Top 20 Terrifying Movie Psychopaths

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the scariest and most threatening psychopaths in film. We will be excluding superhuman slashers like Jason and Michael in an attempt to keep things more realistic. Also, a few spoilers. Which of these characters scares you the most? Let us know in the comments below!

#20: Mr. Blonde

“Reservoir Dogs” (1992)

It seems like Mr. Blonde didn’t even care about the money - he just wanted to kill some cops. “Reservoir Dogs” is a movie full of criminals, following a gang of thieves who just botched a robbery. Even these trained killers call Mr. Blonde an uncontrollable psycho. Brilliantly played by Michael Madsen, Blonde kidnaps a cop, playfully dances while cutting off his ear, and attempts to burn him alive - even after the cop tells him that he has a child at home. He is utterly without empathy, and he performs extreme acts of violence with great personal enjoyment. When even hardened criminals are scared of you, you know you’re a little unhinged.

#19: Gordon Gekko

“Wall Street” (1987)

You can be a psychopath without killing anyone. In fact, the financial sector is full of them, with studies suggesting that a disproportionate number of business leaders display traits of clinical psychopathy. Gordon Gekko is a prime example of this type of person. According to him, “greed is good,” and that belief is on full display throughout “Wall Street.” According to FBI profilers on the Channel 4 documentary “Psychopath Night,” Gordon is one of the most realistic fictional psychopaths. He displays traits of superficial charm, manipulation, and a grandiose sense of self-worth, all of which are on the checklist of clinical psychopathy. He just wants money and power, and he’ll screw over anyone to get it.

#18: Alonzo Harris

“Training Day” (2001)

Alonzo Harris is the worst type of cop - the one who wields his power over society to manipulate and control. One of the scariest and most corrupt cops in cinema, Alonzo’s psychopathy is horrifically portrayed by Denzel Washington, who earned an Oscar for his performance. Alonzo is in debt to the Russian mob, and he plans on killing new recruit Jake Hoyt to steal money and settle his account. Along the way, he commits a flurry of crimes, including domestic abuse, armed robbery, and multiple murders. He’s a criminal with a badge, and he is constantly wielding it to his advantage.

#17: Peter & Paul

“Funny Games” (1997)

Attracting great controversy for its violence, “Funny Games” is a provocative little film from director Michael Haneke. It asks its viewers to be complicit in the on-screen violence, which is carried out by two young psychopaths known only as Peter and Paul. These two break into the vacation home of Georg and Anna Schober and proceed to enact the “funny games,” which aren’t so funny after all. They keep the family hostage and subject them to sick forms of abuse before ultimately killing everyone - and for no other reason than the sheer fun of it. They are psychos to a t - uncaring, unsympathetic, and utterly unhinged.

#16: Catherine Tramell

“Basic Instinct” (1992)

In the maligned (and often ignored) second film, Catherine Tramell is officially diagnosed as a psychopath by Dr. Michael Glass. She displays narcissistic traits, a “godlike omnipotence,” and a “risk addiction” that has her seeking out danger solely for the thrill of it. Played by ‘90s sex symbol Sharon Stone, Catherine is the perfect femme fatale - gorgeous but dangerous. Catherine is not only a prolific serial killer, but a highly skilled manipulator who incriminates others for her crimes and constantly works to exploit a police detective. It’s a sheer power grab - and it all works, as Catherine gets away with everything.

#15: Hans Beckert

“M” (1931)

Enormously influential in the crime genre, Fritz Lang’s “M” is one of the earliest examples of a procedural drama. It follows Karl Lohmann, a police inspector who hunts a dangerous serial killer. This serial killer is Hans Beckert, who targets young victims and kidnaps them off the street. Peter Lorre is magnificent in the role, and he was typecast as a villain for years afterward, so terrifying is his portrayal of an unhinged and violent man. Hans Beckert is one of the earliest examples of a movie psychopath, yet he remains one of the scariest.

