mounds of makeup, Curry allows his natural charisma to bleed through as Legend’s Satanic Lord of Darkness. Displaying an inherent charisma in his role as evil incarnate, Curry perfectly inhabits all facets of Darkness’s personality, from his quiet intensity and terrifying anger to his manipulative seduction and tactful strategic thinking.

The Sheriff of Nottingham (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves)

In the past, Alan Rickman mentioned that the only reason he accepted a role in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is because he was given creative carte blanche to do whatever he wanted as the sinister Sheriff of Nottingham. Taking advantage of these artistic liberties, Rickman wound up stealing the entirety of Robin Hood from his respective co-stars, creating an unintentionally hilarious baddy with his corrupt English sheriff. Traipsing through each scene like a medieval Yosemite Sam, Rickman somehow managed to conjure up a character far more charming and likable than Kevin Costner’s two-dimensional Robin Hood.

Darth Maul (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace)

That George Lucas decided to resurrect Darth Maul in The Clone Wars should tell viewers all they need to know about his critical standing in Star Wars’ canonical history. As one of the very few redeeming qualities of The Phantom Menace, audiences found themselves captivated by Maul’s brooding presence, thanks in large part to his devilish appearance and unique dual-sided lightsaber. He may have had only a few minutes of screentime in the whole movie, but Maul went on to become one of the most complex characters in Star Wars’ extended universe, as seen through the various TV shows, comic books, and novels featuring the Sith lord in action.