10 Best Sci-Fi Movie Villains
The best bad guys in the whole universe.
All great heroes need a great villain to face up against, and that is no different in the realms of science fiction.
Throughout space and time there have been all manner of miscreant, meddler and murderer and they have helped build up a backlog of some of the greatest villains in cinema history. Evil-doers who have travelled the universe to set themselves up as the perfect foil for our heroes.
A great villain can elevate any story to new heights and, in science fiction, cinema-goers have been treated to some of the creme-de-la-creme of snarling nemesis' for our heroes.
From Star Wars to Star Trek and everything in between we have been treated to all manner of iconic antagonist through the years. From scheming space-beings to ruthless robots, sci-fi has the platform and scope to serve up an incredible variety of villains and has often successfully done so.
Whether it is their impact on the narrative, their iconic appearances or their captivating motives, there is so much that can impact how a villain can affect and warp our views on a movie. Here are some such famous nemesis' that managed to change the landscape of sci-fi filmography.
10. Pinbacker
A lesser known, and certainly lesser appreciated choice, Pinbacker is too often overlooked in discussions of some of the great villains in sci-fi. One of the most impressive elements of Pinbacker as a villain is also the reason he is so often forgotten; his limited screen time in the perpetually under-rated Sunshine.
Pinbacker does not show up in the film until its brilliant final act when he appears in a shroud of climactic chaos. He adds so much depth and intensity to the film in such a short space of time.
Pinbacker carries one of the great villain traits, a fanatic and unerring belief that what he is doing is right. The terrifying, disfigured former commander of the Icarus I burns his own crew alive after a psychotic break in the belief that it is gods will for the world and mankind to finally end.
Pinbacker is brilliantly played by Mark Strong with such intense terror emanating from him for the brief period he appears. He makes such an impression in such a short space of time and adds so much to the film that he deserves his mention on this list.