WARNING: This Article May Contain Spoilers
Anti-hero def. A lead character who lacks what would be considered as typical heroic qualities. However, is it not also the case that someone doing a bad thing for a good reason could also be considered an anti-hero? Well, I’ve compiled a few films which I considered to contain anti-heroes and let’s see what you think…
The Princess Bride
Possibly the nicest anti-heroes on the whole list. Inigo is truthfully the only one with the ulterior motive – the revenge that I spoke of in my Chick-Flick Free Valentine’s Day article – but Fezzik seems just to be along for the ride. It is this revenge, along with their respect for him, which pushes them to save the man in black (better known as Westley) from the clutches of Prince Humperdinck and help him with his own mission – rescuing of Princess Buttercup.
Suicide Squad
Now, this one is a real head scratcher. This is a team of villains being made to do good against their will. They have bombs in their heads! So it begs a question, isn’t Amanda Waller and Argus (that’s the company she works for) the real anti-hero of the film? Seeing as they are using bad people to do good things. The sad thing is, the job they are asked to do is a reasonably selfish one and in the end, it is the Suicide Squad themselves that choose to take down Enchantress. Alright, they take a little while to make the decision but they do it just the same. Even the rescuing of Rick Flagg is a good thing but it’s done out of self-preservation, typical anti-hero behaviour. Basically, this is a film proliferated with anti-heroes.
V for Vendetta
Now here is the coolest anti-hero I have ever seen. He is mainly fighting to get revenge for what was done to him at Larkhill but in the process he is also fighting for free speech for the people of the UK. Interestingly, and this is the first time it has actually crossed my mind, is when V saves Evey right at the beginning of the film – he is just in the right place at the right time because he is out past curfew on his own personal mission. The fact that she is being attacked by Fingermen, the henchmen of the government, is beneficial to him. So not only does he save her but it suits his purpose also. Typical anti-hero behaviour.
From Dusk Till Dawn
I don’t think you would find any characters that would fit the definition of an anti-hero better than the Gecko brothers. The whole reason they end up in the Titty Twister in the first place is in order to find sanctuary in El Rey following Richard breaking his brother out of court. They had even kidnapped the people that they attempt to save when things turn from bad to worse. I guess the main focus should actually be on Seth as Richard doesn’t actually get the chance to display any heroic tendencies. In a weird way, the fact that Seth helps Jacob find his faith again to help defeat the vampires in the first place is the ultimate act of heroism.
Attack the Block
Here we have our teenage anti-heroes. The one thing I will say for these boys though is that they aren’t exactly typical teenagers but at first glance, they come across as the kind many people would cross the road to avoid. I say this because we are introduced to these boys masked up on their bikes mugging an innocent woman and are later accused of the death of the two police officers the aliens kill. This isn’t actually about all of them though, it’s about Moses. For me, he is the out-and-out ‘hero’ of the story. Truthfully, he goes after the alien in the first place in order to restore some respect amongst his ‘crew’ (you know, leader tings init). Sadly, one death is an outcome of Moses’ fear. However, when they realise what’s really going on and what the aliens are truly after – it is him that shows the final act of heroism. A true hoodlum to hero story.
Leon
This is possibly the only character more suited to the label of anti-hero than the Gecko brothers. He’s a hitman, Leon is literally hired to kill people and not care about what he’s doing. This is a man that would naturally be considered as a sociopath given the job that he does, but has enough heart that he opens the door for Mathilda when her family are murdered. Don’t get me wrong, he struggles with the decision – possibly considering the repercussions – but he opens it anyway, saving her life in the process. His ways of caring for her start out unconventional, but as the film progresses, he almost turns into a real father figure (still with the occasional killing on the side)
Watchmen
Now, for the most part, the heroes featured in this film are genuine heroes. Of course, they go through what I consider the right of passage of any superhero – the period where the public hates you. If I am completely honest, I expected Rorschach to be the anti-hero character with his brooding (what some people may consider Batman-like) attitude but I was completely wrong. This film definitely fits with my alternate definition of an anti-hero as it turns out to be Ozymandius who is the anti-hero, killing millions of people to save billions in order to obtain world peace.
Venom
I’ll be honest, I don’t need an excuse to watch a Tom Hardy film but writing this article turned out to the perfect one. However, this isn’t about him or really about the character he plays, Eddie Brock. It’s about the alien, by the name of Venom, who has been brought to Earth by the villain of this film, Carlton Drake. He wants to use these alien beings to find a way to survive in outer space, to leave what he considers a dying planet. Well, it turns out the aliens have the same motivation which is why Venom uses Eddie to escape from the lab. Thankfully, during his time with Eddie, Venom has a change of heart and chooses to save Earth instead, taking on his alien counterpart, Riot, in the process.
Artwork by Claire Bishop (Instagram: @clairebish_art)
