Top 10 Masterminds in Horror Movies
Top 10 Horror Villain Masterminds
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Nothing is more terrifying than a monster with a plan. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Horror Villain Masterminds. For this list, we’ll be looking at horror movie villains who have a master plan and are always one step ahead of everyone else. We’ll be focusing on horror movies exclusively, so thriller villains like John Doe from “Se7en” will not be included. And here’s a warning: Spoiler Alert!
#10: Adrian Griffin
“The Invisible Man” (2020) Not only does this scientist have the brains to invent a fully functioning invisibility suit, he’s also extremely skilled at manipulating people. After his partner Cecilia Kass tries to escape from his abusive behaviour, Griffin devises a diabolical plan that involves faking his own suicide and leaving her a huge amount of money - all for the purpose of making her life a living hell. As the Invisible Man, he torments Cecilia to the point of near-insanity, while alienating her from all her friends and loved ones. By giving Griffin similarities with real-life abusers, horror master Leigh Whannell endows the classic H.G. Wells character with a whole new meaning that’s more relevant than ever in the #MeToo era.
#9: Norman Bates
“Psycho” (1960) Sometimes the best way to fool the world is to believe your own lie. At first glance, Norman Bates seems like the most harmless guy in the universe: he’s polite, soft-spoken, and awkward around women. But beneath this non-threatening exterior lurks a dangerous individual with a severe case of mommy issues. When Marion gets stabbed to death at the Bates Motel, we’re led to believe that it’s the work of Norman’s overly possessive mother. Only later do we learn this “mother” is none other than an alternate personality created by Norman’s troubled mind. Hardly anyone could’ve suspected this timid motel owner to be capable of such brutal murders - least of all himself.
#8: Damien Thorn
“The Omen” Franchise (1976-2006) Don’t be fooled by that adorable smile: this sweet-faced little boy is none other than the Antichrist, the son of the devil, whose ascension to power was carefully planned out over thousands of years. From childhood, Damien uses his subconscious powers to anticipate all potential threats to himself and eliminate his enemies in mysterious freak accidents. Meanwhile, his childish appearance and angelic smile ensure that no one around him suspects the truth -- until it’s too late. After becoming a powerful businessman and politician, Damien masterfully uses his army of Satanic followers to get ever closer to his ultimate goal: preventing the Second Coming of Christ. Evil has never been so patient and so calculating.
#7: Isaac Chroner
“Children of the Corn” (1984) Isaac may not be the son of Satan, but one could argue that he’s just as cunning and devious. Not only does he brainwash the children of Gatlin into joining his religious cult, he persuades them to butcher all the adults in town - including their own parents - in order to get a better corn harvest. Using his eerie eloquence and charisma, this twelve-year old preacher establishes himself as the town’s de facto spiritual leader. And despite being obviously not quite right in the head, he’s astute enough to spare the life of one elderly mechanic, the last adult in Gatlin, in exchange for fuel. Bloodthirsty corn deities aside, Isaac Chroner reminds us that few things are as scary as master manipulators and mob mentality.
#6: Annie Wilkes
“Misery” (1990) Annie Wilkes seems like an average lonely spinster. But as her behaviour gets increasingly disturbing, it becomes clear that her true self is something much more shrewd and sinister. Her kindness towards her favorite novelist, whom she “saves” from a car crash, is nothing more than a twisted ruse to force him to finish a book she wants him to write. She sedates him with painkillers and makes sure he has no way to contact the outside world - all while pretending to nurse him back to health. Annie’s character becomes even more chilling when we learn that she killed several infants at the hospital where she worked as a nurse - and managed to walk off scot- free. Lesson learned: beware of toxic fans.
#5: The Armitage Family
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“Get Out” (2017) When Chris goes on a weekend trip with his girlfriend Rose to meet her (very) white family, he expects there to be a few awkward moments. What he doesn’t realize is that he’ll have to fight for his life against three generations of terrifyingly cunning body-snatchers. Behind their façade of suburban hospitality, the Armitages are part of a secret cult that lures black people in their homes, only to implant their own consciousnesses into their bodies. Film director Jordan Peele seems particularly fond of evil doppelgangers, as manifested again a few years later in his second feature-length, “Us.”
#4: Pinhead
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“Hellraiser” Franchise (1987-2018) Only an intellectual (and incredibly perverse) villain would use a puzzle box to trick his victims into summoning him. In a decade when many horror films featured mindless brutes like Jason Voorhees and Mike Myers, Pinhead stood out by being the opposite: a stoic villain with a brilliant mind, less intent on killing people and more interested in subjecting them to an eternity of pain. As the leader of the Cenobites, he uses humans’ fears and desires to his advantage, coercing them into serving him before he eventually drags them to hell. While Pinhead makes deals with people, he’s . . . not known for his fair play: and with his aeons’ worth of experience in torture, those who fall into his traps are royally and utterly screwed.
#3: Patrick Bateman
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“American Psycho” (2000) Successful businessman by day and bloodthirsty serial killer by night, Patrick Bateman is the classic example of what’s commonly known as a psychopath. The horrific violence of his killing sprees is matched only by his uncanny ability to hide behind a handsome, suave and charming persona. An astute observer of his surroundings, Bateman takes advantage of his colleagues’ self-centeredness and his own anonymity in the workplace to elude all suspicion. The police never come close to catching him, which eventually prompts him to break down and confess to his crimes during a psychotic fit. Even though the movie’s twist ending implies that he may have hallucinated the murders, it’s still unnerving to see how easily he hides his bloodthirsty fantasies in public.
#2: Hannibal Lecter
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“Hannibal Lecter” Franchise (1986-2007) Whether he’s hosting a lavish dinner party or stuck behind bars in an FBI prison, this infamous serial killer always seems fully in control of the situation. As a former psychiatrist, he makes good use of his in-depth knowledge of the human mind: when Clarice Starling asks him for help with the case of Buffalo Bill, he paints her a frighteningly accurate profile of the man -- but only after toying with her deepest, darkest insecurities. Hannibal’s bloodlust is carefully concealed behind a cool, calculating exterior, which allows him to carry out the grisliest of murders without batting an eye. The combination of a genius-level intellect with a monstrous appetite for human flesh easily makes him one of the most dangerous villains in horror history.
#1: John Kramer
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“Saw” Franchise (2004-) If you look up “puppet master” in the dictionary, you’ll probably find a picture of John Kramer, a.k.a., the Jigsaw killer. This former civil engineer has one simple and seemingly admirable goal: to make people cherish the gift of life. It just so happens that this involves putting them through physical and psychological hell, with the help of some gruesome death traps. For someone who ludicrously insists he’s not a murderer, Jigsaw seems to derive great pleasure from finding ingenious ways to torture his victims. But his most chilling trait by far is his ability to turn the few survivors of his “games” into loyal followers, thus ensuring that his devious plans are carried out for years after his own death.