Antihero movies can be a perfect match for people who prefer characters with complex and flawed features opposite to traditional heroic features.
Antiheroes often lack morality, courage, and many other heroic attributes; they are usually more concerned with their own will and motives than with anything else, but these characters are loved by millions of people.
Some of Hollywood’s best examples of antiheroes are Walter White from Breaking Bad, Driver from Drive, and Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver.
Although these antiheroes acquire some evil and negative traits, they can be seen as people who are willing to do anything for their loved ones.
Moreover, antihero movies make people rethink the definitions of good and evil and make them feel more sympathetic to the antiheroes.
Here is the list of the top 10 Antihero movies with mind-blowing portrayals of antiheroes.
10. There Will Be Blood
There Will Be Blood is an epic period drama movie written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
It is based on the 1927 novel by Uptoon Sinclair named Oil.
The movie follows Daniel Planview, who discovers Oil in California in 1902 and adopts the orphan son of a worker who passes in an accident.
Furthemore, the movie depicts the greedy nature of Daniel Planview, who is willing to do anything possible to become rich and powerful, including homicide and several other immoral activities.
Daniel’s character, portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis, has been regarded as one of the most renowned antiheroes ever.
His immoral attributes for gaining power by eradicating his competitors while loving his adopted son perfectly match his antihero qualities.
The movie received worldwide acclaim from critics, and Daniel Day’s performance won him the Oscars for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
There Will Be Blood
IMDb DramaDaniel, who discovers oil and adopts a young orphan boy, is willing to do anything possible, including eradicating his enemies to gain power and build his business.
| Director | Paul Thomas Anderson |
| Release Date | December 26, 2007 |
| Studio | Ghoulardi Film Company Scott Rudin Productions |
| Cast | Daniel Day-Lewis, Barry Del Sherman, Paul F. Tompkins, Dillon Freasier, Paul Dano |
| Writers | Paul Thomas Anderson, Upton Sinclair |
| Runtime | 2h 38m |
| Rating | R |
9. Fight Club
Fight Club is a drama movie directed by David Fincher. It is based on Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel of the same name.
The movie follows a narrator who suffers from chronic insomnia and struggles with dissatisfaction with his job and lifestyle.
Furthermore, to deal with his struggles and pain, he joins different support groups, but as his situation worsens, his life takes a surprising turn when he meets a mysterious man, Tyler Durden.
They both later form an underground Fight Club where men gather to engage in a brutal fight; soon, a series of unusual events and mysteries unfold.
Though the movies portrayed violence and immoral activities, Tyler Durdan’s intention to help men involved in the fight club release their frustration and anger can be a perfect fit for an antihero category.
The movie has won several awards, including the Online Film Critics Society Awards, Empire Awards, and Jupiter Award.
Fight Club
IMDb DramaA man with chronic insomnia who struggles with his job and lifestyle encounters a mysterious man, Tyler, and forms a fight club, which turns his life around.
| Director | David Fincher |
| Release Date | October 15, 1999 |
| Studio | Fox 2000 Pictures Regency Enterprises Linson Films |
| Cast | Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Meat Loaf, Zach Grenier, Helena Bonham Carter |
| Writers | Chuck Palahniuk, Jim Uhls |
| Runtime | 2h 19m |
| Rating | R |
8. Leon: The Professional
Leon: The Professional is an action crime drama movie directed by Luc Besson.
The movie follows Leon, an Italian-American hitman working for a mafia boss, Old Tony, in New York City. Leon encounters a young girl, Mathilda Lando, who lives with a troubled family.
Furthermore, after the demise of Mathilda’s family, Leon takes her and teaches her his hitman skills at her request to take revenge on the person who destroyed her family.
The movie also depicts a series of miserable events, including the demise of Leon and, eventually, the demise of the person who eradicated Mathilda’s family.
Although Leon is a professional hitman in the movie and is involved in several sinful activities, his love and care for Mathilda make him one of the renowned antiheroes in Hollywood.
The movie has won the Czech Lions and Award Circuit Community Awards.
Leon: The Professional
IMDb CrimeDramaActionA 12-year-old Mathilda, living in a dysfunctional family, is taken by Leon, a professional hitman; after the demise of her family members, she later becomes Leon’s protege and learns the hitman skills.
| Director | Luc Besson |
| Release Date | 14 September 1994 |
| Studio | Gaumont Les Films du Dauphin |
| Cast | Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello, Peter Appel |
| Writer | Luc Besson |
| Runtime | 1h 50m |
| Rating | R |
7. Scarface
Scarface is a crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone.
