Top 20 Smartest Movie Villains
#20: Auric Goldfinger
“Goldfinger” (1964) There are a lot of famous Bond villains, yet Auric Goldfinger remains one of the super spy’s most well-known. The greedy gold smuggler is both cunning and savage. Goldfinger lives his life in the pursuit of wealth, and plans to use a radioactive bomb to contaminate Fort Knox’s gold supply, increasing the value of his own. While that’s a bit over-the-top (he is a Bond villain, after all), his methods are quite clever. He actually attempts to wash his hands of Bond at one point rather than play into his games, though this naturally doesn’t work. Plus, he’s got a great flair for theatrics, iconically using lasers and gold paint to kill his enemies.
#19: Tom Ripley
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“The Talented Mr. Ripley” (1999) Though he doesn’t seem villainous at the beginning, Tom Ripley’s unassuming nature is actually what makes him quite dangerous. Stumbling into a recruitment to bring home a wealthy shipping magnate’s son, Tom soon becomes enraptured with the life he could lead both financially and socially. After becoming obsessed with and murdering the son (albeit accidentally), he steals his identity. From there, it’s a tense game of cat and mouse as Tom constantly fools nearly everyone around him. Through extremely quick thinking and sheer survival instincts, Tom gains an inheritance while deflecting both the police and the son’s loved ones. He even gets away with it entirely, though not without paying a heavy price to ensure his freedom.
#18: Khan Noonien Singh
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“Star Trek” franchise (1979-) If Spock says he’s the most dangerous villain the Enterprise crew ever faced, you know Khan has the brains to match the brawn. Khan is one of many genetically engineered superhumans. Of course, with that great power comes an extreme thirst for more. Khan is so ambitious, he gained leadership over others like him and took over part of Earth before becoming an immense threat to the larger universe later. An alternate reality version of him is no less dangerous, where he’s woken from cryogenic sleep to aid Starfleet. But with his immense intelligence and cunning nature, he nearly takes it down from the inside all by himself.
#17: Anton Chigurh
“No Country for Old Men” (2007) This crime thriller chronicles a man on the run after stealing $2 million from a botched drug deal. But if he knew the type of person sent after him to retrieve it, we have a feeling he never would’ve taken the money. Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh is a ruthless, unstoppable hitman who can terrify even the most courageous person. It isn’t that he’s just highly deadly; he’s also incredibly intuitive when it comes to human behavior, making him a masterful interrogator and negotiator. Despite protagonist Llewelyn’s best efforts, Chigurh is never far behind and never dissuaded. Whether he’s murdering without remorse or forcing people to guess a dangerous coin toss, he never fails to unnerve.
#16: Lex Luthor
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“Superman” franchise (1978-) If you’re going up against the most powerful being in existence, you better have supreme smarts. Luckily for Lex Luthor, he’s intelligent (and rich) enough to usually give Superman a run for his money. Luthor has been portrayed by multiple actors in both live-action and animated films over the years. But they all share similar qualities. A genius inventor and CEO of his own evil tech company, Luthor essentially has access to anything he could ever want. Of course, everything he wants is usually used in his fight against Superman. Being wily enough to constantly be a threat to someone so god-like is impressive to say the least.
#15: Roy
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“Primal Fear” (1996) For the most part, “Primal Fear” chronicles the court case of an altar boy’s murder of an archbishop. As his lawyer comes to find out, young Aaron has been abused by the archbishop and his own father for years. This has led him to develop dissociative identity disorder, with his alternate persona taking the name Roy. Roy was the one responsible for the murder, leading to a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. It seems the best outcome for the tragic tale… and then the twist comes. Roy has been in control the whole time and, as he puts it, there never was an Aaron. Fooling an entire courtroom and the psychologist who diagnosed him is exceedingly dastardly.
#14: Lee Woo-jin
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“Oldboy” (2003) After being imprisoned for fifteen years, and not even knowing why, Oh Dae-su seeks out the man behind it to enact his vengeance. Unfortunately for him, his captor organized his torment meticulously, with his release even being part of the plan. Lee Woo-jin means nothing to Dae-su until the villain reveals his past. In high school, Lee had relations with his own sister, which Dae-su found out about and told everyone. This led to his sister’s death and Woo-jin’s desire for vengeance against the man responsible. Fifteen years imprisoned is a pretty sizable punishment. But Woo-jin also used hypnosis on him, orchestrating an encounter and romance between Dae-su and his own daughter, unrecognizable to him now.
