After the success of the Super Hero villain countdown, I could not resist attempt a similar list with another successful franchise. To make it a little more competitive, I have shortened the list from 25 down to 15, and have given each villain their place by ranking them through the actual character, the movie they are in and the grizzly ending their characters were given. I have drawn up so many graphs to complete this list, it hurts. The end results surprised even me (especially the bottom two). So, without further ado, let’s launch onto the list. Leave a comment below, if you feel that one of the villains has been sorely marked.
15 – JAWS
Character: I have never really liked Jaws as a character, but I included him on the list, as he is a fan favourite. Jaws is everything I hate about the Roger Moore films, summarised in a hulking mass of muscle. The thing is I have nothing against the actual character. He is funny, strong and when he is facing off against Bond, you fear for 007, something that can be quite hard to achieve. However, he should not be in a Bond film. It makes a serious spy thriller seem like a farce, something that makes Moore the worst Bond out of the lot. If Jaws was starring in a superhero flick, or maybe even a Statham movie, I would have loved this character a lot more.
He was blatantly the bullied kid at school.
Movie: Jaws was allowed to star in two movies. ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ was one of the better Moore’s as I liked the pace of that film. Jaws also doesn’t seem too invincible here, either. Sure, he survives a shark attack and a building falling on top of him, but we would expect Bond, himself, to survive that. ‘Moonraker’ however, is the worst Bond film out there and Jaws is one of the main reasons for this. He falls out of planes, off waterfalls and all logic is abandoned. The movie becomes a succession of set pieces for Bond to fight Jaws on.
Death: However, the worst thing about the character is the fact that rather than die, he gets a change of heart and runs off with the geeky blonde girl. I no longer can tolerate the character. That is why he should be at the bottom of this list.
14 – ERNST STARVO BLOFIELD
Character: This is one of the bigger surprises of the list. Blofield symbolises everything about the megalomaniac Bond villain. Bald, sat behind a computer on a revolving chair, stroking a cat. Even the accent suits this idea of a crazy villain well. Then why so low? Mainly because it is an outdated image for a Bond villain and I am so used to seeing this kind of figure in a Bond spoof, that it looks out of place in the real deal. Blofield has not aged well, compared to other villains on this list. He is much better as the shadowy figure without a name, as seen in the very first Bond films.
Movie: Blofield has the most impressive list of Bond films and in fairness, some of them are quite good. Sadly, when you compare them to the rest of the Sean Connery’s, you could argue the movies were better without Blofield.
Death: And here is the biggest let-down of them all. ‘Diamonds are Forever’ ended, leaving the character of Blofield open, in case he was to return yet again. However, as Moore began the films, the writers dropped the character. However, five movies in, the writers realised they had this big empty space in the Bond canon (where is Blofield?) Therefore, Blofield was brought back for the opening sequence in ‘For Your Eyes Only’, where he makes a pathetic attempt on Bond’s life and is quickly killed off, not even getting a full reveal. I like to pretend that this character wasn’t Blofield, but it seems that the writers didn’t agree. Maybe it is time for a Daniel Craig re-make of this great character.
13 – ZAO
Character: Pierce Brosnan was treated to some of the better villains and Zao was no exception. He was a ghostly figure, strong and there was real tension whenever the character stepped on screen. His face is one that stays with the audience long after the movie ends.
How the hell did he get past Customs?!
Movie: Die Another Day wasn’t the most successful Bond film. Zao was one of the highlights from the film though, in some ways, saving it from becoming a flop.
Death: Zao’s final car chase against Bond was one of the highlights of the film, maybe the best car chase of the series. Finally the villains were given a car with just as many gadgets as Bonds. It was great, ending with Zao being crushed by an ice chandelier. Ice, Ice Baby.
12 – TEE HEE
Character: Tee Hee was a great henchman, remaining one of the more memorable figures. It was a miracle he was even included in the film, as his character in the book gets a single page of action. One of the best scenes in the movie is Tee Hee and his crocodile farm. It is a tense moment and the kind of scene that is so easy to put up there with the classic Bond moments.
Movie: As much as I do not like the Roger Moor films, ‘Live and Let Die’ is one of the exceptions. Mainly this is due to the villains of the piece, including Tee Hee. The action never lets up and you could argue it was before the comedy of Roger Moore managed to sink into the movies.
Death: Brilliant. The idea of Bond thinking he has got away, yet be attacked by the vengeful security is always a good one. It adds to the idea that there are consequences of Bond going aboard and just blowing things up. Maybe that idea isn’t got across as well as it could be, but at the very least, it gave Tee Hee a good farewell fight.
11 – MAX ZORIN
Character: Zorin is the kind of villain that splits people in two. He is meant to be a steroid child, experimented on by the Nazis, making him super intelligent, but also psychotic. This could be argued to be a little more Superhero villain than a Bond villain, which is why ‘View to a Kill’ is seen as one of the weaker Bonds. However, I am willing to forgive all of these points, when that villain is played by the fantastic Christopher Walken.
The awkward moment where Walken thinks he is on ‘Deerhunter’.
Movie: I think that ‘View to a Kill’ is harshly judged, because it is an enjoyable watch. Sure, it has one of the weakest Bond girls yet and I have never liked Grace Jones’s May Day. However, the tension is kept up throughout and the final scenes are brilliant.
Death: Personally, I loved Zorin’s frantic assault on the Golden Gate bridge. It really showed off the madness of the character. It is one of the best moments of the film and I especially loved the little chuckle Walken does moments before he falls to his death.
Oracle of Film 