Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share The Best Movies Where The Bad Guy Actually Wins

People Share The Best Movies Where The Bad Guy Actually Wins
Jeremy Yap/Unsplash
Make us preferred on Google

We love a feel good movie. Especially in America, we love an underdog going from zero to hero and saving the day. Just look at Captain America's origin movie.

But what about movies where the villain wins in the end? Even if it seems like our main character has caught the bad guy and made out on top, sometimes the villains still get away with their agenda. Regardless of if they're caught, it can feel unsatisfying but makes for a compelling story.

We went to Ask Reddit to know which movies gave the villain what they wanted in the end.


Redditor Jeffstrife127 asked:

"What are some movies where the bad guy wins?"

Readers be ware, spoilers lie ahead!

Framing her husband for murder.

"Gone Girl."

"Not only did Amy get away with murder and the attempted murder of Nick, Nick knows exactly what type of person she is. Amy doesn't have the wear the mask of a doting, sweet wife around him any more. She can be the psychopath she always was and what he going to do about it? Tell the police? Who would believe it? And would he even risk it knowing that would put their baby at risk?"

"Yeah, Amy came out like a gold medalist victor in the end."

- inksmudgedhands

"I actually love gone girl because of this. She gets away with everything even though it went South for her near the end."

- 12dancingbiches

"That movie was so unsettling and I felt so bad for Nick at the end. Speaking for other men here, I think it's safe to say this scenario is a guys worse nightmare."

- TheGateWaySlug69

"Don't feel bad for Nick. He's just as bad in the book as Amy is. They're both insane.

- BriaCass

The Joker came out on top.

"The Dark Knight, Joker kills Harvey, multiple important people, destroys Batman's reputation."

- YeagerMeister66179

"I'd argue Joker only half-won, Sure he destroyed Batman's reputations, but his theory that everybody is bad (I think that's his theory, My memory is a bit fuzzy) is proven wrong when the people on the ferries decided not to blow each other up, so Joker was defeated by the people of Gotham showing basic human decency."

- natemamate

"Yes and even with him getting Harvey to turn to a villain is kept only to Batman and Gordon and his family. So the rest of Gotham still perceived him as the good man he was before the whole two-face deal."

- Antman63

Seven deadly sins.

"Seven."

- DavosLostFingers

In this movie, the killer is killing people based off the seven deadly sins. He sets up the detective on the case to fulfill the destiny of his mission and kill the villain to represent the sin of wrath.

The victim was the villain all along.

"The Usual Suspects."

- tauntonlake

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

- nipponnuck

"And like that... (poof)... he's gone."

- penster1

​The building of this villain made it all the more devastating. 

"Avengers: Infinity War."

- Rediter90

"That movie was so good at building Thanos as a villain."

- Murderwithkindness

"They had all the small Thanos scenes as the man behind the curtain in a bunch of movies before that which helped."

- PuddinPacketzofLuv

"Christopher Markus did a Q&A at a theater in North Buffalo for Endgame shortly after the premier (his hometown, where I live) and he described how they were consistent in all the movies - build a villain up but then let the hero win. Except Infinity War, he said the story was basically written with Thanos as a hero and evolved from that. Super cool concept that I think benefited the production."

- Wide_right_

"I still stand by that infinity war was much better than Endgame. It was really anti climactic to replace him with a completely different Thanos that didn't go through the arc which contained all the maturity and sacrifices which made him the compelling character everyone was drawn to."

- ReceptionLivid

"I can see that, but I can also see it as a story about how anyone, no matter how initially well-intended, who wants to wield that much power will ultimately abuse it or go crazy. One person's solution isn't great for everybody, I'd say at least half of all living beings would disagree with his methods for 'bettering' the universe. And I doubt he had left his own fate up to that coin toss."

- goshdarnjeff

Star Wars.

"Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith."

- theonceandfutureduck

"I love how throughout all the movies it becomes clear that Palpatine was never going to lose, that the war didn't matter only his rise to power, and no one even saw it (the Jedi I mean, we all knew what was happening)."

- randomisedjew

"That's what makes The Clone Wars so good, you follow these heroes and favourite characters for years, all the while knowing the bittersweet fact that none of it matters anyway because Palpatine will win either way and nothing will change that."

- mpld1

The same director gave us similar endings.

"Midsommar and Hereditary both end with dangerous cults winning, so there's that."

