10 Most Likable Movie Villains Of All Time

One could argue that pretty much all of the classic Hollywood movie monsters are sympathetic characters. The Wolf Man, King Kong, The Phantom, and even Dracula can all be considered victims of a scared and apathetic society. But none are as tragically misunderstood as Frankenstein's monster.

Featured in dozens of movies over the last century, Frankenstein's monster (not to be confused with Victor Frankenstein, the monster's creator, you philistines) became the embodiment of big, dumb, evil entities for years to come, and inspired the lurching zombies of Victor Halperin and George A. Romero's films.

But the original version of this monster was actually very smart, articulate, and appropriately world-weary. It wasn't until Boris Karloff's famous portrayal in 1931 that he was turned into the dumb, terrorizing creature most think of nowadays.

Regardless of who plays him, whether it be Karloff, Christopher Lee, Robert De Niro, or Benedict Cumberbatch, there's always a captivating layer of humanity just underneath the surface that makes you root for him. He may be a monster, but it's his creator who should ultimately be considered the villain.