Everyone has either experienced bullying or known a bully at some point in their lives. It's this universal experience that has led to the history of cinema being littered with horrible bullies, from Back to the Future's bone-headed Biff Tannen to the fast-talking insult machine Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. These characters make it their mission to belittle and hurt people who they think are below them, sometimes using violence to assert their dominance. Bullies are evil, plain and simple. Thankfully, filmmakers love to give evil characters their comeuppance in the end. For every horrible cinematic bully, there's an underdog willing to stand up to them and give them a taste of their own medicine. Sometimes the retribution comes in the form of violence and even murder, but often a triumphant speech of defiance is all it takes to send a movie bully running for the hills. The comeuppance of a bully is a timeless tale for movies and one that will be mined for the medium for years to come. Cinema screens will always be littered with bullies lying on their backs after being given a swift right hand to the face from our hero. And that's just the way it should be.
Freelance film journalist and fan of professional wrestling. Usually found in a darkened screening room looking for an aisle seat and telling people to put away their mobile phones. Also known to do a bit of stand-up comedy, so I'm used to the occasional heckle.
