Top 10 Underrated Horror Movie Villains

While we may love a villain with an interesting or even sympathetic backstory and motivation, there’s just something about a baddie who remains a mystery that keeps us on edge. A mysterious hitchhiker who attacks and kills the people who make the grave mistake of picking him up, this character is a total question mark. The only thing we know for sure about him is his love of murder and mayhem. Why he’s doing this is anyone’s guess, and that element of mystery, combined with a truly chilling performance by Rutger Hauer, makes watching him as tense a horror experience as you could ever hope for.

We cannot stress this enough: if an old gypsy woman asks for anything, and we mean anything, just do yourself a favor and say yes. Otherwise, you might find yourself saddled with a nasty curse. This unassuming old woman places a horrible curse on the loan officer who denies her an extension, leaving the young woman to contend with a goat demon, as well as numerous terrifying and disturbing visions. She may not be the most subtle villain in movie history, but what else can you expect from the director of “The Evil Dead?” This villain may not be nuanced, but she sure is fun.

Another group of villains who keep things terrifyingly mysterious, this trio of masked killers start off small by knocking on the door of a suburban home. Slowly but surely, a campaign of harassment and torment begins, starting out with moving household objects around before ramping up to stalking, torture and murder. From behind emotionless masks, the trio seem almost unmoved by the pain and suffering they cause their victims, which is in many ways even scarier than if they seemed to enjoy it! One thing’s for sure, if you hear a knock at your door late at night, just leave it be. Trust us, you’re better off.

We all have dreams and ambitions. Some want to travel the world and see exotic places. Some of us want to find true love. Some of us want to murder people in creative and symbolic ways. Actually, that last one is mostly this aspiring slasher who hopes to one day join the ranks of Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers. A surprisingly chatty masked killer, this deadly antagonist has a documentary crew follow him around in order to showcase his dedication to becoming the very best slasher he can. We can’t fault his dedication, we just wish he took up a hobby a that’s little less… stabby.

You can get a long way with the right look. The killer from this 1981 slasher might not be the most interesting slasher on the scene, having been driven mad and cannibalistic after being trapped with his fellow miners after a cave-in. However, his gas mask, miner’s helmet, and deadly pick-axe gives him a unique and unsettling look among horror movie villains, and that iconic visage makes him memorable and frightening. Plus, it’s fairly obvious that his preferred stalking ground, the town of Valentine Bluffs, is in Canada. And how many Canadian slashers can you think of? At least he’ll kill you politely.

A good, if archetypal, horror movie baddie thrown into an interesting and unique situation, this crossbow-wielding killer finds himself with a deaf-mute woman as his latest intended victim. When this nameless killer comes to an isolated cabin to add another entry into what we can only assume is an ongoing rampage, he finds the supposedly helpless woman he’s targeted is more than a match. This villain largely paints inside the lines when it comes to horror movie antagonists with a spooky mask and a thirst for blood. What really elevates him above the crowd is the fresh spin on the slasher formula found in his movie.

In many ways a throwback to classic slasher villains like Jason Voorhees, this undead killer is even portrayed by Kane Hodder, who portrayed Jason himself in a number of films. Somewhere in between being a zombie and a ghost, the primary antagonist of the “Hatchet” series is the vengeful spirit of a deformed boy who was killed in a horrible accident, and now brutally butchers anyone foolish enough to stray into his swampy home. With a razor-sharp hatchet as his primary weapon, this baddie is archetypal slasher movie magic: big, mean, and more than happy to dispatch anyone he can get his hands on in as brutal a fashion as possible.

The ghost of a man murdered for love, this villain definitely falls into the “almost sympathetic” category, a tormented soul caught in a never-ending cycle of violence and revenge. Thought to be an urban legend, this sinister boogieman is said to appear to anyone brave enough to say his name five times while looking into a mirror. If he pays you a visit, you can look forward to meeting a gruesome death via his hook-hand, with the added bonus of multiple bee stings. With a frightful appearance and a menacing voice to match, this villain is everything we could ever want in a horror icon.

The reason we always get a slight case of unease before picking up unexpected phone calls, this deranged serial killer likes to spend his time making obscene calls to his local sorority house. But unbeknownst to his soon-to-be-victims in the sorority, he’s calling from inside the house itself. Very little is known about this enigmatic killer, as his true identity and even his face are never shown in the original film. His origins, motivations, or why he calls all his victims “Agnes” are only ever hinted at. Honestly, we’re not entirely sure we want to know what’s going on in his head.

Before we reveal our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions?

Lola Stone
“The Loved Ones” (2009)

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

Officer Matthew Cordell
“Maniac Cop” (1988)

Children in creepy burlap sack masks are creepy enough, but children in creepy burlap sack masks who turn out to be murderous, pumpkin-headed enforcers of the Halloween spirit are even scarier. The main antagonist of this 2007 anthology film, this pint-sized terror seems to be some sort of demon or spirit who punishes anyone who doesn’t follow Halloween traditions, and by “punish” we mean “brutally murder with candy”. With a great look and a killer movie under his belt, we definitely want to see more of this villain. Maybe a holiday horror crossover with director Michael Dougherty’s other seasonal horror flick, “Krampus”.