15 Best Movie Villains Of The Decade

1. Raoul Silva - Skyfall (2012)

It would take a lot to dethrone the MCU's two greatest villains, but Skyfall's big bad was a force of nature and one underpinned by a performance even better than those of Josh Brolin and Tom Hiddleston.

As the former MI6 agent, Raoul Silva, Jarvier Bardem is a rather wonderful legacy villain, in that he exists to remind M and her government masters of the sins of their past. He might have gone rogue, but the decision to abandon him and the subsequent fallout for Her Majesty's Secret Service is far from unjustified, even if it's all tinged with the extremism of a mind warped by hatred and heart-break.

Like the best villains, Silva is both a counter-point to Bond and a possible alternate version of him. Both were M's favourite pets, both operate off the books, both have the same orders and are both equally dispensable in service of the mission. Silva is basically Bond's walking nightmare - the personification of M saying "take the bloody shot" in the opening sequence and thanks to Bardem's creepy, almost supernatural performance, he's an absolutely stunning achievement.

Which other villains belong on this list? Share your suggestions below in the comments thread.