Top 10 Most Chaotic Anti-Heroes of All Time
#10: Christopher Smith/Peacemaker
DCEU/DCU (2021, 2022-25)
This guy is far from your average DC superhero. In the 2021 version of “The Suicide Squad,” he’s a toxic ally that seems poised to join the dark side. John Cena’s portrayal finds edgy humor in Peacemaker’s origins, costume, and overall vibe. The character was a standout of that film and later received his own spin-off show. On his own TV series, Chris Smith works with a black ops team and later enters another parallel universe. This all puts his own ego and allegiances to the test. Is he someone you can trust or will he look out for himself? The HBO Max series explores this question with a few shocking twists, asking viewers to empathize with a nuanced vigilante.
#9: Deadpool
“Deadpool” franchise” (2016-)
The Merc with a Mouth is a hero that’s super and surprisingly meta. He also has a few methods that are less than heroic. Across multiple sequels, Deadpool shows that he tries to do the right thing in crooked ways. He’s not above a dirty joke or frequent references to the larger genre. Ryan Reynolds’ performance capitalizes on the character’s many quirks, turning this role into a pop culture juggernaut. Wade Wilson is even harder to pin down when he has an ally to work alongside. Whether it’s Domino or Wolverine, his friends inspire him to mouth off and improvise.
#8: Lou Bloom
“Nightcrawler” (2014)
When there’s an accident, this guy shows up to film the wreckage. His name is Lou Bloom and he’s not to be trusted. On the hunt for some graphic footage, the wannabe journalist maneuvers his way onto the local news. Bloom isn’t above lying or hurting people in order to get the job done. He journeys to some scary locations, putting himself and others in dangerous situations. The creepy mirror scene should be enough to know this man shouldn’t be trusted. Jake Gyllenhaal’s tense performance worries you every step of the way, keeping the audience on edge with an unsettling delivery.
#7: Vic Mackey
“The Shield” (2002-08)
In this groundbreaking series for FX, Vic Mackey stretches the definition of a cop. He’s frequently bending the rules to clean up the streets of Los Angeles. Dragging his allies down with him, Mackey and his division rack up a list of crimes throughout the show. You want to call him a villain at various points, with Mackey employing deceptive and intimidating tactics to keep people in check. The detective ends up turning on his crew, betraying the department’s trust, and leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. He’s an engaging character that tries to save his skin, but ultimately you can’t stop watching him.
#6: Alex DeLarge
“A Clockwork Orange” (1971)
As the leader of a gang, Alex DeLarge seems focused on inflicting misery upon people. He’s a power-hungry man that drinks milk and sings show tunes during awful crimes. In almost every scene, you’re wondering whether he’s going to turn on people or do something horrible. Once he’s given a controversial therapy, the anti-hero finds himself back in society and cursed by his past mistakes. It’s ultimately unclear whether or not you can trust the man and his apparent rehab. “A Clockwork Orange” sets up a moral and socially-complex message, asking viewers to question DeLarge’s psyche altogether.
#5: Patrick Bateman
“American Psycho” (2000)
Despite his slick exterior, Patrick Bateman is a complete mess on the inside. He’s a yuppie by day and a deranged serial killer by night. This makes his corporate and personal life erratic at best. He’s also showing signs of serious mental problems, but he can wear a convincing mask at the office. His violent outbursts show that there’s an evil murderer lurking underneath. By the end, he doesn’t pay for his crimes and lives with the knowledge that he can’t be cured. Bateman’s ability to hide his impulses might be his most disturbing trait.
#4: Billy Butcher
“The Boys” (2019-)
This character from “The Boys” is not your average hero. In a TV show full of complicated and dangerous criminals, Billy Butcher is certainly one of the few that you try to support. His plan to go after masked heroes and caped creeps is not the most full-proof either. With a rag tag group of allies, the vigilante seems to have a death wish. The fact that he’s even alive shows that he’s insane and courageous enough to keep going. Butcher starts to slowly evolve throughout the series, walking the line between a positive and negative badass.
#3: Tony Montana
“Scarface” (1983)
Where would pop culture be without Tony Montana? The lead character in “Scarface” is an open book, letting nothing stop him on the way to the top. He’s a Cuban exile that gets involved with cartels, violence, and much more. Al Pacino’s work creates one quotable and entertaining scene after another. Montana runs around Miami as a problematic mess, with his unhappy marriage and wild escapades making things worse. Pacino chews up the scenery and makes you second-guess his every move. In the film’s climax, the anti-hero goes down in a blaze of glory that feels like a fever dream. If that’s not chaotic, we don’t know what is.
#2: Dexter Morgan
“Dexter” franchise (2006-13, 2021-22, 2024-)
As a bloodstain pattern analyst, Dexter Morgan seems like a helpful and smart guy. The only trouble is that he’s using his skills for crimes. Hunting down serial killers, he’s going after bad people and getting away with it. This involves evading the authorities and his cop sister. While he means well, he’s still breaking the law and living with many lies. Morgan nearly gets found out several times despite his best efforts. He lives by a code, but that doesn’t mean he’s someone to root for. The anti-hero can never live in peace either. While harboring sociopathic tendencies, this conflicted man gives viewers one moral conundrum after another.
#1: Travis Bickle
“Taxi Driver” (1976)
In this Scorsese classic, Robert De Niro becomes the troubled veteran Travis Bickle. This cab driver explores his loneliness and misanthropy in scary ways. Rejected by women and misunderstood by colleagues, he later considers assassinating a politician. His personal transformation comes with the buying of a small stockpile of weapons. Talking to himself in a mirror, this man is a powder keg waiting to blow. His impulses lead him to free a girl from a terrible situation. The final shootout presents him as a possible folk hero, but it’s unclear if he deserves any accolades at all. Scorsese’s gritty drama makes you question what isolation does to a man.
Did we forget another anti-hero that you can’t pin down? Let us know in the comments below.
