13 Movie Protagonists You're Desperate To See Lose

Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis) is one of the greatest cinematic creations of the 21st century, a richly drawn, practically Shakespearean antihero flawlessly brought to life by Daniel Day-Lewis, who gives one of the great film performances in the role.

Plainview is also, undeniably, one of the most unlikable film protagonists of them all. A cruel, hate-filled and selfish psychopath driven entirely by his unending lust for money and power, Plainview is perhaps cinema's most potent and terrifying representation of capitalism run amok.

A corrupt businessman, a bully and a cold-blooded murderer who brutally kills two other characters throughout the story, Plainview is an extremely unsettling character to watch. He does have redeeming qualities, such as his love for his family, and at times his ambition and relentless drive invokes a certain grudging respect, but that's about it as far as likability is concerned. 

Once again, he is an absolutely amazing character in every sense, but the sad ending he receives could not have felt more deserved.