When it comes to movie villains, it becomes a love-hate thing; they are either the ones who we either hate to love or love to hate. Though the protagonist or the hero may appear charismatic, the villains are the ones that make the movie interesting. They make our heart go pit-a-pat as they battle with the hero, or makes us as an audience anticipate what on earth they are planning to do next. They can be the darkest and meanest character that we can ever possibly think of. Some of them may continue to haunt us after leaving the movie theater, or even in our dreams! In fact, sometimes, even the best or memorable dialogues in movies are from the villains themselves. “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer” by Michael Corleone from The Godfather Part II, the famous “I’ll be back” by the Terminator and “Only after disaster can we be resurrected” by Tyler Durden from Fight Club are just some of them.

So, just who are the best villains? Hear our very own SGNewWave members share their opinions!

Ou Yang Feng (Eagle Shooting Heroes)

We’ve always seen Tony Leung Chiu Wai as the suave and charming guy who take on sentimental and chivalrous roles…is there one time we remember him playing the bad guy? Yes, that’s him as the baddie Ou Yang Feng from Eagle Shooting Heroes, a parody of Louis Cha’s martial arts novel. Tony plays a villain who wants to usurps everyone’s power and become the invincible one in the martial arts realm. He also owns one of the most ridiculous skill himself – the Toad Style Technique where he literally acts like a frog each time he does the attack. He plots to kill and doesn’t really love his lover, only using her to help him succeed his goal. Nonetheless, a charming baddie beneath the moustache.

- Winnie Tan Lay Hian

Chucky (Child’s Play)

My best movie villain? None other than…CHUCKY from the 1988 movie, Child’s Play. The freakiest, meanest, horrific doll that ever existed! His husky voice, the scar on the face and the nasty grin are enough to send a chill running down my spine. After watching Child’s Play when I was younger, I still remember how this character has impacted me so much – I became so afraid of dolls. Remember those baby dolls which can open and close its eyes depending on the way you hold it? Well, I used to sleep with them, but then, I start having imaginations that this doll will try to kill me when I sleep. Because every time I woke up, I realize that the doll will be in a different position. I ditched away that doll with no regrets, but still, Chucky continues to haunt my mind. “Hi, I’m Chucky, and I’m your friend till the end. Hidey-ho!” *shivers*

- Nurul Ain Muzlan

Tom Ripley (The Talented Mr. Ripley)

Movies, are usually completely idealistic. The good guy gets the girl and defeats the bad guy. However, Mr Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) from The Talented Mr. Ripley is the sort of villain that wins at the end. He kills and gets away with it. However, what is truly most harrowing about the character is the method he employs. Firstly, he is introduced to the lavish and decadent lifestyles of the Greenleafs, and he falls in love with that lifestyle, and the charming Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law). In pursuit of the dream life, he then murders Dickie and steals Dickie’s identity then lives Dickie’s wealthy life by building up a web of deceit and expert forgery. He then murders more people to protect himself and to keep the identity he stole. When the charade is finally up, his brilliantly orchestrated crime is completely oblivious to the Police and Greenleaf’s father. The latter even gives him a sum of money. Excellent crime, but Tom is not spared of the consequences. The extent of the depravity of his mind and morals caught up with him and he continues to murder people in the paralyzing fear of being found out of his wrongs. In the end, he has truly become a beast, and by all means a true villain even to himself.

- Rachel Chong

Joker (Batman)

The Joker. When played by Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger.

He’s been tormenting Batman for a whole half century and is recognized as one of the most prominent bad-guy figures. The Joker is a sadistic lunatic bent on nothing more than vindictive malice, sure he gets caught every once in a while by Batman, but he always seems to find a way back out and onto the streets of Gotham.

- Winona Hwang

John Doe (Se7en)

Despite not seeing him killing anyone in the film, his victim usually die in gruesome methods that are linked to the Seven Deadly Sins. An obese man who dies by force feeding, an attorney who dies bled to death by cutting off a pound of his meat, a street thug who got his hand cut off, tongue chewed off and rotting like a zombie yet weirdly alive, a prostitute who got killed by having sex with a man who is forced to wear a strap-on with a blade at its tip and many more gruesome killing methods. He is so sick that he cut off the fingerprints at the tip of the fingers so he leaves no clues behind for the detectives, yet at the same time letting them use unconventional means to find him in a well devised plot to fulfill his cycle of seven killings.

- Fong Chan Teng

Have you ever seen a movie where you think the bad guy’s action is justifiable? No? Meet John Doe.

Nothing much is known about this guy except that he is sick of people committing sins on a daily basis. So, he starts killing people who commit sins such as Sloth, Greed, Pride, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony and Lust.

His weapons of choice vary from the usual knife to wait for it… spaghetti meals.
Appearing for less than an hour, you may think this guy is overreacting and looking for attention but his last move will make you pause and rewind your DVD again while you gaze at your TV screen in disbelief.

- Muhammad Afiq Jaafar

Anton Chigurh ( No Country For Old Men)

I was torn between him and Keyser Soze (Kevin Spacey) in The Usual Suspects, but I just went with him as he was much more creepy and… unpredictable. Javier Bardem just oozes coldness and creepiness in the way he talks and kills. He maintains tension throughout the whole film, being a calm and calculated murderer. The scene where he confronts a shopkeeper is outstanding. Give you the chill. Anton Chigurh IS the best villain.

- Foong Yan Qiu

Mrs Ganush (Drag Me to Hell)

The most evil villain I can think of is Mrs. Ganush from the movie “Drag Me To Hell”. I was so traumatized by her scary look until I could not sleep for the whole night after watching the movie! Just because Christine Brown never approves her extension on her mortgage payment, she cursed her?! Mrs. Ganush even pulled Christine Brown’s hair when she was already dead!

- Serene Tang