The usual golden rule of movies is that the good guys always win, but, there are some instances where that is not the case. Some of the most unforgettable movies lay the path for a villainous victory, and the most diabolical of characters come out on top, leaving audiences bewildered and frightened that the people they were rooting for, were technically lost.
When the villains win, audiences pay attention. Some of the most iconic movie villains who got away with it were due to their incredible intellect and cunningness to blend in and only reveal themselves once it is already too late.
10 Keyser Soze – The Usual Suspects
It wasn’t until the very final moments of The Usual Suspects that audiences caught on to the true criminal mastermind of the film. The entire film is dedicated to uncovering the truth behind Keyser Soze, and who is this villainous genius that has assembled a team of crooks to pull off a grand heist, with none of them knowing who their leader is.
The surprise twist sees Verbal Kint begin to walk normally as he is released from his detainment. The detective's piece together the clues as the audience does, but by then, it is already too late, and Keyser Soze gets away with it, like something from a Stephen King novel.
9 Lao Che – Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom
The opening of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom sees the titular character facing off against the Chinese mafia boss, Lao Che. To alter the deal they had, and to truly rip Indiana Jones off, he gave Indiana Jones poison, and promised the antidote in return for his demands, without payment.
Of course, Indiana Jones is not too happy with this deal, and violence ensues. The fight and chase lead Indiana Jones to an airport, but unbeknownst to him, it is owned by Lao Che, who has the pilot jump out and leave Indiana Jones hurtling to his doom. Che gets the last laugh and is never seen again.
8 Darth Sidious – Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith
For decades, Sheev Palpatine had been quietly plotting the demise of the Jedi Order. As a Sith Lord, Palpatine set the events in motion that would grant him the most powerful Sith Apprentice the Sith would ever see, and all it took was his cunning and manipulation. The events of Revenge of the Sith were all masterly crafted by Palpatine himself, and nothing will stop his plans to destroy the Jedi Order and bring forth a Galactic Empire in which he alone can rule.
Revenge of the Sith sees the Star Wars villain victorious. The film ends with the Sith ruling the galaxy, and the few remnants of the Jedi Order are forced into hiding, waiting for a new hope to emerge. This Star Wars movie has the villains win, and it’s a tragedy that befalls the entirety of the Jedi and their lightsabers.
7 Willy Wonka – Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory
The internet has turned its opinions on the enchanting Willy Wonka from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and has declared the titular character a true menace and a villain. Looking at the evidence, Willy Wonka is pretty villainous, as he takes children into his dangerous chocolate factory and excuses the fact that they leave as deformed creatures because they were “kind of mean”. Willy Wonka is like the chocolate factory version of John Wick.
The film has Willy Wonka evade arrest for his crimes, and the attempted murder, accidental or otherwise, of the children contest winners makes him a true menace. Willy Wonka gets away with it and can retire from his chocolate factory after finding a child to take over for his sins.
6 Hannibal Lecter – The Silence Of The Lambs
Hannibal “the cannibal” Lecter is locked up for a good reason. For the majority of The Silence of the Lambs, he is kept behind bars and watched like a hawk for his cunning. However, Hannibal figures out the perfect opportunity to escape, a ruse so elaborate and evil, that only he could pull it off in such a fashion.
Hannibal Lecter makes his escape in one of the most iconic and intense scenes put to film, and he gets away with it too. Hannibal manages to escape the FBI, and wanders into the bustling civilization, free to walk amongst the populous once more with a refined taste for human flesh.
5 Amy Dunne – Gone Girl
When Amy Dunne realizes that her marriage to Nick isn’t a match made in heaven, she decides that the best way forward is to fake her death and frame it to seem as if Nick had murdered her. Gone Girl is an intense thriller that takes many turns, and it’s also a rather deep character study of Amy Dunne.
As Nick’s life spirals out of control, with a frenzy over his character, Amy decides to change her mind and decides that the best way to fix the mess she made is to simply kill a guy. Amy murders a man and makes it look like it was in self-defense. She returns to her life with Nick, thriving in the evils that she has done, remaining a manipulative and cunning character.
4 Jordan Belfort – The Wolf Of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the real-life Wall Street stockbroker Jordan Belfort, but the fact that he has a multi-million dollar movie about him proves how much he got away with it. The film indulges in his experience with wealth, parties, and drugs, and sure, Jordan Belfort even goes to prison in the end, but he still gets some luxuries in that time.
The reason Jordan Belfort is a villain in this film is that he takes the money of unsuspecting and innocent people that want to make money, and he turns that into his funds. He gets away with it too, as he turns his story into wealth by writing books and speaking about his experiences.
3 Donkey Traffickers – Pinocchio
One of the most traumatizing moments in any kid's film is in Disney’s Pinocchio, in which the Coachman leads young and naive boys to Pleasure Island. Here, they can indulge in anything they want. From gambling to smoking, to even drinking. Whatever they want, because the outcome is always the same.
The Coachman turns all these young boys into donkeys, who are helpless and unable to save themselves. The Coachmen then sells off these young boys in one of the darkest and scariest moments in all of Disney. The worst part? This character is never brought to justice.
2 Thanos – Avengers: Infinity War
The big bad of the Infinity Saga to the Marvel Cinematic Universe truly triumphed in the end. Avengers: Infinity War ends with Thanos getting his wish, and he snaps his fingers with all the infinity stones to eradicate half of all life across the entire universe. Happy with his choice, Thanos watches the sunrise from a peaceful planet in which he is the only inhabitant.
The film ends with Thanos’ smile, and his emotion shows that he genuinely believes he has done the right thing for life itself. Although he is killed and his plans are reversed in the sequel, this Thanos dies believing that he was inevitable, and he dies at peace knowing half of life is gone and the infinity stones are reduced to atoms.
1 The Zodiac Killer – Zodiac
Although Zodiac is based on the real-life horrific crimes of the Zodiac Killer, a famed serial killer whose name and identity remain undiscovered, the film still has the killer get away with it. The Zodiac Killer terrorized San Fransisco through the 1960s and 1970s, leaving paranoia, murder, and puzzles in his wake, with unknown and unsuspecting targets.
The film does a great job of introducing audiences to potential suspects, with some characters even appearing as if they are certainly guilty. However, the film does well in its decision to make sure the audience can never truly know, and therefore, the Zodiac Killer disappears without a trace, and remains uncaught.