slothian Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 To paraphrase Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the Marvel Studios have a problem with effective screen villains who aren't Tom Hiddlestone. Add to that the unique new takes on The Joker and Lex Luthor, and it got me wondering what was the last movie that had a villain where you could say "yes, he/she was an excellent choice in that villainous role and they did well to adapt said villain to the screen".So what was the last movie to have a good villain portrayal? Doesn't have to be THE DEFINITIVE interpretation of the character, but someone who gave a good account of themselves and won't just be remembered as the token bad guy for the titular character to overcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenalphabro Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 I really liked Zemo, and the Winter Soldier/mind controlled/what have you version of Bucky. Red Skull was pretty cool, too. Ultron was alright, but not amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donomark Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 I liked Ultron because he had personality. I guess people wanted him to be darker, and I can get that.General Zod was really well realized I feel. Aside from the campy "I WILL FIND HIM!!!" his presentation and portrayal was excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothian Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 I'll agree with Zod and Red Skull, and whilst I liked Zemo, he didn't do all that much. Still, I guess there's time yet.Ultron was all over the place, despite James Spader's excellent voice work.As for The Winter Soldier, I see him as a tweener (wrestling parlance: a guy who's neither a good guy or a bad guy). Therefore, Bucky is Roman Reigns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koete Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Daniel Bruhl was great for what we saw of Zemo. I think Winter Soldier has been a minor player in his own movie and a plot device in the follow-up, so I can't co-sign him. Ultron: the last thing the Marvel movies need is more jokes. Red Skull was rote and a wasted opportunity. I agree that Zod is the best in recent years. I love how Michael Shannon differentiated between pre and post Phantom Zone, and his being genetically programmed to ensure Krypton's survival gave another layer to both the character and the greater mythology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc20willsave Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 First off, assuming we're talking strictly comic book movie adaptations here. I was immediately going to answer Heath Ledger's Joker (which was 8 years ago, Jesus Christ) but then I looked at previous villains. In hindsight, Ajax in Deadpool worked as an excellent foil. Other than that, I'll cosign Zod.Thinking on it, it woukd be cool to do a Comic Book Movie Villain Tourney sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koete Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Yeah, I took it as in the 2010s. Cause if we go back to Heath Ledger's Joker, I don't know when we'll get a villain that isn't in his shadow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
You Know Who Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 I'd say Zod too.Not familiar enough with any of the Avengers villains to comment either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davedevil Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 If I could divorce myself of the image of Terence Stamp, I might say MOS' Zod too. I dunno if I care much for Shannon as an actor to begin with though.Watching the Ultimate Edition, I really liked Eisenberg's Luthor. His manic nature probably made him seem more of the Joker in the form of Lex like one of those Elseworlds mashups, but his actions were appropriately Luthor.I think she's an original character so it's not really an adaptation but Lena Headey's Ma-Ma was great.I'm probably biased but I'll mention TASM's Lizard. I thought Ifans did a good job with the sympathetic side of Connors' character. Maybe something was lost in Billy and Martha's absence, but it wasn't glaring in the film. (Though come to think of it, Billy would've worked with the "absent fathers" theme of the movie. Hmm.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donomark Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 I liked Bruhl's Zemo a lot, but I wish he made more of a series impression. Like, I wish they gave more of a hint that he could be back to really fuck shit up again.In terms of CBMs overall, I'm thinking the Shredder from the 1990 Turtles movie, Jack Nicolson's Joker, Heath Ledger's Joker, Liam Neeson's Ra's Al Ghul, Willem DaFoe's Norman Osborn/Green Goblin and Cillian Murphy's Scarecrow. What you see of these guys is exactly what you get in the comics, full stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothian Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 I'm probably biased but I'll mention TASM's Lizard. I thought Ifans did a good job with the sympathetic side of Connors' character. Maybe something was lost in Billy and Martha's absence, but it wasn't glaring in the film. (Though come to think of it, Billy would've worked with the "absent fathers" theme of the movie. Hmm.)Dude....seriously? I mean, I like aspects of Ifans' portrayal, but the villainous scheme......the villainous scheme...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothian Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Thinking on it, it woukd be cool to do a Comic Book Movie Villain Tourney sometime.I'm very up for organising this, with @The Master's blessing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Peter Stormare as Lucifer in Constantine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koete Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 I'm probably biased but I'll mention TASM's Lizard. I thought Ifans did a good job with the sympathetic side of Connors' character. Maybe something was lost in Billy and Martha's absence, but it wasn't glaring in the film. (Though come to think of it, Billy would've worked with the "absent fathers" theme of the movie. Hmm.)Dude....seriously? I mean, I like aspects of Ifans' portrayal, but the villainous scheme......the villainous scheme......I think Connors' character was muddled, but the fight at the school is one of the best fights in a superhero movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Sandman was great, but only marred by Burtoning his origin story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donomark Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 I'm probably biased but I'll mention TASM's Lizard. I thought Ifans did a good job with the sympathetic side of Connors' character. Maybe something was lost in Billy and Martha's absence, but it wasn't glaring in the film. (Though come to think of it, Billy would've worked with the "absent fathers" theme of the movie. Hmm.)Dude....seriously? I mean, I like aspects of Ifans' portrayal, but the villainous scheme......the villainous scheme......I think Connors' character was muddled, but the fight at the school is one of the best fights in a superhero movie. Curt Connors is traditionally a very sympathetic character who's physical redemption is the end goal in most stories. I thought Rhys Ifans' protrayal made him seem a bit sinister, and a touch darker. He kind of came around at the end, but it wasn't the best version of the Lizard IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 If we don't have to keep this to film only, then Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin walks away with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koete Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 And Tom Cavanagh's Reverse-Flash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donomark Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Tom Cavanaugh and Matt Lescher's Eobard Thawne are top ten for sure. Wentworth Miller's Captain Cold in most of his Flash tv episode appearances is right there too, as well as Diamondback from Luke Cage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
You Know Who Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Plus Kevin Kilgrave and Mariah Dillard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothian Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Film only! Film only! Otherwise I'd have floated out Mark Hamill's Trickster.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothian Posted October 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Peter Stormare as Lucifer in Constantine.I'd agree, except he really wasn't the villain in that movie. More a special guest appearance (of which I have no complaints). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
You Know Who Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 By the looks of it, our best bet for the next potentially good villain is either Cate Blanchett's Hela or whomever Michael Keaton is playing in Homecoming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 Peter Stormare as Lucifer in Constantine.I'd agree, except he really wasn't the villain in that movie. More a special guest appearance (of which I have no complaints).He was a villain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 By the looks of it, our best bet for the next potentially good villain is either Cate Blanchett's Hela or whomever Michael Keaton is playing in Homecoming.Kurt Russell's Ego, the Living Planet, FTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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