Top 10 Films About Anti-Heroes

Description: Alex DeLarge, a charismatic but sociopathic youth, leads a gang on a spree of violence and crime. His subsequent conditioning to curb his violent tendencies raises questions about free will and morality, making him an anti-hero in a dystopian society.

Fact: Stanley Kubrick withdrew the film from UK cinemas due to copycat violence. The film's title is taken from an old Cockney expression for something odd or unusual.

Description: Michael Corleone, initially reluctant to join the family business, becomes a ruthless leader of the Corleone crime family. His transformation from a war hero to a mob boss exemplifies the anti-hero's journey from innocence to corruption.

Fact: Marlon Brando improvised the cat in his lap during the opening scene. The film was initially rated X by the MPAA.

Description: Travis Bickle, a Vietnam War veteran, becomes a taxi driver in New York City, where his mental instability leads him on a path of vigilante justice. His actions blur the line between heroism and madness, making him a quintessential anti-hero.

Fact: The film was inspired by a real-life diary of a taxi driver. Robert De Niro improvised the famous "You talkin' to me?" scene.

Description: The unnamed narrator, alongside Tyler Durden, forms an underground fight club as a radical form of therapy for his insomnia and dissatisfaction with consumer culture. Their actions escalate into anarchistic terrorism, showcasing the anti-hero's descent into chaos.

Fact: The film was controversial for its depiction of violence and nihilism. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton did their own stunts in the fight scenes.

Description: Patrick Bateman, a wealthy investment banker, hides his psychopathic tendencies behind a facade of yuppie perfection. His descent into murder and madness paints him as an anti-hero whose actions are both repellent and fascinating.

Fact: Christian Bale lost 20 pounds to portray Bateman's gaunt appearance. The film's ending is intentionally ambiguous, leaving viewers to question Bateman's reality.

Description: In this tale of moles and double-crosses, both Billy Costigan and Colin Sullivan navigate the murky waters of loyalty and betrayal. Their actions, driven by self-preservation and ambition, make them anti-heroes in a morally complex narrative.

Fact: The film is a remake of the Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs." Martin Scorsese won his first Best Director Oscar for this movie.

Description: Batman, a vigilante in Gotham City, operates outside the law to combat crime, often using methods that are morally questionable. His struggle with his own darkness and the chaos brought by the Joker makes him an anti-hero in the eyes of many.

Fact: Heath Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for his role as the Joker. The film was the first comic book movie to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Description: Daniel Plainview, an oil prospector, uses ruthless tactics to build his empire, showing little regard for others. His greed and ambition define him as an anti-hero whose success comes at a great moral cost.

Fact: The film was inspired by Upton Sinclair's novel "Oil!" Daniel Day-Lewis performed many of his own stunts, including the famous bowling alley scene.

Description: Llewelyn Moss, a Vietnam vet, stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and takes the money, setting off a deadly chase with the psychopathic hitman Anton Chigurh. Moss's decisions and actions make him an anti-hero in a bleak, unforgiving world.

Fact: The Coen brothers adapted the film from Cormac McCarthy's novel, preserving much of the dialogue. Javier Bardem's character, Chigurh, was inspired by a real-life hitman.

Description: Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker, engages in a life of excess, fraud, and corruption. His charismatic yet morally bankrupt character embodies the anti-hero, whose downfall is as spectacular as his rise.

Fact: Leonardo DiCaprio improvised many of his lines, including the famous "I'm not leaving!" scene. The film was criticized for its portrayal of drug use and excess.