Top 20 Movies Where the Bad Guy Wins
#20: “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1978)
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The original “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” ends on a somewhat hopeful note. In the end, a doctor acknowledges the imminent takeover and calls in the FBI. But the remake does away with this optimistic tone and presents something far more apocalyptic. In one of the most famous twist endings in movie history, it’s revealed that main character Matthew Bennell has become a Pod Person. On top of that, he points and screams at Nancy to signify that she too will likely be killed and replaced. It’s also implied that humanity has been successfully invaded by the alien creatures and will likely be consumed. To recap, the main character is dead and the whole world is doomed. That’s definitely a villain victory.
#19: “Funny Games” (1997)
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In “Funny Games,” Oscar-nominated director Michael Haneke explores the nature of meaningless violence. The Schober family are vacationing in Austria when they are accosted by two young intruders named Paul and Peter. They cruelly enact the titular “funny games” against the family, which aren’t actually very funny. At one point, Anna Schober emerges victorious and kills Peter with a shotgun. But Haneke has Paul break the fourth wall and literally rewind the film to ensure his partner’s survival. The villainous duo then kills the entire Schober family. This narrative then concludes with a malicious cliffhanger when they arrive at a new house.
#18: “Hereditary” (2018)
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The major film debut of director Ari Aster was widely acclaimed, deftly mixing family drama with elements of the supernatural. Throughout the film, the Graham family has to endure tragic and haunting events. We eventually learn that their suffering was all part of a witch coven’s plan. All the Graham family’s torment was part of a grand plan to bring a demon king named Paimon back to earth. Over time, each member of the family falls in grotesque fashion. In the end, the young Peter is possessed by Paimon. He is in turn crowned by the ecstatic coven. While it’s unclear what happens next, having a demon king walking the Earth as a human cannot be good.
#17: “The Wicker Man” (1973)
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While many detective movies end with the case closed in a satisfying way, you won’t find any happy endings at the end of this mystery.“The Wicker Man” sees Police Sergeant Neil Howie exploring the Pagan island of Summerisle for a missing girl. But the film has one doozy of a twist ending. As it turns out, this missing girl story was made up to get Howie to the island. Apparently, the island’s crops are failing and they believe that a human sacrifice is needed to appease the gods. Howie is the unlucky one chosen to be burned alive inside the titular wicker man. Seeing the islanders happily dancing and singing around the flaming structure is an eerie sight never to be forgotten.
#16: “Skyfall” (2012)
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Released on the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, one would expect “Skyfall” to be a joyous celebration of the series. Instead, the film presented an aging Bond who was well past his prime. It also ends quite tragically with the villain succeeding in his aim. An Ex-MI6 agent Raoul Silva spends the movie trying to kill his old boss M for her actions in a past mission. While he doesn’t live to enjoy his victory, Silva delivers the killing blow to M before he’s dispatched himself. So, not only does the bad guy win, but he also takes out one of the franchise’s most beloved characters!
#15: “Identity” (2003)
James Mangold’s “Identity” goes to some unexpected places. It begins as a straightforward thriller, with ten strangers being killed off one-by-one inside a motel. But we later learn that these characters are really different “personalities” of a convict named Malcolm Rivers. The audience is led to hope that he will find and eliminate the “homicidal personality” before his impending execution. And for a glorious moment, it seems like he's won. Rivers even avoids a death sentence. But in a cruel twist ending, it’s revealed that the killer personality is actually still alive within Rivers. The winding narrative ends with the murderous mind fully taking over the body.
#14: “Watchmen” (2009)
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Zack Snyder’s superhero epic was a clever subversion of the time-honored genre, featuring antiheroic lead characters, a bleak tone, graphic violence, and a stirring ending that raises some serious moral questions. A supposed hero named Ozymandias attempts to stop the Cold War by destroying numerous cities and framing his ally Doctor Manhattan as a common enemy. Although his allies try to thwart the plan, they arrive far too late. Multiple cities are destroyed and millions of lives are lost. The countries of the world finally decide to put aside their differences—at the cost of Dr. Manhattan being seen as a villain. After Watchmen member Rorshach is slain to keep him quiet, the remaining heroes have to live with what their old friend has done.
