10 Times Horror Movie Villains Chose Not To Be Evil

The horror genre has given birth to a smorgasbord of malicious villains over the years. When an evildoer slays for enjoyment, eats their victims, or has a kill count hitting the triple digits, it goes without saying that they are beyond salvation. No matter what these deplorable sorts do or say to justify their ungodly actions, it's obvious they are bad to the bone.

For this reason, it's jarring when a bonafide psychopath performs an act that is, for lack of a better word, nice. Even though the nastiest people can harbour a soft side, nobody is expecting to see that sort of behaviour from a carnivorous alien, an unstoppable zombie, or an interdimensional demon.

Seeing sinister scoundrels perform acts of kindness can be thought-provoking, since it proves the figure in question isn't as irredeemable as they seem. It can also bring a great sense of levity to watch a real sicko like Chucky, the Predator, or Jason Voorhees being on their best behaviour.

It may be hard to picture, but even the most reprehensible and merciless villains have moments where they choose not to be evil.

Rather than slaughtering anyone who tickles their fancy, some murderers only target specific people. If a potential victim doesn't fit the criteria, they're off-limits... which brings us to Eli Roth's Thanksgiving. 

During a Black Friday sale, a riot breaks out in a store, resulting in multiple deaths. One year later, a mysterious figure wearing a John Carver mask starts butchering anyone who played a part in the tragic event.

Carver's code of honour is apparent when he goes after Manny, the security guard who abandoned his post during the sale. Believing he'll be on the killer's hit list, Manny packs his things, ready to leave the country. However, just before he has a chance to flee, Carver infiltrates his apartment and lops Manny's head off.

As Carver is about to leave, he stops dead in his tracks upon noticing Manny's cat. If this killer was a true monster, he would gut the kitty, just to satiate his bloodlust. Instead, he tops up the cat's food bowl, making sure our furry friend has enough to eat.

Sure, this killer cooks a woman alive later on and serves her up on a platter to her family, but this feline moment proves he's not all bad.