7. A Great Villain...
A superhero film, particular one with rich character development, needs a good, solid bad guy. One of the letdowns of Tomorrowland is Hugh Laurie as Governor Nix (a name about as subtle as "Emperor Discourage" but also echoing President Nixon). Casting Laurie as a cynic is a no-brainer after House, but Nix's motives are murky at best. Bird definitely knows how to create a hissable yet engaging villain, though. Ghost Protocol's Kurt Hendricks wants to create a "controlled" nuclear catastrophe, and his silky, magnetic voice half-convinces you it's a good idea. Kent Mansley of The Iron Giant is the embodiment of Cold War paranoia with a smooth, self-controlled exterior and a relentless resourcefulness that only falls apart in the movie's climax. Anton Ego of Ratatouille is more of an antagonist than a proper villain in the end, but certainly a magnetic one. And then, of course, there's Syndrome, the fanboy inventor who's almost relatable until you realize he's murdered over a dozen heroes just to tear down his former idol. But see our next point...