10 Movies Where The Villain Deserved To Win
2. Clyde Shelton - Law Abiding Citizen
Clyde Shelton is allegedly the villain of Law Abiding Citizen, but many cinephiles have talked about how much they were actually rooting for him throughout. It’s no surprise, given that his wife and daughter are killed at the movie’s opening and he spends the film getting back at a corrupt justice system which saw their killer walk free on a plea deal.
Add to that Butler giving the performance of his career and it’s no surprise Shelton had people in his corner.
Allegedly, Shelton was supposed to win in the original script. However according to unconfirmed rumours, Jamie Foxx (who plays the cat in this cat and mouse chase) demanded changes.
Shelton spends the whole film getting violent revenge on people we might otherwise describe as innocent, but who represent the flaws of the criminal justice system. He’s undeniably a villain, but in a movie this dark and gritty, it suited a bad guy victory.
It does come full circle at the end, when Foxx’s character Rice tells Shelton he no longer negotiates with murderers. Rice at least has learned of his own failings, but getting the drop on Shelton, tricking a man who plans everything so meticulously, felt unearned.