Intelligent and ruthless criminal masterminds are some of the greatest antagonists to ever appear on film. These iconic cinematic lawbreakers draw audiences in with their entertaining and dangerous charms, and the more brilliant and cruel these villains are, the more the viewers become invested in the story.
The crime and action genres have plenty of memorable criminals who've taken command of their well-drawn-out evil plans that usually involve them seeking luxury or wealth, mainly at the expense of others. These 10 characters are cold-blooded criminal geniuses who've captivated audiences' attention and secretly rooted for their plans to succeed.
The following entries contain some spoilers for the movies discussed.
10 Eric Qualen — 'Cliffhanger' (1993)
Cliffhanger sees action icon Sylvester Stallone as a skilled mountain climber racing to save his best friend from a deadly group of professional hijackers led by their cold-hearted leader Eric Qualen (John Lithgow). Qualen is a ruthless and calculating former military intelligence operative willing to murder anyone to recover $100,000,000 in briefcases lost somewhere in the Colorado Rockies.
Lithgow easily gives the best performance in the movie, as his frightening portrayal makes it difficult for viewers to take their eyes off him every time he appears on-screen. Every moment of his screen time dedicates to how cruel and unredeemable his character is. Qualen is a remorseless evil genius, responsible for many character deaths and willing to sacrifice his own teammates to ensure his fortune.
9 Louis Bloom — 'Nightcrawler' (2014)
Nightcrawler sees Jake Gyllenhaal as a manipulative and cut-throat criminal ready to make a name for himself in the dangerous world of video journalism. It follows the story of con artist Louis Bloom (Gyllenhaal), who drifts into Los Angeles to do whatever it takes to be a famous nightcrawler.
Louis was willing to commit multiple crimes and even endanger the lives of others in his selfish desire to create a successful media empire. Gyllenhaal does fantastic work portraying an antisocial criminal who is as mysterious as he is dangerous. The character's most unforgivable act in the film was causing the intentional death of his partner Rick (Riz Ahmed) after he became a threat to his operation.
8 Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom — 'Con Air' (1997)
John Malkovich gives a darkly comedic performance as the devious Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom in this great '90s action flick. When a maximum security prison transfer plane gets hijacked by the prisoners led by Cyrus, it's up to the newly-paroled ex-con Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) to stop the convicts before they can fly away to freedom.
Though many critics regarded Con Air as mindless entertainment, it still gave a well-developed and fun antagonist in the form of Cyrus, who manages to stay memorable above all others in a star-studded cast full of over-the-top characters. He stood out as the deadliest and most cunning criminal in a line-up of cold-blooded killers.
7 Richmond Valentine — 'Kingsman: The Secret Service' (2014)
Samuel L. Jackson gives a unique and entertaining villain performance as a charming but deadly eco-terrorist in this hilarious action-spy film. To reverse the effects of global warming, the eccentric tech billionaire Richmond Valentine (Jackson) decides to build a new world order by using his latest inventions to wipe out most of humanity.
Valentine was an outwardly friendly, relatable man who tried to appear as a savior. He honestly believed his plan was the only way to help the planet. Yet underneath his likable persona was a self-righteous and genocidal monster who picked and chose who would live and die in a new world he was creating for himself.
6 Amy Dunne — 'Gone Girl' (2014)
David Fincher directs the brilliant mystery thriller Gone Girl starring Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne, one of the most evil female antagonists ever portrayed on film. To get back at her unfaithful husband Nick (Ben Affleck), the writer Amy Dunne conducts an ingenious plan to make his life a living nightmare.
Amy used her vastly superior intellect and manipulation skills to frame herself as a victim and hero to the world. She had no regrets about killing an innocent man as part of her plan or subjecting her husband to a mentally traumatizing experience out of a selfish need for revenge.
5 Noah Cross — 'Chinatown' (1974)
Jack Nicholson stars as Jake Gittes, a P.I who finds himself caught in a conspiracy web of corruption and murder. Soon he discovers the trace to this elaborate plot leads back to the ambitious industrialist Noah Cross (John Huston), a monstrous predator willing to threaten or kill anyone to get what he wants.
Noah was an egomaniacal business tycoon who ruined countless lives to secure his position in the city, and he did so without a care in the world. Despite the character's lack of screen time, his dark presence loomed over the film's entire mystery plot. His actions and the way he justified his behavior helped make Noah Cross a truly despicable antagonist and one that audiences surely love to hate.
4 Jimmy Conway — 'Goodfellas' (1990)
Two-time Oscar-winner Robert De Niro plays Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas, as he and his friends try to succeed in the criminal underworld. Based on a real criminal, he eventually becomes well-known for masterminding the infamous Lufthansa Heist, Jimmy soon becomes paranoid and plans to murder anyone he sees as a threat to his wealth and freedom.
Most fans of Goodfellas would agree that Joe Pesci's role as the unhinged mobster Tommy Devito was the film's standout antagonist. However, it was De Niro's character that was easily the biggest threat to the overall story. Jimmy was more professional, reserved, and a seasoned career criminal. Behind his confident demeanor lay a cold-blooded murderer who only saw people as tools he could use to increase his power.
3 Michael Corleone — 'The Godfather Part II' (1974)
Francis Ford Coppola's epic sequel to The Godfather sees Al Pacino as the stern and merciless crime boss Michael Corleone in the performance of a lifetime. With his family nearing closer to going completely legit in the eyes of the law, Michael strives to ensure everything goes smoothly, even if it means eliminating a few personal adversaries.
Michael was a tragic figure throughout The Godfather trilogy as he became a reluctant crime lord out of a desperate need to protect his family following his father's death. However, his need to destroy his enemies overshadowed his compassion toward the ones he loved. By the film's end, he'd been reduced to a regretful and broken man, haunted and contemplating all the horrible things he's committed during his rise to power.
2 Hans Gruber — 'Die Hard' (1988)
Die Hard tells an action-packed adventure with exciting shootouts, explosions, and enjoyable characters. It also introduces viewers to one of the greatest scene-stealing action movie characters in the form of the suave and sophisticated criminal mastermind Hans Gruber, played expertly by the late Alan Rickman.
The film dedicates much screen time to Hans, giving viewers plenty of time to invest in his motives, cool personality, and intricate plan to rob a vault. He becomes such an enjoyable antagonist that it becomes hard not to secretly root for his goals to succeed. He could have easily won in the end had it not been for the brave actions committed by the heroic cop John McClane (Bruce Willis).
1 The Joker — 'The Dark Knight' (2008)
The late Heath Ledger gives arguably the most definitive version of the iconic Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. When Gotham City is threatened by the crown prince of crime, The Joker, it's up to Batman (Christian Bale) to stop this cunning foe before he can plunge the city into chaos.
The Joker was a mysterious force of mayhem and destruction who wanted to show the world that humanity could be just as cruel and unhinged as he was. He didn't just want to break the city through physical acts of violence. He tried to weaken it from within and almost succeeded by corrupting its only hope, the heroic DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart).