We are practically conditioned to hate every villain we see in movies. Most films go out of their way to make sure that you despise the villain and everything they stand for. Such methods used to accomplish these include portraying the villain as something completely reprehensible; such as making the villain a rapist, a genocidal dictator, or any other kind of person we hate in real life.
However, there are times where we as the audience not only can't hate the villain, but also want the villain to win.
Such a desire to see the villain in a movie come out on top can be explained with certain reasons. Such reasons include the villain being really entertaining and the "hero" not being interesting or likable enough to root for. We have all been there at one point, and we're going to look at five villains that you secretly wanted to win:
5. Ken (Bee Movie)
This movie is incredibly stupid, and it didn't need the internet to showcase its stupidity. However, the film's secondary villain, Ken, is by far the best part of this movie. That is because he is the only character who makes sense in this stupid movie. He is also the only character you actually feel the least bit sorry for. I mean, his girlfriend left him... FOR A BEE!!! Sure, Ken tries to kill Barry at some point, but it is justified for two reasons:
1. Barry was being a jerk to Ken before then.
2. Who wouldn't want to kill a bee? Especially a bee with the voice of Jerry Seinfeld?
4. Jim Carrey's Grinch
Jim Carrey's version of The Grinch represents the two specific reasons I gave as to why we sometimes root for the villain. First, Jim Carrey is an absolute riot in this movie. He gives the character such a unique burst of energy that you can't help but cheer him on. Secondly, part of this version's disdain for Christmas was the fact that he was mocked as a child in Whoville. Seeing as those who bullied him as kids are still greedy assholes as adults, they really don't deserve anything good.
3. Buddy/Syndrome (The Incredibles)
Are we sure that this guy wasn't the real hero of The Incredibles? Syndrome's "evil" plan involves staging a heroic defeat of his own creations, so that he can sell his inventions to the public (basically making everyone a superhero). Yes, I know he led several retired superheroes to their deaths so that he could be the only one left; but is ensuring that being a hero isn't monopolized by super-powered beings all that bad? Heck, the only reason why he came up with this plan is because Mr. Incredible was an ass to him when he was a kid. This is all your fault, Bob. All. Your. Fault.
2. Magneto (X-Men)
Yes, Erik "Magneto" Lehnsherr is a dangerous extremist who wants mutants to reign supreme over humans. But, when you consider everything that he has been through, can you really fault him for having such views? The man is a Holocaust survivor, who lost his family as a kid. As an adult, he faces great prejudice again because of his identity as a mutant. This man has practically lived his entire life being hated for who he is. Sure, Professor Xavier has the more pleasant sounding cause of equality and coexistence, but such things are easy to preach when you haven't faced the levels of prejudice Magneto has experienced.
1. Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)
On one hand, Gaston is as rotten as Disney Villains come. He's sexist, he's narcissistic as all hell, and he tried to blackmail his way into marrying Belle. But, come on, it's freaking Gaston! His big song number pretty much lists every reason why you would want him to win. He eats five dozen eggs every morning to make him roughly the size of a barge! Not a bit of him is scraggly or scrawny! Every last inch of him is covered in hair!
Ok, that last one is clearly bullshit; but you get my point.
Besides, its not like Belle's relationship with the Beast is all that healthy.
I mean, Stockholm Syndrome anyone?
Bestiality?
Hello?
Anyone?