#14: Henry

“Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” (1986)

We go from one serial killer to another - only this one is loosely based in reality. Michael Rooker plays the titular Henry, a nomadic killer who targets people with his partner in crime, Otis. While the character was very loosely based on Henry Lee Lucas, most of the movie’s events are fictional or heavily exaggerated. It was the subject of enormous controversy at the time and was even given an X rating for its graphic violence. It remains controversial to this day, even in a time when movie violence has become more extreme. That’s largely due to the gritty realism of the film, depicting Henry’s horrific crimes in a very convincing and uncinematic fashion.

#13: Colonel Walter Kurtz

“Apocalypse Now” (1979)

Kurtz is only in the movie for about twenty minutes, and most of that time is spent shrouded in shadow. Yet he remains one of cinema’s most iconic villains thanks to his brutal actions, psychotic philosophizing, and of course, the mesmerizing performance of Marlon Brando. Having gone rogue from the military, Kurtz is now operating a cult in the jungles of Vietnam and acting as a God-like warlord to his violent followers. He orders these followers to commit heinous acts of violence without any regard for human suffering, and he believes himself to be above conventional morality. And that’s to say nothing of the sadistic displays of his dismembered victims. Just hearing this guy speak for one minute tells you all you need to know.

#12: The Strangers

“The Strangers” (2008)

Following a brutal night of violence and home intrusion, the traumatized Kristen McKay asks her assailants why they targeted her. They give one terrifying but succinct answer - “Because you were home.” These three strangers stalk Kristen and James for no other reason than their own sick enjoyment, and that includes breaking into their home and attempting to kill them. The movie was inspired by the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders of 1969, which were also largely unmotivated and led by one of the most notable psychopaths of our time. As Billy from “Scream” would say, “It’s a lot scarier when there’s no motive.”

#11: Tommy Udo

“Kiss of Death” (1947)

The world of cinema is full of sadistic gangsters, but few are as deranged as Tommy Udo. The main antagonist of “Kiss of Death,” Tommy is a malicious drug lord who is wildly unpredictable and insanely intelligent. Both traits combine to make him a cunning psychopath, as he kills his victims without remorse and then covers them up with his experienced know-how. His most infamous scene, where he gleefully pushes a disabled woman down a flight of stairs, perfectly encapsulates his sadism; he doesn’t care who he hurts, and he’ll hurt you just to make himself laugh. Then, of course, he’ll cover it all up.

#10: Max Cady

“Cape Fear” (1991)

Robert De Niro often plays antiheroes, but he veers into full-on villain territory with Max Cady, giving a typically fantastic performance and receiving his sixth Oscar nomination. Max is a truly detestable human being, having been put in prison for assault. Now free, he is stalking his own defense lawyer, who hid evidence on the grounds of morality and justice. Max embodies the psychopath’s chilling blend of intelligence and amorality, not to mention an unyielding desire for violence. Whether it’s insidious psychological warfare, sick jokes, manipulation, or just outright murder, he will enact his revenge through any means necessary.

#9: Frank Booth

“Blue Velvet” (1986)

David Lynch has conceived some of the scariest scenes and characters in cinema, and Frank Booth is his masterpiece. Considered one of the best villains in movie history, Frank is a mentally ill drug dealer who exhibits a split personality after huffing an unknown gas. He is also completely obsessed with sex and goes to some seriously deranged places to get it. His sheer dominance over others through fear and manipulation illustrates a profound detachment from societal norms, and he challenges our sense of security and comfort in American suburbia. Monsters exist everywhere, and that’s part of what makes Frank Booth so persistently terrifying.

#8: Alex DeLarge

“A Clockwork Orange” (1971)

The main question at the heart of “A Clockwork Orange” is whether we can mix amorality - and whether it’s the right thing to do. The subject, both literally and figuratively, is Alex DeLarge, a young psychopath who engages in the “old ultraviolence” in a futuristic Britain. Alex and his “droogs” run rampant through the decayed country, committing wanton acts of violence and harming others for their own malicious pleasure. Enter the Minister of the Interior, who hopes to cure Alex of his psychopathy and subjects him to the infamous Ludovico technique. Alex is one of cinema’s scariest psychopaths, a young man who takes great pleasure in his mental and physical inflictions - and sings merry tunes while doing so.