#13: “The Omen” (1976)
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Those who fear biblical evil would do well to avoid “The Omen.” After Robert and Kathy Thorn lose their newborn son, they decide to adopt another. Unfortunately, their new child Damien turns out to be the literal Antichrist. Robert vows to stop the kid from committing evil before it’s too late. Unfortunately, the man comes up short. While attempting to stop Damien, Robert draws the attention of the police and is shot to death. Robert’s knowledge of what the kid is tragically dies with them. A satisfied Damien even breaks the fourth wall to let us know how happy he is about this grim turn of events. It’s like he’s goading us into revealing the truth - a reveal that would surely end in our deaths.
#12: “Chinatown” (1974)
This iconic masterpiece of film noir contains one of the most famous tragic endings in movie history. Private investigator Jake Gittes is led down a dark path involving homicide and the water supply of Los Angeles. The journey leads him to a wicked man named Noah Cross. This villain committed a number of crimes that included but are certainly not limited to killing his old partner. While audiences are expecting Noah to get what’s coming to him, his daughter is killed by the police instead. The villain ends the movie getting away with absolutely everything. All Jake can do is stare in utter disbelief at the injustice of it all.
#11: “Nineteen Eighty-Four” (1984)
Published in 1949, George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” is a masterpiece of dystopian fiction. This film adaptation is incredibly faithful to Orwell’s vision. So, that means it includes the book’s famous bleak ending. Winston Smith and his lover, Julia, are arrested by the Thought Police for their transgressions against the state. Brainwashing and constant torment eventually breaks the duo and makes them betray each other. In the end, Winston is left a mindless zombie who proudly declares his love for and allegiance to Big Brother. It’s a horrifying statement about the power of totalitarianism and the complete lack of freedom that it affords.
#10: “Saw” (2004)
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It’s not rare for the bad guys to win in horror movies. But the ending of “Saw” packed a certain kind of power that left behind an undeniable legacy. Throughout this horror film, two unlucky victims named Adam and Lawrence are trapped in a room with a body on the floor in between them. In one of the most famous twist endings of the 21st century, the corpse rises and reveals himself to be mastermind Jigsaw. He then leaves the restrained Adam to die alone in the dark. Not only does Jigsaw get away, but the other main characters are either left dead or dying. It’s a relentless rollercoaster of violence and shocking developments.
#9: “No Country for Old Men” (2007)
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This classic thriller explores concepts of fate and good vs. evil. Throughout the movie. Anton Chigurh is the very embodiment of wickedness. He even dresses in black like the Grim Reaper. Chigurh is after a briefcase of money that was stolen by Llewelyn Moss. And he handedly wins. Not only does he get the briefcase back, but he easily dispatches most of his enemies and successfully evades the pursuing Sheriff Bell. Even though he has to endure a horrific injury in a climactic car crash, he still walks away a free man. This movie posits that evil will always exist. While we may never understand it, sometimes it will triumph over good.
#8: “Rosemary's Baby” (1968)
This horror classic shares some similarities with “The Omen.” It too is about the Antichrist and its rocky relationship with its parents. In this case, the child is still unborn. The story mainly concerns the pregnant Rosemary Woodhouse. She is continually gaslit and manipulated by her neighbors that tell her everything is fine. Naturally, they are elderly Satanists hoping to bring the Antichrist into the world. In the end, Rosemary gives birth to Satan’s son. While she expresses horror at the concept and the baby's appearance, she nevertheless agrees to mother the kid. The Satanists get their Antichrist while completely eliminating Rosemary’s personal agency.
#7: “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)
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Regarded as one of the greatest movie villains, Hannibal Lecter’s charisma almost makes us forget just how horrible he actually is. Although the main antagonist Buffalo Bill is defeated, we can’t overlook how sinister this secondary threat is. Lector is able to handedly outsmart the good guys by the film’s conclusion. When Hannibal is transferred to Memphis, he violently escapes from the courthouse and goes on the run. The film’s famous ending sees a free Hannibal calling Clarice to say goodbye before pursuing a new target. He slowly fades into the distance, just one more face in the large crowd.
