Top 10 Over the Top Kids Movie Villains

How could a villain portrayed by Tim Curry NOT be over-the-top? Hexxus is arguably one of the most anvil-dropping villains in film history. He’s physically dark, smoky, and he does everything he can to destroy the local ecosystem. Do you think he’s a metaphor for something? We can’t tell. Even if his role in the movie wasn’t obvious, Hexxus is still a particularly hammy character due to his deep, menacing voice and flamboyant personality. He’s basically a loony and discernible personification of decay and decomposition, but then again, this is a kids’ movie, so we can forgive his lack of subtlety.

Let’s be honest here. Most ‘90s kids only know of Rasputin because of this movie. And believe it or not, the real Rasputin was not a decaying soulless sorcerer. Rasputin is a physically imposing figure. He’s not only tall and creepy-looking, but he’s literally decomposing in front of our eyes, which is a little grotesque for the young-uns. He also possesses magic powers that allow him to conjure some magic green stuff, and he’s not above killing anyone he comes across, including children. The real Rasputin may have been an interesting and villainous character, but he’s about as exciting as watching grass grow next to his cartoon counterpart.

“Hocus Pocus” is one of the campier Disney movies of the ‘90s, and those Sanderson sisters are about as campy as can be. But that’s not to say that we don’t love them. For one thing, the costumes, hair, and makeup are to die for. Mary has a ridiculous hairstyle that is made to look like a witch’s pointy hat. Sarah is caked in makeup and shows off a surprising amount of cleavage. And Winnie is just… well, it’s Winnie. They’re also ridiculously bumbling and innocently comical, which is certainly entertaining enough for younger viewers. The Sanderson sisters are a handful, but you gotta adore ‘em.

“Pocahontas” is one of the more serious Disney movies, but it still contains some extra characters. Chief among them being Governor Ratcliffe, who is about as extra as a Disney villain can get. Even upon first appearance you know Ratcliffe is going to be something special due to his flamboyant appearance and manner of speaking. We also learn throughout the movie that he’s a xenophobic, racist, greedy, and selfish villain with absolutely no redeeming qualities. He doesn’t even treat his underlings with respect! He’s the personification of raucous European colonization, and he’s about as evil and outlandish as can be.

Judge Doom was the stuff of nightmares for a lot of ‘80s children. Even his physical appearance is enough to send shivers down your spine. He dresses in black, wears both a fedora and a trench coat, and carries around a cane (which has a saber inside of it, because why not?). But it’s when his secret is revealed that he goes completely off the deep end. He takes on a psychotic high-pitched voice, inflates himself with gas, and reveals his red swirly eyes that turn into cartoon knives. This doesn’t even include his accoutrements, like spring heels and a buzzsaw hand. What else is there to say? He’s literally a living cartoon.

We take it back. Ursula is about as extra as a Disney villain can get. Ursula is easily one of the most over-the-top villains in movie history, mostly because she’s half freaking octopus! The sea witch also loves her drama and is clearly meant to look like a drag queen, as her appearance was heavily inspired by Divine. Add in that nasty deep voice, constant evil laughing, and the fact that she becomes literally larger than a boat at the end of the movie, and you can see why she’s earned a spot on this list.

Ursula is over-the-top in a clearly fantastical way. On the other hand, Cruella De Vil is over-the-top in a pure humanistic sense. We mean, a human being can’t possibly be this evil and ridiculous? Can they? Cruella’s entire motivation throughout the movie is to kidnap puppies so she can make a coat out of their rare fur. As if the fur coat she wears throughout the movie isn’t extravagant enough. She also yells all the time, smokes her cigarettes with a holder like a pretentious snob, and has white and black hair, because, of course she does. Just imagine seeing this person walking down the street. You’d just know that something was off.

You know a villain is over-the-top when even the characters within the movie realize how excessive he is. Lord Farquaad is brought to life by a terrific vocal performance by John Lithgow, who imbues him with the perfect amount of smug confidence and delusions of grandeur. Nothing captures this better than the scene where he arrives at Shrek and Fiona’s location to much glory and fanfare, only to be lifted out of his horse by a random henchman. We don’t know whose idea it was to make Lord Farquaad so tiny yet so unbelievably assertive, but damn does it make for some hilarious jokes.

And while we’re on the subject of overly-confident characters, Gaston is one of the most popular Disney villains for a reason. He’s just so much fun, as he hilariously personifies everything about the macho archetype. He truly believes that learning and education is for suckers, he’s loud and brash, and he is, in his own words, “the size of a barge.” Of course, this makes him a major narcissist, and it leads him to believe that he can take on the Beast single handedly. There’s not much to his character, aside from the fact that he’s an enormous bully, both literally and figuratively. But this makes watching him endlessly entertaining.

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

The Wicked Witch of the West
“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)

Maleficent
“Sleeping Beauty” (1959)

Miss Trunchbull
“Matilda” (1996)

Despite “The Emperor’s New Groove” not being one of Disney’s better-known works, Yzma is one of their greatest creations. She’s just delightful and full of wackiness. If she’s not being a total drama queen, she’s shouting ridiculous catch-phrases like “Pull the lever, Kronk!” which in turn leads her to being dropped down a chute. She also appears purple, wears extravagant and preposterous wigs, and is weirdly ineffectual as a villain, which makes her a sheer joy to watch. She was the breakout character of the movie, and for good reason. And it’s not easy to upstage a snarky llama, let us tell you.