10 Movie Heroes Who Didn’t Know They Were The Villains
1. Leonard Shelby - Memento
Christopher Nolan's psychological revenge drama Memento, is a piece of cinematic art; not discounting the unique way in which the film is displayed in sequential flashback and flash forward segments, but also the way in which the story is escalated.
Throughout the film our sympathy rests with Leonard Shelby (Guy Pierce) as we watch him try to piece together the clues that should lead him to finding the man who attacked and killed his wife. All the while Leonard interacts with unsavory characters who take advantage of his short-term memory loss.
It is in the final moments of the film, that the rug is pulled from under us. As not only do we realize that Leonard avenged his wife long ago, but the implication is his own memory has fudged the narrative and Leonard might not be as virtuous as he first appeared.
To cap it all off, when Leonard realizes that he will never fully "heal" from his trauma, he deliberately manipulates evidence and his clues to fit the circumstances around him. His decision to condemn (the somewhat innocent) Teddy as the man he is hunting is made the more chilling when you realize that Leonard won't even remember doing it.