And the best anti-hero award goes to…
Dictionaries describe an anti-hero as ‘a central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes.’
But nowadays, the line seems to have blurred even further.
Deadpool — the unconventional hero/villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — has just got his first epic movie trailer released.
In honor of arguably the greatest anti-hero ever brought to life on screen, here is a look at some of the most memorable characters from recent times (limited to the last decade or so).
1. Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Is there any other character who defines an anti-hero better than Mr. Jack ‘Dreadlock’ Sparrow? Is he good? Of course, he is. Is he cunningly evil, erm… I guess so! So is he good or is he bad? Well, he’s so bad that he’s good!
Sure, he’s a swashbuckling adventurer who fights the Englishmen as well as a whole lot of evil sea monsters. But he’s also a lying, thieving pirate. So is he an anti-hero? Is sugar white and coal black?
2. Tyler Durden (Fight Club)
Fight club became such an absorbing watch because of one man — Tyler Durden, the master manipulator. He starts off as a good guy, helping the narrator come back from a difficult period in life. But as the film progresses, one grows uneasy.
He cannot be portrayed as a true-blue villain because there’s a method, and a reason, to his madness. But does he come across as squeaky clean? A bloody, nose-crushing NO!
3. Wolverine (X-Men series)
Ok, so fan boys and girls can start sending their hate mails in 3…2…1… NOW!
Wolverine, in the X-Men movie franchisee, comes across as a morally strong hero. But in comic books, he takes on a much darker role.
One often associates heroes with their kindness and penchant to leave enemies alive after defeating them. Wolverine certainly doesn’t fit that mould. He prefers his enemies to be very dead than securely bound and gagged for life. That makes him an anti-hero in my books.
4. Severus Snape (Harry Potter)
Snape is perhaps the most misunderstood character in the entire Harry Potter canon. He starts off as a tough taskmaster with a distinct hatred for the Boy Who Lived. He antagonises, punishes and humiliates Potter boy, who lived to tell the tale of his encounter against He Who Must Not Be Named.
Only towards the end of the series does he come across as a genuine good at heart man. Then again, he killed freaking Dumbledore (even if it was under strict orders from the man himself). Sigh, misunderstood heroes make for perfect anti-hero material, innit?
5. Max Rockatansky (Mad Max)
Mel Gibson’s character started his life as a squeaky-clean police officer. He had only two goals in life, to bring criminals to justice and spend time with his family. But when everything he ever loved comes crashing down all around him, the dark side of rage finally surfaces.
Wandering around the wastelands, he helps people only when it somehow benefits him. He kills, loots and runs away, yet can you call him a villain? You and what army?