- Totorotextbook

"Midsommar was amazing. I see a lot of people who somehow think it was a comedy...? I guess cult stuff makes them laugh or something weird."

"There's a lot going on for that movie. I'll always remember it. Was amazingly shot, didn't use any night time tropes of regular horror based movies. The movie was a master of dread. I'll take that over 99% of horror movies out there. Same shit, with different themes."

"I never saw Hereditary, but it's the same producer. Midsommar is obviously heavily inspired by Wicker Man, a very famous cult horror movie. No, not the sh*tty Nicholas Cage version."

- appleparkfive

"Same director, and if you liked Midsommar 1000000% check out Hereditary. Many similar themes, has fantastic cinematography and directing, and likewise is a heavy piece of dread and sorrow."

- Totorotextbook

Who's the hero and who's the villain in Silence of the Lambs?

"Silence Of The Lambs."

- Klotzster

"'I'm having an old friend for dinner.'"

- BlackWidow1414

"Buffalo Bill is really the 'bad guy' in that one, and he clearly loses."

- MisterMarcus

"Yeah. Hannibal Lector is an anti-hero. Which is not the same as a bad guy."

- pomegranate2012

"No Country For Old Men."

- Little_Juan86

"Been a while since I've watched it, but I always thought getting injured in something as mundane as a car accident kind of shattered Chigurh's view of himself as some unstoppable embodiment of the universe's will. So he didn't get caught by the cops, but he wound up broken all the same."

- Dranj

"He bought a shirt and hobbled away very much alive. I don't think it would have been an epiphany, more like a cost of doing his business."

"He didn't seem like the type. He got the money and everyone else was either dead or emotionally shattered."

- kenbewdy8000


More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots of Jessica Tarlov and Emily Compagno; Abdul El-Sayed
Fox News; Sarah Rice/Getty Images

Jessica Tarlov Has Perfect Clapback After Fox News Co-Host Criticizes Abdul El-Sayed For Not Being A 'Practicing Physician'

Fox News host Jessica Tarlov had the perfect response to her colleague Emily Compagno after Compagno complained that Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is not a "practicing physician."

El-Sayed, an epidemiologist who campaigned on expanding healthcare access, strengthening the economy, and ending unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, became the first progressive to win a statewide primary in a state carried by President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. He is set to face former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers during next month's midterms.

Keep Reading Show less
Pete Hegseth; Gavin Newsom
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Pete Hegseth Just Threw Out A Bunch Of Absurd Slurs While Talking About Transforming The Military—And Gavin Newsom Clapped Back Hard

California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after Hegseth delivered a slur-filled speech about who he's trying to bar from U.S. military service.

Speaking at U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Hegseth claimed that the Trump administration's cultural reimagining of the nation's armed forces has been a grand success. But, as evidenced by what he told those in attendance, this "success" was only possible because the Department of Defense has made no secret of excluding certain groups.

Keep Reading Show less
Tom Holland; Florence Pugh
Jeff Spicer/ Getty Images for Sony Pictures; NBC

Florence Pugh Revealed That Tom Holland Is The Reason She Appears In 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'—And We Love To See It

Florence Pugh has built a career on scene-stealing performances, but her latest Marvel appearance came with one particularly flattering endorsement: Spider-Man himself.

While promoting her latest historical drama, East of Eden, Pugh stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she was asked about her surprise appearance as Yelena Belova in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshots from @kelsgordon's TikTok video
@kelsgordon/TikTok

Woman Reveals The Fallout After She Caught Her Sister's Fiancé Cheating Just 2 Hours Before Their Wedding

Some people would rather live in a state of oblivion than know the truth.

TikToker @kelsgordon realized her sister was one of those people when she discovered, just two hours before her sister's wedding, that her sister's fiancé had a whole other romantic relationship in the works—and she intended to go ahead with the wedding anyway.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshots from @maddieogle10's TikTok
@maddieogle10/TikTok

Woman Shares The Biggest 'Red Flags' That A Friendship Is Ending—And TikTokers Are Sounding Off

Most of us have experienced a friendship coming to an end, and while it sometimes comes as a surprise, we can usually look back and see some signs that the end was near.

TikToker @maddieogle10, for example, believes that it's obvious that a friendship is coming to an end when something starts to feel off or like the friend is losing interest.

Keep Reading Show less