There are some comic book movies where the villains are the best characters in them. That isn’t to say that these are bad movies or that the heroes lack something to make them interesting, but these movies have villains that remain highly entertaining and steal the show, even though some of the comic book villains remain highly underrated.
The important thing for comic book movie villains is either to believe they are right in their own minds or to be so over-the-top bad that they are just gloriously evil. Both character types work in superhero movies, and when the villains hit the right note, viewers might actually prefer to see the villains over the beloved heroes.
Key Insights on Comic Book Villains
- Villain Appeal: Some comic book movies feature villains that outshine heroes.
- Character Depth: Effective villains often believe in their own righteousness or embody extreme evil.
- Viewer Preference: Audiences may find themselves rooting for villains over heroes.
- Memorable Performances: Strong portrayals by actors can elevate villainous characters significantly.
Justin Hammer, Iron Man 2
Iron Man 2 is widely considered the worst of the Iron Man movies, thanks to a variety of reasons. The film tried to go bigger, which actually hurt since it relied too much on the big action scenes and not enough on the characters. It also didn’t help that Mickey Rourke’s Whiplash was so disappointing.
One thing that didn’t disappoint about Iron Man 2 was Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer. With Tony Stark as an industrialist who decides to use his company to do the right things, Hammer is his polar opposite. What makes it better is that Elon Musk had a cameo in the Marvel film, which is who Hammer ended up representing after all.
Justin Hammer is the ultimate tech bro who believes he is owed the world without ever actually doing anything himself to have earned it. It is a perfect depiction of people like Musk in today’s society, and Sam Rockwell nailed the performance. Hammer should definitely return as Justin Hammer, the best part of Iron Man 2.
Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Some people don’t like how the MCU has treated Wanda Maximoff throughout her time in the movies and streaming shows. However, there might not be a better Marvel character arc than Wanda’s, as she has constantly dealt with severe trauma with the people around her using her for their own purposes until she finally snapped.
In WandaVision, the Scarlet Witch’s story became dark and twisted, with her dealing with Vision’s death by creating an alternate reality and forcing an entire town to play roles in her imaginary story, including creating her own children. When she had it all stripped from her, Wanda wasn’t going to take it anymore.
In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the Sorcerer Supreme had his hands full, but it was Wanda who stole the show. When she slaughtered the Illuminati in cold blood, the Scarlet Witch became the deadliest villain the MCU had ever seen, and nothing could stop her but her own grief.
Doctor Octopus, Spider-Man 2
The first two Spider-Man movies remain beloved by fans of comic book movies, and Spider-Man 2 remains one of the best comic book movies ever made. Honestly, it had little to do with Tobey Maguire’s performance as Spider-Man. Spider-Man 2 was great because of Alfred Molina’s performance as Doctor Octopus.
In the comics, Doctor Octopus has almost always been a snobby, brilliant scientist who thinks he is better than everyone else and who is the opposite of everything that Peter Parker stands for. This even made him great during his time as Superior Spider-Man because it showed how much he could achieve, despite his terrible personality.
In Spider-Man 2, he was brilliant, but he was a good man who took things too far when grief overwhelmed him, and the mechanical arms took over his mind. He was a villain fans wanted to see redeemed, and he was the best one that Spider-Man ever fought in any of his movies.
General Zod, Superman II
If there is one thing that no one could have expected from a superhero movie, it was casting someone with the prestige of Terence Stamp as the main villain. However, not only was it perfect casting, but it was the perfect man to stand opposite Christopher Reeve in Superman II. Stamp played General Zod in the film.
Gene Hackman was impressive as Lex Luthor, although he was nothing like Luthor in the comics. That said, General Zod was everything he needed to be, a military genius who had a disdain for anyone whom he considered lower than him. There wasn’t a supervillain as arrogant as Zod for many years.
Michael Shannon was a decent Zod many years later in Man of Steel, but that performance didn’t come close to what Terence Stamp did when it came to playing the man who was always Superman’s superior.
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