10 More Awesome Sci-Fi Villains Wasted In Terrible Movies
1. Agent Smith - The Matrix Revolutions
On paper, the overarching villain of The Matrix trilogy, Agent Smith, should be the most boring character imaginable. He is a rogue AI with a monotonous voice who desires to rule the world.
But because of Hugo Weaving's electric performance, Smith has become one of the most memorable and recognisable villains in movie history. His clipped intonation and mechanical movements make him deeply unnerving and yet, charismatic. When he discusses his absolute disdain for humanity to Morpheus or Neo, his argument is so compelling, you kinda root for him.
Even though he died at the end of the first film, his return was inevitable. The Wachowskis knew Weaving was too compelling to let go and so resurrected him for the sequels. It may seem lazy to bring back the character, but it was the right decision since Smith was, hands-down, the best thing about The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.
As groundbreaking as the original was, the sequels were let down by over-relying on CGI, video gamey fights, and dull acting. Having Weaving return as the delightfully insidious agent was the only thing stopping the follow-ups from being total disasters.