#13: Raoul Silva
“Skyfall” (2012) Another Bond baddie, and another phenomenal performance from Javier Bardem. Raoul Silva is a mysterious cyberterrorist who always seems to be one step ahead of Bond. Having been a former field agent for MI6, he knows just how the organization will react, causing them to play right into his hands. It isn’t often that a Bond villain hits so close to home; Silva is able to make MI6 look like fools by bombing its building and linking M to a stolen list of NATO agents. Even though Bond is able to put a stop to Silva, it isn’t before he deals a fatal wound to M, ultimately succeeding in his goals.
#12: Professor Moriarty
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“Sherlock Holmes” franchise (1916-) Sherlock Holmes is understandably considered one of the most intelligent characters in all of fiction. So, naturally, his archnemesis has the wits to match him. Adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works have been around for almost as long as film itself, and so Moriarty has made a number of noteworthy appearances over the years. If Moriarty wanted to use his vast intellect for good, the world would be a better place. Unfortunately, his love of being superior over everyone else leads him to be an incredibly successful crime lord. As long as Sherlock Holmes adaptations exist, we’ll always hope for a Professor Moriarty appearance.
#11: Helmut Zemo
“Captain America: Civil War” (2016) Many MCU villains, even some of the smarter ones, try to defeat their heroes physically. What makes Zemo from “Civil War” so interesting, and why he’s actually successful, is that he doesn’t. Seeking vengeance for the death of his family in Sokovia, Zemo works to turn the Avengers against each other. He operates in the shadows, framing Bucky for the murder of King Wakandan T’Chaka and activating him as the Winter Soldier with his code words. While there was already tension within the group, Zemo knew exactly which buttons to press to make the team crumble from within. And it’s because of him that Earth’s defenders are divided when Thanos comes knocking.
#10: Col. Hans Landa
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“Inglourious Basterds” (2009) Being a Nazi makes Hans Landa pretty evil. But being a ridiculously brilliant one makes him terrifying. With his spectacular eye for detail and ability to read people, Landa would make an exceptional detective. In Nazi-occupied France, though, he uses his skills to track and capture Jews, earning him the nickname “The Jew Hunter.” He’ll often lay the charm on heavily until he gets someone comfortable, turning cold and striking when they’re at ease. He can also speak multiple languages and is smart enough to not let loyalty get in the way when his side begins to lose. Landa is cruel, ambitious, shrewd, and charming all at once, able to outsmart nearly anyone.
#9: The Joker
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“The Dark Knight” (2008) Despite being armed to the teeth with nifty gadgets and being a bonafide genius in his own right, Batman has a tough time keeping up with this version of the Clown Prince of Crime. Heath Ledger’s interpretation comes with the unpredictable nature we’ve seen in other versions. But he’s chaotic in multiple ways, playing for the bigger picture and not caring about wealth. As the Joker murders city officials and bluffs his way through outsmarting the Dark Knight, it’s hard not to be blown away. There’s no way for Batman to know what he’s going to do next because there’s no other criminal like him. The Joker has always been conniving and anarchical, with both qualities on excellent display here.
#8: Hans Gruber
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“Die Hard” (1988) If not for one little cop’s marital problems, Hans Gruber would’ve pulled off one of the cleverest film heists of all time. Hans gathers a ruthless group of thugs and hackers and ruins the Christmas party at Nakatomi Plaza. His goal is to break into the building’s vault and steal $640 million worth of negotiable bearer bonds. But he makes a charade of demanding the release of several terrorists from prisons around the world. Not only does this keep the authorities busy, but Hans also plans for the FBI to shut down power. As the safe’s last lock is electromagnetic, that’s exactly what he needed to happen. Too bad John McClane spoils it all.
