Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "sympathetic-villain"

1. Joker (I) (2019)

R | 122 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.

Director: Todd Phillips | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy

Votes: 1,489,513 | Gross: $335.45M

2. Devs (2020)

TV-MA | 51 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

A computer engineer investigates the secretive development division in her company, which she believes is behind the disappearance of her boyfriend.

Stars: Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, Jin Ha, Cailee Spaeny

Votes: 47,957

3. Carrie (2013)

R | 100 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller

A shy girl, outcast by her peers and sheltered by her religious mother, unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom.

Director: Kimberly Peirce | Stars: Chloë Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Gabriella Wilde, Portia Doubleday

Votes: 148,199 | Gross: $35.27M

4. The Promised Neverland (2019–2021)

TV-14 | 23 min | Animation, Action, Adventure

When three gifted kids at an isolated idyllic orphanage discover the secret and sinister purpose they were raised for, they look for a way to escape from their evil caretaker and lead the other children in a risky escape plan.

Stars: Sumire Morohoshi, Mariya Ise, Shinei Ueki, Lynn

Votes: 46,879

5. Winx Club (2004–2023)

TV-Y7 | 25 min | Animation, Action, Adventure

At Alfea College, fairy warriors from all over the universe study and train to improve their magic powers. Bloom, a girl from Earth, joins them after discovering her own special abilities.

Stars: Molly C. Quinn, Keke Palmer, Amy Gross, Morgan Decker

Votes: 7,715

6. Invader ZIM (2001–2006)

TV-Y7 | 24 min | Animation, Action, Adventure

An alien named Zim from the planet Irk is sent on a secret mission to conquer Earth, not realising that his leaders were just trying to get rid of him and hoped that he would die. Once there, Zim manages to disguise himself as a human child, but one boy named Dib sees through his disguise.

Stars: Andy Berman, Richard Steven Horvitz, Rikki Simons, Melissa Fahn

Votes: 22,605

7. Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)

R | 76 min | Animation, Action, Crime

As Batman hunts for the escaped Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime attacks the Gordon family to prove a diabolical point mirroring his own fall into madness.

Director: Sam Liu | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Tara Strong, Ray Wise

Votes: 61,549 | Gross: $3.78M

8. Far Cry 5 (2018 Video Game)

M | Action, Adventure, Crime

A deputy is sent to the town of Hope County to arrest Joseph Seed, a corrupt evangelical religious leader who rules the town with the help of his disturbed followers.

Director: Patrick Methe | Stars: Greg Bryk, Mark Pellegrino, Seamus Dever, Jenessa Grant

Votes: 9,062

9. Massacre at Central High (1976)

R | 87 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller

A high-school transfer student pushed to the edge by a trio of brutal bullies resorts to murder to reclaim the school from oppression, and later turns against the students wanting to fill the vacuum of their oppressors.

Director: Rene Daalder | Stars: Derrel Maury, Andrew Stevens, Robert Carradine, Kimberly Beck

Votes: 2,721

10. Darr (1993)

Not Rated | 178 min | Action, Drama, Romance

Darr is a girl's (Kiran) story caught between one man's (Sunil) love and another man's (Rahul) obsession.

Director: Yash Chopra | Stars: Juhi Chawla, Sunny Deol, Shah Rukh Khan, Anupam Kher

Votes: 25,429

11. Karla (2006)

R | 99 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

Based on real events, Paul Bernardo and his wife, Karla Homolka, kidnap, sexually abuse, and murder three young girls.

Director: Joel Bender | Stars: Laura Prepon, Misha Collins, Patrick Bauchau, Emilie Jacobs

Votes: 6,340

12. Eve of Destruction (1991)

R | 99 min | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

A terrorist hunter is hired by a scientist to deactivate her android double, a walking, talking, murderous nuclear bomb which has gone amok in the big city and is about to explode.

Director: Duncan Gibbins | Stars: Gregory Hines, Renée Soutendijk, Michael Greene, Kurt Fuller

Votes: 2,582 | Gross: $5.45M

13. The Detective (1954)

Approved | 91 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama

Works of art are disappearing, stolen by a master thief, a master of disguise. Father Brown has two goals: to catch the thief and to save his soul.

Director: Robert Hamer | Stars: Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood, Peter Finch, Cecil Parker

Votes: 1,664

14. Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines (1965–1970)

30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure

Dick Dastardly leads a fighter plane group to try ineffectualy to stop a carrier pigeon.

Stars: Don Messick, Paul Winchell

Votes: 3,928

15. General Della Rovere (1959)

Not Rated | 129 min | Drama, War

Bardone, a petty con man, is arrested by the Gestapo and coerced into impersonating a partisan leader in order to expose another resistance organizer.

Director: Roberto Rossellini | Stars: Vittorio De Sica, Hannes Messemer, Sandra Milo, Giovanna Ralli

Votes: 3,686

16. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (2020–2021)

TV-14 | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama

A young girl dies and is reincarnated into a video game. But when she finds out that her role is the villainess destined for doom, she takes measures to change the game and avoid that fate.

Stars: Maaya Uchida, Tetsuya Kakihara, Shouta Aoi, Miho Okasaki

Votes: 1,319

17. Legend of the Dragon (2005–2008)

TV-Y | Animation, Action, Fantasy

Ang (The Golden Dragon) protects the twelve Zodiac Temples, while his twin sister Ling (The Shadow Dragon) swears to destroy them.

Stars: Marc Silk, Alan Marriott, Gary Martin, Larissa Murray

Votes: 244

18. Vaalee (1999)

Not Rated | 158 min | Romance, Thriller

A young bride finds an unusual antagonist in her husband's twin brother.