It is a remake of the 1932 movie of the same name, based on Armitage Trail’s novel of the same name.
The movie follows Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee and an ex-convict who comes to Miami and is sent to a refugee camp with his best friend, Manny Ribera, and their companions, Angel and Chi-Chi.
After getting a green card in exchange for eradicating a former senior henchman from Miami’s powerful mafia, Frank Lopez, they get involved in the crime business.
The movie further depicts Tony’s journey of rising from poverty to a wealthy and powerful hooligan through any means, including several homicides and unlawful activities.
Scarface is regarded as one of the renowned antihero movies because of Tony’s complex and flawed nature, which involves several immoral activities opposite to Hollywood’s traditional heroes.
The movie was nominated for Golden Globes and Satellite Awards.
Scarface
IMDb CrimeDramaA Cuban immigrant, Tony Montana, along with his companions, arrives in Maimi as a refugee but gets involved in the world of crime because of his greed for power and money.
| Director | Brian De Palma |
| Release Date | December 9, 1983 |
| Studio | Martin Bregman Productions |
| Cast | Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, Miriam Colon, F. Murray Abraham, Paul Shenar, Ángel Salazar |
| Writers | Oliver Stone, Howard Hawks, Ben Hecht, Armitage Trail |
| Runtime | 2h 50m |
| Rating | R |
6. Unforgiven
Unforgiven is a Western drama movie produced and directed by Clint Eastwood.
The movie follows Will Munny, who is offered the task of eradicating two cowboys who previously attacked a girl named Delilah Fitzgerald in return for a huge sum of money.
Will, a former assassin but now a widower raising 2 children, agrees to complete the task as his last task as a hitman so that his children’s future might be secured.
Moreover, the movie illustrates Will’s involvement in several unlawful activities, including a series of assassinations.
Unforgiven is regarded as a classic antihero movie as Will is initially a good father to his children and a good person, but to fulfill his desires, he gets involved in several evil activities.
The movie has won four Oscars and several other renowned awards, including BAFTA, Golden Globes, and Hochi Film Awards.
Clint Eastwood’s performance as William Munny was praised by people worldwide, and he is known as one of the most renowned antiheroes.
Unforgiven
IMDb WesternDramaWilliam Munny, a former hitman, takes on one last job to help his old partner Ned Logan to eradicate two cowboys which results in series of tragic events.
| Director | Clint Eastwood |
| Release Date | August 7, 1992 |
| Studio | Malpaso Productions |
| Cast | Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek |
| Writer | David Webb Peoples |
| Runtime | 2h 10m |
| Rating | R |
5. Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction is an independent crime drama movie written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.
The movie follows intertwined stories of two hitmen, Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega, a fighter Butch Coolidge, and his girlfriend, Fabienne, and a gangster, Marsellus Wallace, and his wife, Mia.
It includes seven sequences in chronological order, starting from a scene of a robbery in a diner and ending with Butch freeing Marsellus from Maynard and leaving the city with his girlfriend, Fabienne.
Pulp Fiction is known as one of the best antihero movies. It illustrates the different complex and flawed characters in the movie, which, though involved in illegal activities, also had some genuine and kind characters who are motivated to get things done for their own satisfaction.
The movie received several renowned awards, including the Oscars for Best Writing and Screenplay and others like Saturn, BAFTA, and Independent Spirit Award.
Pulp Fiction
IMDb CrimeDramaIt follows the intertwined stories of two hitmen, a fighter, a mafia boss, and his wife in the world of crime.
| Director | Quentin Tarantino |
| Release Date | October 14, 1994 |
| Studio | A Band Apart Jersey Films |
| Cast | John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Uma Thurman |
| Writers | Quentin Tarantino |
| Runtime | 2h 34m |
| Rating | R |
4. Joker
Joker is a psychological crime drama thriller movie directed and co-produced by Todd Phillips.
It is loosely based on the DC Comics character The Joker.
The movie follows a struggling clown and an aspiring stand-up comedian suffering from depression, anxiety, and a neurological disorder who lives with his mother, Penny, in Gotham City.
Arthur becomes the victim of manipulation and attack and is treated badly in society, which provokes him to become an assassin for his self-defense and decides to start a revolution against the wealthy people by eradicating them.
The movie is considered an antihero movie because Arthur, who is initially a victim of social injustice, becomes a dark and violent individual who gets involved in several unlawful activities to remove injustice and bad people from decaying society.
Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as Arthur won him an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
Joker
IMDb CrimeDramaThrillerArthur Fleck, a professional clown and a failed stand-up comedian living with his mother who becomes the victim of social injustice and bullying, starts a revolution against wealthy and evil people.
| Director | Todd Phillips |
| Release Date | October 4, 2019 |
| Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Village Roadshow Pictures Bron Creative Joint Effort DC Films |
| Cast | Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Leigh Gill |
| Writers | Todd Phillips, Scott Silver, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson |
| Runtime | 2h 2m |
| Rating | R |
3. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a psychological drama movie directed by Milos Forman.
It is based on the novel by Ken Kesey, which is of the same name.
The movie follows 38-year-old Randle McMurphy, who is involved in several unlawful activities and pretends to be insane to get himself moved into a mental institution to avoid hard labor behind bars.
Furthemore, the movie depicts McMurphy’s journey in the mental institution headed by Nurse Ratvched, a cold, aggressive person who, to gain power, is making the patients’ lives hell.
Rebellious McMurphy disobeys the nurse, starts several fights, and manipulates scared patients against the bossy nurse.
Jack Nicholson’s role as Randle McMurphy is a perfect example of an antihero because he displays the opposite traits of the traditional heroic characters.
For his role, Jack Nicholson won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role and several other prestigious awards, including the BAFTA Awards, National Board of Review, and Sant Jordi Awards.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
IMDb DramaA Korean War veteran, Randle McMurphy, who is on the verge of getting charged for criminal activities, fakes to be an insane person to get admitted to a mental institution to avoid going behind bars and fight against the bossy nurse.
| Director | Milos Forman |
| Release Date | November 19, 1975 |
| Studio | Fantasy Films |
| Cast | Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, William Redfield, Will Sampson, Vincent Schiavelli |
| Writers | Dale Wasserman, Ken Kesey, Bo Goldman, Lawrence Hauben |
| Runtime | 2h 13m |
| Rating | R |
2. The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II is an epic crime drama movie produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
It is based on Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel of the same name. It is both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather.
The movie follows Vito Corleone’s early life and career and illustrates Michael Corleone’s journey as the new Don of the Corleone family after his father’s demise.
Furthermore, it depicts how Michael is willing to do anything possible to protect his family business, including involving himself in several immoral activities, eradicating his enemies, and getting involved in corruption.
Al Pacino’s portrayal of Michael Corleone is known as one of the best antiheroes in Hollywood. His struggle to protect his family business by hook or by crook can be a perfect example of an antihero.
The movie won six Oscars and several other awards, including Saturn, BAFTA, Satellite, and Golden Schmoes Awards.
The Godfather Part II
IMDb CrimeDramaMark Corleone is willing to do anything possible to protect his family business built by his father, Vito Corleone
| Director | Francis Ford Coppola |
| Release Date | December 20, 1974 |
| Studio | Paramount Pictures The Coppola Company |
| Cast | Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Lee Strasberg, Michael V. Gazzo |
| Writers | Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola |
| Runtime | 3 hours 22 minutes |
| Rating | R |
1. Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver is a neo-noir psychological crime movie directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader.
The movie follows Travis Bickle, who works as a taxi driver at night to cope with his chronic insomnia and loneliness.
Furthermore, the movie depicts how disgusted Travis is with a society full of evil and filthy people whom he dreams of removing. It also illustrates Travis’ addiction to adult movies, which ruins his date with Betsy.
Experiencing an existential crisis and seeing various nasty activities in society, Travis builds himself as a strong person and gets involved in several assassinations, eventually harming himself.
Robert Di Niro’s portrayal of Travis is regarded as one of the most loved antiheroes ever.
Although his idea of removing dirt from society was unlawful and immoral, his attempt to save a young girl from filthy activities can be considered an antiheroic trait.
The movie was nominated for 4 Oscars and is known as one of the greatest movies ever made.
Taxi Driver
IMDb DramaCrimeA mentally disturbed man, Travis works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where he is disgusted by the unethical activities in the City and dreams of removing the dirt and dirty people of the city.
| Director | Martin Scorsese |
| Release Date | February 8, 1976 |
| Studio | Bill/Phillips Productions Italo-Judeo Productions |
| Cast | Robert De Niro, Garth Avery, Jodie Foster, Leonard Harris, Harvey Keitel, Bob Maroff |
| Writer | Paul Schrader |
| Runtime | 1 hour 54 minutes |
| Rating | R |
