Who does the best villain?

[MSM 126]

In the CGI age we live in, movie villains can be more villainous than ever because of special FX. Still, you need a good actor to portrait a bad villain. Who, from those CGI movies, do you regard to do the best acting job in playing his bad character?

[Lurker 5]

Rickman.

Neil

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Rickman, followed by Isaacs.

[Hitch 57]

Isaacs' performance is more delicious and tis a pity his role wasn't extended in GOF.

P.S. Why put in one Goldsmith and one Shore villain in an-all Williams arena?

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I have a soft spot for Rickman. But let's face it, Isaacs just has so much experience doing villains, he's also a joy to watch.

[robthehand 3]

I haven't seen GOF yet, so don't know what I'll think of Fiennes (he's good normally IMO). I voted Rickman.

[A24 4,338]

Ian McDiarmid as The Emperor, although I haven't seen all performances.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I picked Rickman, but I am really voting for him for Hans Gruber, the ultimate movie badguy. Hans makes all the others look rather pathetic, even Fiennes Nazi Character in Schindler's List.

[MSM 126]

I haven't seen GOF yet, so don't know what I'll think of Fiennes (he's good normally IMO). I voted Rickman.

Go 'n see it, and vote again.

[Romão 2,274]

McDiarmid. Although Christopher Lee, Jason Isaacs and Ralphe Fiennes are always wonderful to watch.

[Justin 2]

Justin - Who almost voted for Rickman.

[JWFAN4LIFE 0]

Rickman by far, he plays Snape so well. He makes you hate him. So much so that you forget you are watching a movie and you really think you hate him in real life. He is just awsome!

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Isaacs (as Malfoy, Hook, and Tavington)...he just oozes malevolence so delightfully. Plus, he's one of the few redeeming aspects of CoS. Rickman is up there too. Christensen is laughable, and McDiarmid would be an all right choice if it wasn't for his numerous ridiculous moments on RotS (which were probably not his fault). I wish I could say Fiennes impressed me, but he was far too demonstrative and exaggerated. I remember reading a quote on Mugglenet where he said it wasn't a role he took very seriously....uh, maybe if you had, you'd have given an appropriate and more frightening portrayal of Voldemort.

Ray Barnsbury

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Christopher Lee followed by McDiarmid and Isaacs.

[SturgisPodmore 0]

Jason Issacs without a doubt. He was born to play villains.

~Sturgis, extremely relieved to see that Christiensen has no votes

[Dean1700 4]

Jason Issacs without a doubt.  He was born to play villains.

Here, here.

[Marian Schedenig 8,198]

Isaacs is cool. And Rickman is great, but he isn't really that über-villain the others are. I pick McDiarmid and SaruLee, giving a slight edge to the former.

Marian -

[MrAsterisk 0]

Saruman, Emporer, Dooku -- in that order. Christopher Lee is the man whom I would want to narrate my life story.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Snape is Innocent.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

You left out Khan, Reverend Henry Kane, General Chang, Anubis, Damien Thorn, Freddy Krueger, Borg Queen, Bellaq, and Mola Ram.

Harry Potter villains aren't really all that intimidating.

[ST-321 4]

Snape is Innocent.

I don't think so.

[Henry B 50]

They all suck... so I voted for Christensen.

[Justin 2]

You left out Khan, Reverend Henry Kane, General Chang, Anubis, Damien Thorn, Freddy Krueger, Borg Queen, Bellaq, and Mola Ram.

Harry Potter villains aren't really all that intimidating.

I think this poll has something to do with CGI.

I'm not sure what though...

Justin

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

Snape is Innocent.

I was about to say the same thing. Snape is NOT a villian. Ok, the 6th book is arguable, but since this is about the actors as well, technically, Rickman hasnt played Snape as a villian, yet. I'd still vote for him because I love his performance, but if we were to exclude him, I'd go for Isaacs.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Snape is Innocent.

I was about to say the same thing. Snape is NOT a villian. Ok, the 6th book is arguable, but since this is about the actors as well, technically, Rickman hasnt played Snape as a villian, yet. I'd still vote for him because I love his performance, but if we were to exclude him, I'd go for Isaacs.

Yeah, Book 6 isn't canon.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Isaacs.