Director: S.J. Suryah | Stars: Ajith Kumar, Simran, Jyotika, Vivek

Votes: 3,966

19. Mr. Wu (1927)

Passed | 90 min | Drama, Romance

When Mandarin Wu's unmarried daughter becomes pregnant by a young Englishman, he seeks vengeance.

Director: William Nigh | Stars: Lon Chaney, Louise Dresser, Renée Adorée, Holmes Herbert

Votes: 711 | Gross: $0.47M

20. Angel's Friends (2008–2023)

12 min | Animation, Adventure, Fantasy

The story centrates on a young angel Raph and her best angel friends as they guide eartheans to be their very best selves while fighting against demons which do everything to tempt the poor... See full summary »

Stars: Lisa Ortiz, Summer Crockett Moore, Liza Jacqueline, Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld

Votes: 420

21. An Eye for an Eye (1973)

PG | 84 min | Horror, Thriller

A children's television show host stalks and murders abusive parents.

Director: Larry G. Brown | Stars: Tom Basham, Gene Carlson, Gretchen Kanne, David Carlile

Votes: 219

22. Limehouse Blues (1934)

Passed | 63 min | Crime, Drama, Romance

Fresh from Chinatown in New York, Harry Young has taken over the illegal import business in the seedy Limehouse district of London, where he cold-bloodedly disposes of rivals and runs a ... See full summary »

Director: Alexander Hall | Stars: George Raft, Jean Parker, Anna May Wong, Kent Taylor

Votes: 111

23. Beware the Moonlight (2015)

7 min | Short, Horror

Lou and Tex think they've made the buy of a lifetime while expanding their carnival business. Unfortunately, they've neglected to read the fine print.

Director: Ryan Stockstad | Stars: Miranda Downey, Jason Flowers, Gabriel Scalone, G. Larry Butler

Votes: 10

24. Biography (1987– )
Episode: The Ken & Barbie Killers (1996)

TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, History

The "Ken and Barbie Killers" refer to husband and wife Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka. They were Canadian serial killers until Paul Bernardo was arrested in 1993 and convicted in 1995.

Stars: Pete Stacker, Michelle Banks, Fred Berlin, Vince Bevan

Votes: 103

25. Special Unit 2 (2001–2002)
Episode: The Beast (2001)

Action, Comedy, Crime

A 300 year old Ogre, who eats the flesh of strippers and hookers, captures Kate while she's undercover during the investigation. Meanwhile, Jonathan discovers that Carl has been "dating" a ... See full summary »

Director: Paul Abascal | Stars: Michael Landes, Alexondra Lee, Richard Gant, Danny Woodburn

Votes: 36

26. The Wild Wild West (1965–1969)
Episode: The Night of the Steel Assassin (1966)

TV-PG | 50 min | Action, Adventure, Western

Jim and Arte must stop Torres - a dangerous man in black more metal than flesh, with superhuman strength, the power of hypnosis, and a taste for revenge - from killing President Grant.

Director: Lee H. Katzin | Stars: Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, John Dehner, Sue Ane Langdon

Votes: 221

27. The X-Files (1993–2018)
Episode: Hungry (1999)

TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

Rob Roberts has an addiction to human brains. As he tries to control this overpowering hunger and turn his life around, Mulder and Scully try to find out who the brain-eating monster is.

Director: Kim Manners | Stars: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Chad Donella, Mark Pellegrino

Votes: 3,641

28. The X-Files (1993–2018)
Episode: The Walk (1995)

TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

A quadruple amputee becomes the prime suspect in a series of bizarre deaths at an army hospital.

Director: Rob Bowman | Stars: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Thomas Kopache, Willie Garson

Votes: 4,224

29. CSI: NY (2004–2013)
Episode: Silent Night (2006)

TV-14 | 41 min | Action, Crime, Drama

A teenage girl is killed, and the only potential witness is her deaf mother. The case also brings back some haunting memories for Lindsey. Meanwhile, CSI also investigates the murder of a star figure skater.

Director: Rob Bailey | Stars: Gary Sinise, Melina Kanakaredes, Carmine Giovinazzo, Anna Belknap

Votes: 375

30. The National (1952– )
Episode: Episode dated 4 July 2005 (2005)

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Stars: Karla Homolka, Paul Bernardo

31. CSI: NY (2004–2013)
Episode: The Thing About Heroes... (2007)

TV-14 | 43 min | Action, Crime, Drama

The clues in Bonasera's puzzle lead Mac back to Chicago, where he must confront a traumatic event from his youth. Bonasera also discovers that her admirer is directly connected to the case.

Director: Anthony Hemingway | Stars: Gary Sinise, Melina Kanakaredes, Carmine Giovinazzo, Anna Belknap

Votes: 345

32. Souls Logic (2020– )
Episode: Crystal Lizard (2021)

2 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror

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Star: Ben Van Lier

33. Criminal Minds (2005– )
Episode: The Uncanny Valley (2010)

TV-14 | 42 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery

An unusual personal obsession is at the center of a BAU abduction case. Meanwhile, Hotch struggles with his return to work.

Director: Anna Foerster | Stars: Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler

Votes: 2,971

34. The Fifth Estate (1975– )
Episode: Karla Homolka (1997)

Documentary, News

'Karla Homolka,' first aired by the fifth estate in November of 1997, is a searing investigation into a plea bargain - later dubbed 'the deal with the devil - struck between Ontario Crown ... See full summary »

Director: Susan Teskey | Stars: Fred Berlin, Paul Bernardo, Vince Bevan, Jenny Black

Votes: 9