Is the character an “antihero” who throughout the story openly confronts the “main hero”? In essence, the term is yes. But will he necessarily be an “antihero” in the traditional, emotional sense?
For example, a dozen films, after watching which you can’t say right away: who was the hero, whether the plot antagonist should be unambiguously attributed to “anti”. And the main character will seem like such a darling if his quality is not emphasized by the negativity of the “main antihero”?
10. Michael Corleone
The classic film adaptation of a gangster action movie, shot by Francis Coppola in 1972, is all made up of colorful characters. The protagonist of the movie “The Godfather”, Michael Corleone (who was beautifully played by the young Al Pacino), is one of the main characters in the plot. But is he a “hero” in the generally accepted sense?
Of course, Michael was a hero at the beginning of the plot, valiantly fighting at the front. After demobilization, the young man tries to behave honestly and with dignity in a peaceful life. Alas, the traditional way of life and the system of family values leads to a drift of moral principles. Does he remain a “hero”, gradually turning into a convinced criminal?
9. Mildred Ratched
Like the original drama by Ken Kesey, the movie "Flying Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975) was included in the list of world classics. Built on a direct and explicit opposition of the main characters, the plot leaves no doubt "who will be bad here."
One of the representatives of the "team of villains" is a senior nurse. Her official duty, which has turned into a sincere goal of life, is the rigorous fulfillment of the will of the head of the plant to turn people into obedient dolls.
Louise Fletcher played the nurse Milred so convincingly that she received an Oscar for this role. Louise’s joke, which she let go, picking up the famous figurine, became the catch phrase: “Sometimes it’s so great when everyone hates you!”
8. John Milton
In 1997, Al Pacino again got the difficult role of the main antihero - a role in which one has to show the complexity and ambiguity of traditional ideas about morality in the film Devil's Advocate.
The enemy of the human race, by definition, cannot be human, can it? But everything is relative. One has only to take a closer look at how vile obscenities people often hide behind the screen of ostentatious piety, when they begin to sort out doubts about the uniqueness of the concepts of "good" and "evil."
7. Tyler Durden
In 1999, David Fincher brilliantly filmed the psychological drama The Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. Actually, the protagonist of the novel and script has no name at all. A narration is being conducted from his face, a movie-goer sees what is happening with his eyes. But the partner of the protagonist, his friend and comrade - and, at the same time, an antagonist and the worst enemy - has a face and a very specific name: Tyler.
Brad Pitt perfectly played a resourceful, deceitful, unprincipled destroyer of the traditional values of the world of prosperous bipedal ruminants and their heartless overseers.
So unexpected is the gradual insight of the protagonist (Edward Norton). He has to make sure with horror that his "anti-hero" - he himself is.
6. Percy Wetmore
In the same year, 1999, American producer and screenwriter Frank Darabont makes the film "The Green Mile" based on the eponymous novel by Stephen King. The protagonist of the drama is a convict who expects amnesty - or the death penalty. The main character is strange, kind and charming - as it should be for a positive character.
Most plot participants are ordinary people. Not without some flaws, with its own merits. Would they be so vibrant if their dignity were not emphasized by the weakness of one of the participants in the drama?
Doug Hutchison got the unlikely role of "daddy's son." Unaware of life, accustomed to prosperity and carelessness, a young man gains power over the destinies and sufferings of people - and does not withstand this burden.
Stephen King is a master of such oppositions, and the actor had to play the role of the infamous scum. He did it wonderful that the film was only beneficial.
5. Commodus
Roman emperors for the most part were generally unattractive characters. Such an difficult job for the emperor - either the sister will start a conspiracy against the ruling brother, or the military leader will rebel and wish to climb the throne. It is not surprising that on the screen they are usually pretty villains.
Shooting the film Gladiator (released in 2000), Ridley Scott offered the actor, music video player and musician, Joaquin Phoenix, the role of "main villain." Joaquin plays the role of Commodus - the son of the then acting emperor Marcus Aurelius.
In collusion with his own sister, the villain kills his own father and proclaims himself emperor, beloved. But not all courtiers approve of such liberties in the palace and convincingly resist the self-proclaimed tyrant. Commodus copes with the front in the face of his best friend and ally, than convincingly proves his right to reign firmly and even cruelly.
Interestingly, the real Emperor Commodus was unlikely to kill his father. Moreover, he was known as a peacemaker and popularizer of humanism. For which he was killed by the courtiers, who simply got tired of "the emperor is slightly out of this world."
4. Mrs. Carmody
The story of Stephen King's “Fog”, published in 1980, was filmed only in 2007. Frank Darabon, who had already put on an excellent film adaptation of King (The Green Mile), took up the difficult task.
As King usually does, the diversity, but the general humanity of the main characters and the supporting characters is emphasized by one - but a bright character. In the plot of the film, which was released in Russia under the name “The Darkness”, this is the possessed religious fanatic (which is also traditional for the plots of Stephen King).
The role of Miss Carmody was brightly and convincingly played by Marsha Gay Harden. So bright that against its background, even the ethically controversial actions of some other heroes seem to be just examples of piety and humanity.
3. Anton Chigur
The film "The Old Men Can't Get Here", shot by the Cohen brothers in 2007 based on the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy, caused a brightly mixed reaction. Both the critics and the public were shocked by the abstract allegorical nature of the plot and the lack of a vivid juxtaposition of a kind of “model of good” to an unambiguous “manifestation of evil”.
Of course, the charming Tommy Lee Jones "can never be a villain." But the role of an intelligent and fair sheriff is his role. He honestly does his duty, catches the villains and brings them to justice.
But someone must resist the hero. Anton Chigur (played by Spanish actor Javier Bardem) is a professional killer. This is also his work, which he does strictly and methodically. Anton does his job, and the sheriff, Ed Tom Bell, follows in his bloody traces.
The killer’s methodology can sometimes even seem excessive and nauseating to his “employers” and moviegoers. But this was precisely the feature of the Coens, which made it possible to shoot an incredibly exciting picture, which also made us think about something.
2. The Joker
Filmed based on comic books, films about the opposition of supermen to all the forces of evil in turn, are necessarily based on simple and clear antagonists: the "good" Superman is the "bad" villain.
But even in the comics, villains are given human motives, villains are overwhelmed by emotions quite understandable to the average man. So in the movie "The Dark Knight", released by Christopher Nolan in 2008, a character named Joker personifies all the universal Evil, which is invincibly opposed by the invincible Batman.
Heath Manager got the role of the Joker. The character is not very sympathetic, but - as it should be in the noir genre - is desperately attractive. And the role he succeeded! Not everyone succeeds in playing such a charm for criminal sinfulness.
1. Hans Landa
The 2009 film Inglourious Basterds describes the adventures of good saboteurs, valiantly damaging and cluttering the ranks of bad Nazi invaders. The command of the paratrooper heroes is assembled with a string of the most desperate guys, each of whom has a personal account for the Nazis.
Oppose the "gang of bastards" (as the Germans already managed to call them) is brought to the colonel of the Security Service, Hans Landa. Christopher Waltz had to play the antagonist of the main characters. His character, theoretically, should cause the viewer a clear rejection.
But Quentin Tarantino always has everything upside down - and a charming colonel with impeccable manners and academic background evokes much more sympathy than the “main characters” themselves. Still, it was not for nothing that their gang was nicknamed the “Bastards”. And the colonel just wanted to honestly do his job, live to see the end of the war and earn money along the way in a “village house”.