How do you like villains handled best?

[XtremelyBaneful]

I often don't like when the main villain is killed off at the end. I mean sure the final battle or whatever can be epic or justice or whatever - but it's still an escape from answering to his/her crimes.

 

[Victarion]

Depends on what the movie is trying to do thematically.

 

[AnneFan]

Depends on what the movie is trying to do thematically.

This.

The situation always dictates.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

I find most of the time I'd have the villain reprimanded but most of the time when he's killed it's because he forced your hand.

 

[kvz5]

Depends really but I love it when the villain is outwitted and humiliated in the end.

 

[Nemeres]

Many ways, but one shining example for me is the Jason Isaacs character in The Patriot. A guy we are given several reasons to hate/fear throughout the film, who keeps succeeding with his evilness, killing not one but TWO of the hero's sons, among several others... which makes their rivalry as personal as it gets. This little gem of a line sums it up:

[YT]lUvvk3njJm8[/YT]
Then you bring them together for an intense final fight and you end it with a painful death. Leaving him alive long enough to realize that he deserves what he's getting and that he lost. Ah, good stuff.

 

[titansupes]

Depends on what the movie is trying to do thematically.

This.

The situation always dictates.

Exactly.

 

[KevanG]

I like the ones that are much more complex than the usual "I'm so evil cause I'm a bad guy' ones. There's way too many of the boring ones who just want to murder and take over the world. Like the Penguin in Batman Returns. Penguin was totally crazy and reprehensible because he really had a **** life. He was born deformed, thrown into the sewers by his parents and treated like a monster his entire life and he wants revenge. During the movie he gets a chance to become someone new, runs for mayor and actually starts to enjoy being viewed as normal. Of course at the same time he plans to kidnap and murder thousands of children. You get where he's coming from but he's totally insane.

Max Schrek on the other hand (played by Christopher Walken) is pretty much an ******* for the sake of being one.

 

[nocomics]

Just depends on the intent of the movie and what the circumstances that led the villain to be the villain. There are some movies where I feel the villains anger and why he does what he does, so I kind of root for him to a degree.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

It's all about context.

 

[bullets]

They should all die a horrible death unless you want to bring them back for a sequel. Unless of course it's a teen comedy or something and the villain is just a jerk.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

They should all die a horrible death unless you want to bring them back for a sequel. Unless of course it's a teen comedy or something and the villain is just a jerk.

Ha. Seriously, I don't think THE KARATE KID would have been as well remembered if Daniel had ripped out Johnny's throat at the tournament at the end.

 

[DA_Champion]

There is no perfect recipe for a good villain.

The Alien (Xenomorph)
The Terminator
The Predator
Darth Vader
The Joker
etc.

Are all quite distinct in implementation and style.

 

[smallville fan]

^Agree. One thing I can say for sure is that they should all some form of decent character development before their ultimate end. *Looking at you Marvel*

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

Exactly.

I've seen plenty of films where death is an easy way out for the villain because I want to see the reprimanding/consequences of their actions.

 

[Victarion]

And then there was Hellboy II where I somewhat rooted for Nuada in his desire to not go gently into the night...

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

And then there was Hellboy II where I somewhat rooted for Nuada in his desire to not go gently into the night...

Nuada died? Never saw Hellboy 2, and the only time I saw Helboy was bootlegged

 

[Wildcard]

Yep, Nuada definitely died. I believe his sister stabbed herself, thus stabbing him. Both bled out and turned to stone or something to that effect.

As for the question at hand, I'd have to side with everyone who's said it really depends on the story and what's being done with it. In some cases, the best outcome is for the villain to die while others call for other alternatives to be explored. Especially if that villain can still be viable for later stories.

 

[scarlet-witch]

I chose "it depends" If they do despicable acts and aren't very interesting, I want them dead. If they're someone deliciously fascinating, arrest them so they can come back for the sequel.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

Depends on what the movie is trying to do thematically.

This

Any other answer is wrong.

But, the majority of movies are about the hero's journey, which makes the villain be two-dimensional.
In this cases, the character lives on the actor's work and not on the character itself.
In this cases, the villain usually dies.
Bare in mind that there are amazing two-dimensional villains, Hans Gruber comes to mind.

Then, there are movies were the villain is three-dimensional, has flaws and a good background...those are the best.
The fate of those usually depend on the movie's thematic.

 

[The Joker]

Other.

Villains who have done terrible crimes can end up living, like Joker in TDK, and it totally works. Other times a villain being killed is more satisfying and serves the story better. In some cases death of said villain can have impact on the sequels e.g. Green Goblin's death.

 

[Sundancer]

Depends on the story. I think more on lines of "antagonist" than "villain." Juliette and Woody in Natural Born Killers are basically villains, but they didn't have to die for the movie to have a satisfying ending. Same with Godfather II or Goodfellas.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Depends if a sequel's expected....