#7: John Doe

“Seven” (1995)

Serial killers are scary. Smart serial killers are even scarier. We don’t even know what to call a smart serial killer who themes his kills around the Bible. That’s exactly what John Doe does, modeling his murders after the seven deadly sins. Naturally, this type of behavior exhibits a high degree of psychopathy - not only the killings themselves, but also the intricate planning that is required in conceiving the themes and ideas. John also harbors an unwarranted superiority complex, believing that he is “cleansing” society and bringing attention to the “sin” that is inherent in the world. Of course, he doesn’t see the irony…

#6: Patrick Bateman

“American Psycho” (2000)

It’s all right there in the title - Patrick Bateman is American, and he is certainly a psycho. This dark satire circles back to our comments about “Wall Street” and how the financial sector harbors a disproportionate number of clinical psychopaths. Patrick is a Wall Street yuppie who is exceedingly greedy - and also completely deranged, being a serial killer who targets women and keeps their body parts as sick trophies. His superficial charm and high-functioning façade mask a deep-seated sadism, making us question the true nature behind the masks that people wear every day. He’s a shell of a person, masking his lack of soul with money, clothes, and robotic music reviews. The pleasures of conformity, indeed.

#5: The Joker

“The Dark Knight” (2008)

You know what they say - “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” Alfred was right on the money with that, summing up the Joker and his entire philosophy with less than ten words. Many wonderful actors have played the Joker throughout the years, each giving the character a unique and original twist. But most people will agree that Heath Ledger’s iteration is the best of them all, a perfect encapsulation of his twisted morality, sick playfulness, and fierce intelligence. The Joker lives for chaos, relishing in anarchy and throwing Gotham City into complete disarray. It’s always fascinating when the villain is the smartest character in the room, and that might just be the case with the Joker.

#4: Annie Wilkes

“Misery” (1990)

Stephen King loves him a supernatural monster, but he has also crafted some all-time human villains as well. Like Annie Wilkes, the deranged antagonist of “Misery.” Annie holds author Paul Sheldon hostage, demanding that he rewrite the ending to his series of Misery novels. Annie is not only enraged when she discovers that Misery dies, but she ties Paul to the bed, keeps him imprisoned in the house, and even breaks his ankles to ensure that he stays put. By exaggerating Annie’s actions, King seems to be commenting on the often malicious nature of fans, their harsh demands on creators, and their penchant for anger when things don’t go their way. Luckily, most fans aren’t total psychopaths…

#3: Anton Chigurh

“No Country for Old Men” (2007)

Llewelyn Moss steals a briefcase full of drug money, and Anton Chigurh is tasked with killing him and getting it back. So begins an odyssey of violence, with Chigurh disposing of anyone and everyone who gets in his way. Unlike other psychos on this list, Anton isn’t much of a people pleaser, and he has no charming veneer to hide behind. He’s just an empty robot, sticking to the job, murdering people with reckless abandon, and remaining completely detached while doing so. According to a study published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, Chigurh is the most realistic depiction of a psychopath in the history of film. He seems so supernatural, yet he is only human. And that’s what makes him so darned scary.

#2: Norman Bates

“Psycho” (1960)

Only one psychopath has a movie named after their disorder, and that’s Norman Bates. The proprietor of the Bates Motel has a calm demeanor and boyish good looks, both of which mask a torrent of disturbed behavior. He initially gets along well with Marion Crane, inviting her for dinner and showcasing a very jovial and polite personality. And then he stabs her to death in the shower. His boy-next-door persona is a major trait of psychopathy, challenging our ability to discern genuine normalcy from dangerous pathology and manipulation. Norman is the most dangerous type of psycho - one who charms you with his wit and smile right before slashing your throat.

#1: Hannibal Lecter

“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)

The first time that Clarice meets Hannibal Lecter, he tells her that he once killed an innocent man, cut him open, and ate his liver with a glass of wine. That tells you all you need to know about Hannibal Lecter. He is the quintessential psychopath, blending a very high degree of intelligence, superficial charm, and a complete lack of empathy. While his helping of Clarice may seem benevolent, he only does it because he gets something in return. He’s an unsettling juxtaposition, a cultured man and a complete monster who cuts through his victims both figuratively and literally. Serial killer, cannibal, and brilliant strategist - Hannibal is the scariest psycho of them all.