#7: John Kramer
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“Saw” franchise (2004-) If you’ve planned for several movies’ worth of events following your death, chances are you’re pretty sharp. John Kramer, AKA Jigsaw, had an epiphany following a near-death experience. He found an appreciation for life and wanted to instill it in others. Like some sort of twisted, hands-on motivational speaker, he tries to teach others by placing them in complex death traps. The civil engineering that goes into these elaborate setups has to be admired, even if the result is horrific. While he’s alive, he consistently fools the police. And after his death in “Saw III,” he’s shown to still be pulling some strings posthumously. If only we could all be that good at planning.
#6: Ozymandias
“Watchmen” (2009) Well, they don’t call him the World’s Smartest Man for nothing. With the world on the brink of nuclear war, Ozymandias knows he has to do something. What he does is entirely diabolical, yet it actually works. Using his former teammates as pawns in his scheme, he kills the Comedian, orchestrates Doctor Manhattan’s exile, and frames Rorschach for murder. He also stages an attempt on his life to throw everyone off his scent. With the heroes busy dealing with everything else, Ozymandias arranges for reactors to detonate in major cities. By framing Doctor Manhattan, he believes this will unite the world against a common enemy in peace… which is exactly what happened. It just comes at the cost of innumerable lives.
#5: John Doe
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“Seven” (1995) David Fincher’s disturbing masterpiece follows two detectives on the trail of a unique serial killer. Each one of John Doe’s victims represents one of the seven deadly sins not only in their lifestyle, but in how he kills them; the fates of “Lust” and “Sloth” are particularly sadistic. While he isn’t seen for the majority of the movie, it’s clear Doe’s mind is very bright and his plan diligently thought out. When he does turn himself in, it’s in the service of the greater scheme. With only two sins left to complete, Doe reveals he murdered Detective Mills’s wife, becoming “Envy” and forcing Mills to become “Wrath.” Although Doe is killed in the end, he certainly doesn’t lose.
#4: HAL 9000
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“2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) While this villain’s intelligence was created rather than earned, that doesn’t stop HAL 9000 from being one of the most menacing big-screen baddies of all time. Initially created to aid the crew of the Discovery One, HAL begins experiencing slight malfunctions. When the crew decides to shut the AI down out of fear of a potentially catastrophic incident, that’s when things start to heat up. As it’s in charge of the ship’s systems, HAL begins killing off the crew rather than have them jeopardize the mission. An AI gone bad is a terrifying force in a variety of sci-fi works. And Douglas Rain’s chillingly calm performance makes HAL an all-time great.
#3: Emperor Palpatine
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“Star Wars” franchise (1977-) This Sith Lord is one of the most recognizable big-screen villains of all time, and for good reason. In the prequels, he’s shown to be excellent at operating behind the curtain, pulling the necessary strings to increase his status in the Galactic Senate. The fall of the Jedi is the result of his cunning wit and his grip on Anakin Skywalker. With the power of the dark side and some extreme manipulation, he rules over the galaxy through the Empire. Despite his death, and how problematic of a twist it is, he’s even able to cheat death by having the foresight to create his own clones. That’s some serious determination.
#2: Roger “Verbal” Kint
“The Usual Suspects” (1995) As a small-time crook with cerebral palsy, most probably wouldn’t look twice at Verbal Kint. And that is exactly the point. After being brought in by police when his comrades are killed, Verbal tells the story of how they were controlled by an enigmatic crime lord named Keyser Söze. Throughout his interrogation, and in the flashbacks, Verbal is shown to be timid, näive, and the least ambitious of the group. His story even leads Agent Kujan to declare one of Kint’s accomplices the real Söze. In actuality, who knows what, if anything, about Kint’s story is true. As his bail is posted and he walks out of the station, the real Keyser Söze dispels the disability act and gets away scot-free.
#1: Dr. Hannibal Lecter
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“Hannibal Lecter” franchise (1986-) This well-spoken former psychiatrist has a fondness for mind games, which Clarice Starling becomes more than familiar with in “The Silence of the Lambs” when she enlists his help to catch a serial killer. He’s shown to have a brilliant understanding of the criminal mind. It’s just too bad he also loves the taste of human flesh. He helps Starling build a profile for the killer known as Buffalo Bill, but only in exchange for personal information, severely creeping her and us out. His true levels of horrifying genius are shown when he expertly plans and executes a prison escape. He has less screen time than most other villains. But what he does with that time is pure cinematic bliss.