I would have gone for McDiarmid but his comical and over-the-top scenes as the Emperor in ROTS rather let him down I feel ("nooo. NOOO! NOOOOOOOO! POWERRRR UNLIMETED POOOOOWERRRRR" Pulease!). His Emperor was perfect in ROTJ, and as Senator/chancellor Palpatine he was excellent.

[Composer_Fan 2]

Rickman.

[Incanus 5,715]

Christopher Lee as Saruman is unbeatable. He just became that character. His presence was enormous in the movies. I simply loved his performance.

Ian McDiamid's role as the Emperor comes a close second. I like his double dealing role. As Emperor he is fantastic in ROTJ, an image of corruption and evil. In the Prequels Palpatine he comes of as a perfect and intelligent political master mind. And you know this man is going to be Emperor so it is fun to watch how he became the man he is.

[A24 4,338]

Christopher Lee as Saruman is unbeatable. He just became that character. His presence was enormous in the movies. I simply loved his performance.  

What character? He doesn't get enough screen time to build up his character! The lack of a beefy villain is one of LOTR's biggest shortcomings.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[Incanus 5,715]

Christopher Lee as Saruman is unbeatable. He just became that character. His presence was enormous in the movies. I simply loved his performance.  

What character? He doesn't get enough screen time to build up his character! The lack of a beefy villain is one of LOTR's biggest shortcomings.

----------------

Alex Cremers

Well the character gets more screen time than many in the trilogy. It is sad TTT did not have more Saruman since it should have been his movie. Heck he got more screen time in FOTR. Still he MY favorite villain so that is that. And I feel his character is very well built. Perhaps my observations as a Tolkien fan got in the way since I know Saruman from the book so well but that only enhances the performance for me.

[A24 4,338]

Well the character gets more screen time than many in the trilogy.

I can't argue with you there.

[MSM 126]

I choose Ralph Fiennes. now that I think of it, maybe his acting wasd a bit over the top. However when watching the movie it was perfect. It could have been so much worse. And I think Fiennes has become a great actor (judging from English Patient years ago).

I also think Christopher Lee didn't have enough screentime to blossom as the ultimate villain. But I think he's the strongest actor of the list.

Rickman does a great job as Snape, but I know Rickman is a very kind person in real life, and I always see that also when he plays bad characters. He doesn't have the cold blue eyes from the books.

Then I'm interested in what you think of Arnold Vosloo. Of course The Mummy was a flat (but fun) popcorn movie, but I think Vosloo's overwhelming screen presence was impressive. When I see normal (e.g. premiere) photographs of this actor, I keep seeing the mummy character he played. I think it means he was very convincing.

Btw, I didn't pick older villains, because in the pre-CGI era I think it was very different to play a villain. Besides there are so many, and most people wouldn't be acquainted with many of the older ones.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Have you been watching 24 lately? Arnold Vosloo plays one of those pesky terrorists in season 4.

[lamiahp 0]

I like Hayden!!!!

[Incanus 5,715]

Have you been watching 24 lately? Arnold Vosloo plays one of those pesky terrorists in season 4.

Pesky terrorists LOL Sound like they are an insignificant nuisance.

[Ollie 1,059]

I really can't choose based on those roles listed but if I were to choose based on their career roles as villians I would choose Christopher Lee and Alan Rickman.

[Incanus 5,715]

Alan Rickman is a great actor who seems always to get these bad guy roles. It is funny how his characters are always so sour and bitter. I find his character (who is a not a bad guy for a change) in Galaxy Quest to be absolutely hilarious because of that. He has developed sourness to an art form

[MSM 126]

It seems Ian McDiarmid is the winner!

[Dean1700 4]

I would have selected Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor if he was listed.

[TheRuleOfThirds 0]

Liam Neeson as Ra's Al Ghul.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

At the very moment it seems that Christensen and Fiennes

are both talented actors(4%)

[Morlock 11]

McDiarmid, Rickman, Lee, Isaacs and Lee all do fantastic work, but IMO McDiarmid gives an irresistable performance in the prequels, and he gets it for pure length. Rickman is an ideal Snape, but he has very little presence in the last HP three films (although a minute of him is more memorable than 10 minutes of most of the other actors). Isaacs is wonderful, you hear the relish in his voice with every word uttered, but, there's not enough of him. Lee as Saruman is as solid a villain as it gets, and I think he is the only thing that prevents Dooku from being totaly forgotten. His little scene in RoTS was one of the few that felt like SW to me, he made Dooku far more impressive than the role seemed to call for.