Though most antagonists are evil in one way or another, some villains just take things way too far. There’s no set formula for a great villain: some are morally ambiguous, others mysterious, and some are just plain evil. Just like any other character, they typically have wants or needs, and for one reason or another, find themselves opposed to our heroes.
Sometimes, these struggles get a little out of hand. Though heroes have been known to escalate matters, they usually do so while trying to save the day. Villains typically act on less virtuous motivations, but most of the time, they’re written in a way that makes perfect sense given their respective situations.
Not all villains are rational, though. There are many movie villains just waiting to fly off the handle and commit the most horrific acts, and it’s those we’re here for today. Whether it’s a case of an irrational reaction, an unnecessarily harsh pre-emptive strike, or just jumping to evil conclusions, all of these villains took things way too far.
9. Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen – Back To The Future Part III
Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen is probably the tamest villain on this list by a considerable margin. He’s almost comically stupid, and was clearly written to fit the same bullish stereotype that Thomas F. Wilson played in the previous movies. That said, he’s also a pretty awful guy.
Part III sees Back to the Future‘s Marty McFly learn that his lifelong friend Doc Brown was killed after travelling back to 1885. A little digging uncovers that he was shot by Mad Dog over a debt of just $80. Adjusted for inflation, that amount would be worth roughly $2,500 today, but still hardly worth killing for.
After heading back to save his friend, Marty slights Mad Dog when addressing him by his nickname. Mad Dog responds by shooting at him and trying to hang him in the town square. So basically, he attempts to kill two people just for a little ignorant name-calling and a relatively simple debt. Most people would call that an overreaction.