Top 10 Heroic Redemptions of Movie Villains

“War for the Planet of the Apes” (2017)
Red is a major antagonist throughout much of “War for the Planet of the Apes”, having defected to the humans despite their cruel and humiliating treatment of apes. He’d previously sided with Koba against Caesar, and his hate for the noble chimpanzee leader continues to drive him. However, Caesar’s words slowly begin to have an effect on him . . . And in the final battle, as the humans shoot down the escaping apes, he heroically saves Caesar’s life by blowing away the human soldier Preacher with a grenade launcher. He pays with his life, but his death isn’t in vain. His sacrifice allows Caesar to live, which in turn saves the entire troop.

“Hard Boiled” (1992)
At first, Mad Dog seems like just another loyal Traid henchman - willing to do anything for his boss Johnny Wong. However, during the movie’s epic finale, Mad Dog and undercover cop Alan find themselves in a standoff, with an innocent group of hospital patients caught in the middle. In an act of honor, Mad Dog lowers his weapon along with Alan, proving that the henchman has some limits and a heart. Unfortunately, that’s when his boss decides to enter and shoot through the patients, prompting Mad Dog to angrily turn on him. Mad Dog is gunned down, but at least he did the right thing in the end.

“Slumdog Millionaire” (2008)
Salim might be the brother of “Slumdog Millionaire’s” protagonist Jamal, but he’s not nearly as noble. He allows Latika to be captured by gangster Maman, which results in her being raised in slavery. He then joins the ranks of crime lord Javed, and continues to keep Latika away from Jamal. Thankfully, in the end, seeing Latika’s feelings for Jamal, he regrets his misdeeds, and helps Latika escape. He’s in turn killed by Javed’s men for his betrayal. The moody lighting and impressive editing of the scene help make Salim’s sacrifice all the more powerful.

“X-Men: Days of Future Past” (2014)
Throughout the original “X-Men” trilogy, Mystique is a remorseless killer. But “Days of Future Past” shows that it’s never too late to change. Well, as long as you have time travel! As Professor X explains in the dystopian 2023 of the original timeline, Mystique’s assassination of military scientist Bolivar Trask in 1973 doomed mutants to persecution. However, after Wolverine travels back in time to stop her, Mystique ends up saving President Nixon from Magneto and dropping her vendetta against Trask instead. By doing so, she helps to create a new, improved timeline and, by extension, a new Mystique.

“Moonraker” (1979)
Morality in most Bond movies is pretty black and white. Bond is the cool, suave hero pitted against an egomaniacal, world-destroying villain. So it was a breath of fresh air when “Moonraker” (and later “A View to a Kill”) challenged that trope by having a major villain switch sides. Jaws, a brute with steel teeth, first appeared to great acclaim in “The Spy Who Loved Me” as a main antagonist. His popularity resulted in him returning for “Moonraker,” where he finds love and joins the good guys after he and his love interest Dolly are targeted for extermination. Who knew that even Bond villains are capable of personal growth?!

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017)
He’s the space pirate with a heart of gold. Well ... A heart anyway. Introduced in the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” as Peter Quill’s unprincipled father figure, Yondu turned out to have hidden depths in the sequel. As audiences learn, after Quill’s father Ego sent Yondu to collect Quill on Earth, Yondu decided to raise the boy instead, saving him from the fate of Ego’s other children. His affection for Quill results in him facing off against not only his mutinous crew, but also Ego himself. Just as Ego explodes in the finale, in swoops Yondu to save his adoptive son - rescuing Quill at the cost of his own life.

“Blade Runner” (1982)
Rutger Hauer’s Roy Batty is a complicated villain. A Nexus-6 replicant, Batty has entered Earth illegally, and it’s up to Deckard to “retire” him. On one hand, all Batty wants is an extension of his all-too-brief life. On the other, he does some extremely villainous things, like killing Sebastian and crushing Tyrell’s skull. At the climax of the movie, Roy shows his good intentions by saving Deckard before delivering one of the most famous and touching speeches in cinema history. It’s a beautifully dramatic moment, making us question both what makes a hero, and a human.

“Spider-Man 2” (2004)
“Spider-Man 2” is considered to be one of the greatest superhero movies ever, and that’s in no small part thanks to touching moments like this. Throughout much of the movie, Octavius attempts to locate tritium for his reactor, resorting to methods that include robbing banks, kidnapping Mary Jane, and delivering Peter to Harry. However, the climax of the movie sees Octavius forcing his arms to obey him and sacrificing himself for the city by sinking the reactor. While many films employ the repentant villain trope, few have done it as successfully and as dramatically as this. “Spider-Man 2’s” climax is full of spectacular action and thoughtful character work, making it one for the ages.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)
This movie, which is 99% action, somehow manages to find time for a surprising amount of character development. Nux begins the movie as one of Immortan Joe’s War Boys, and wants nothing more than to use Max as a blood bag. He then begins a journey of redemption by joining up with the War Rig clan. However, his redemption is given the most dramatic heft when he sacrifices himself to block the canyon from Joe’s convoy, allowing his allies to safely return to the Citadel. He finally got to sacrifice himself, and for a cause actually worth dying for. We witness you, Nux.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Korso’s Sacrifice
“Titan A.E.” (2000)

Red to the Rescue
“Pineapple Express” (2008)

Loki Hands Over the Tesseract to Save Thor
“Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)

Skurge Jumps Off the Ship
“Thor Ragnarok” (2017)

“Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983)
Even the darkest villains can still have good in them! Darth Vader’s redemption is easily one of the most famous examples of a movie villain coming back to the light. And for good reason! While watching his son suffering at the hands of the Emperor, Vader’s conscience gets the best of him, and he hoists the Emperor over his head before throwing him down the Death Star’s reactor shaft. The way the scene is shot and edited beautifully showcases Vader’s thought process using lightning, close-ups, and music, without a single word of dialogue. It’s a fantastic scene, and has earned its place in cinema history.