1. Willy Wonka
Exactly how anyone could ever look at Willy Wonka as a hero, we’ll never know.
For a start, he seemingly uses some form of slave labor to run his factory – in the books, it’s explained that his workers are paid in cocoa beans, which they have an intense (almost obsessive) desire for. Not only does he exploit the vulnerable Oompa Loompas, but he also seemingly runs a whimsical child murder factory.
As anyone who’s seen the film (so basically everyone) will tell you, five children go in, and one comes out. It seems that Wonka has designed his factory in such a way that it will separate the weak from the strong until just one child is left standing. It also seems that he’s included his Oompa Loompas in the scheme, having them dispose of the children as they fail his tests (and deliver a song and dance as they do so).
There’s something incredibly creepy about the entire experience, and it makes it impossible to see Wonka as anything other than a particularly eccentric villain.
And that’s our list. Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to follow Corner of Film on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @corneroffilm to keep up to date with all our excellent content!
Even though Villains are right the Hero is NEVER the Villain.
Terms like “hero” and “villain” are generally a matter of perspective, but “8 Movie Heroes With A Major Flaw In Their Reasoning Or Less-Than-Wholesome Ulterior Motive” was a long title!