10 Henchman Movie Roles Made Epic By Casting

North by Northwest's Leonard was subtle in the sense that he didn't have a coming out scene, but Scott Pritchard's was much clearer in No Way Out.

Taking its cues from Fearing's novel, director Roger Spottiswoode uses his Pentagon setting to maximum effectiveness, ramping up the tension with new technological developments that make Costner's hunt for himself nerve-wrackingly easy. Were it not for a dumbfoundedly silly third-act twist, it'd almost be on par with The Big Clock's pulse-pounding suspense.

And as the ringleader of havoc, willing to do anything to cover up his boss Hackman's murder, Will Patton is downright scary. He's still playing up the same signifiers as Landau, particularly the sycophancy, but its Patton's unpredictable streak make him a legitimate threat.

We know he's a danger to Costner, but by the film's climax it's unclear just how he'll react to betrayal. Hackman is good, but underwritten as the Secretary of Defense with a temper. He's too much of a politician to be frightening. The real power lies in his aide, Patton's gay Stephen Miller-esque prototype.