#6: “Oldboy” (2003)
This thriller classic from director Park Chan-wook packs a horrific and truly unforgettable twist ending. Oh Dae-su is kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, only to be randomly released. He meets and falls in love with a woman named Mi-do while seeking revenge against mastermind Lee Woo-jin. However, the grudge isn’t one sided. Back in high school, Woo-jin had an inappropriate relationship with his sister. After Dae-su told others about it, other rumors about the siblings began to spread. Woo-jin’s sister eventually took her own life. The grieving brother then orchestrated events so Dae-su would unknowingly start an inappropriate relationship with his daughter. While Dae-su moves to have this knowledge erased, his final expression suggests that he’ll never truly be happy.
#5: “Primal Fear” (1996)
Edward Norton received an Oscar nomination for his performance as Aaron Stampler, a shy altar boy who is accused of killing an Archbishop. He is defended by attorney Martin Vail, who learns that Aaron might have dissociative identity disorder. His alter ego Roy is like a sociopathic Mr. Hyde to Aaron’s passive Dr. Jekyll. But the terrifying truth is revealed in the ending. In the end, we learn that Roy faked having alternate personalities. He did so not only for sympathy, but to appear mentally unstable and avoid a conviction for capital homicide. Roy proudly gloats about killing the Archbishop and is sent away to a psychiatric hospital. By the time the credits rolled, he’s successfully tricked everyone and avoided prison.
#4: “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
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The last thing we expected from a Marvel movie was half the universe dying, but hey, we love a good surprise! In a move that shocked the world, Thanos emerged victorious at the end of “Infinity War.” He amasses all the six powerful stones he needed to complete the Infinity Gauntlet. With a snap of his fingers, half of the entire universe is decimated. This means we have to watch countless major characters die before our eyes. Included among the dead are Peter Parker, Peter Quill, Doctor Strange, and Nick Fury. While it was a very daring narrative choice for Marvel, it worked perfectly and helped ensure the wild success of the film.
#3: “Seven” (1995)
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Few fictional serial killers are as terrifying as John Doe. He planned to model his kills after the seven deadly sins. Although it seemed like Doe was two short by the end, he reveals that he has one last trick up his sleeve. The mystery man was jealous of the happy life that Tracy and Detective David shared. So, he slays Tracy and leaves the remaining proof of his crime in a box. By committing these actions, John Doe declares himself as the sin envy. The cruel crime also enrages David beyond belief. When the detective shoots Doe, the cop is consumed by the sin wrath. This ending is downbeat and utterly hopeless. Doe wins, Mills gets taken away under police custody, and detective Somerset is left to reflect on the violent nature of the world.
#2: “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)
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Fans expected “Revenge of the Sith” to have a real downer of an ending since it explained how Anakin Skywalker became the villainous Darth Vader. But the dark conclusion that caught many by surprise occurs in “The Empire Strikes Back.” The lead up to the ending features one defeat after another. Yoda is abandoned on Dagobah. Han Solo is frozen in carbonite and taken to Jabba the Hutt. And after losing a hand, Luke learns that the villainous Darth Vader is actually his biological father. By the end, the heroes are left picking up the pieces while reflecting on everything they’ve lost.
#1: “The Usual Suspects” (1995)
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When writer Christopher McQuarrie took home the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for “The Usual Suspects”, it wasn’t hard to see why. He crafted one of the best downbeat endings in movie history. Con artist Verbal Kint tells police the story of a ship massacre and the elusive crime lord Keyser Söze. While the police are utterly sucked into his story, they don’t get to discover how to get the infamous villain. But in the end, we learn that Kint was an unreliable narrator who made up the whole story. It turns out that Kint and Keyser Söze are one and the same. The police had the crime lord in their grasp and allowed him to walk away scot free.
