Kiefer Sutherland’s 10 Best Villain Roles

To many, Kiefer Sutherland is best known as 24 protagonist Jack Bauer, but before the action series began, the actor was known for playing multiple villainous characters. Some of Sutherland’s more sympathetic characters make it hard to believe he could play antagonists as memorable as those in eye for eye and stay by my side. However, every evil character played by Sutherland was believable and fully embodied by the Canadian actor.

In recent years, Sutherland’s filmography has not been strictly defined by characters as it was in the ’80s and ’90s. Still, rare and strong villainous characters can still be seen. In 2023, Sutherland appeared in the science fiction comedy. They cloned Tyrone where he gave an interesting villainous performance in a supporting role. Longtime fans and newcomers alike can enjoy revisiting Sutherland’s filmography and seeing his range through his best villain performances.

10 Senator Corvus

Pompeii (2014)

Kiefer Sutherland looks forward with a slight smile on his face.

Receiving mixed reviews from critics upon release and being added to Sutherland’s lowest-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes is Pompeii. The 2014 disaster film is set in ancient times and is inspired by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the titular city. Sutherland plays a corrupt Roman senator Corvus. Pompeii It’s not a particularly bad film, but it failed to impress critics with its formulaic adventure story.

Unfortunately, Sutherland was not immune to harsh criticism, as his accent and campy, villainous performance were ignored by some critics. Still, there is much to appreciate about Pompeii. Director Paul WS Anderson sought accuracy in reconstructing historical events, and numerous archaeologists and volcanologists praised the film’s attention to detail. Furthermore, the action in Pompeii It’s lively, and while Sutherland doesn’t give his best performance, it’s still a source of pure entertainment, as you’d expect.

9Robert Doob

An Eye for an Eye (1996)

An Eye for an Eye (1996)

Widely criticized for its thin plot, eye for eye still features a bold villain played by Sutherland. Completing the main cast of eye for eye They are Sally Field and Ed Harris. The psychological thriller follows an enraged mother (Field) who takes matters into her own hands when her daughter is attacked and killed by a delivery driver (Sutherland).

eye for eye has never been a favorite of critics or audiences, as the film tends to put its main characters, namely Field’s character, through an infinite amount of trauma without ever exploring the effects of such events. beyond the surface level. Sutherland doesn’t give a terrible performance in eye for eyebut unlike his other antagonists, Robert has no redeeming qualities, making it difficult to watch as he continues to cause trouble.

8Nixon

Tyrone cloned (2023)

Kiefer Sutherland is standing in front of a car and looks askance at the people in front of him.

With They cloned TyroneWith its high Rotten Tomatoes score and stacked cast, the sharp sci-fi mystery was a hit on Netflix and features a recent villainous performance from Sutherland. The film stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx as protagonists who uncover a government-backed cloning scheme carried out in the black community. They cloned Tyrone makes several references to the Blaxploitation and science fiction genres, all with a good dose of surreal humor.

Sutherland has a supporting role in They cloned Tyrone like Nixon, the man in charge of the cloning process. Nixon isn’t Sutherland’s toughest villain and the actor doesn’t stay in the film for long. However, even with the limitations, Sutherland makes it clear to both the audience and the film’s characters that he is not to be messed with. As Nixon, Sutherland has a calm, confident demeanor that is as chilling as it is impressive.

7Robert “Bob” Wolverton

Highway (1996)

Bob holds a scared Vanessa on the highway

In highwaySutherland joins Brooke Shields and a young Reese Witherspoon early in her career. The black comedy crime film follows a teenage runaway (Witherspoon) who is picked up by Sutherland’s Bob Wolverton. The plot acts as a twisted version of the famous Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale with Sutherland’s character embodying the cunning wolf of the story.

Without revealing Bob’s true identity, we can safely say that Sutherland is tremendously evil. He’s not someone audiences root for by any means, but there’s a subtle charm to his performance that still manages to captivate audiences. highway is considered one of Shields’ best films, but it is Witherspoon who really shines, giving audiences a taste of the talent that would define her later career. highway It was released in theaters to disappointing results, but the film’s campy tones and satire allowed it to achieve cult status over the years.

6 Dr. Daniel Schreber

Dark City (1998)

Dr. Schreber (Kiefer Sutherland) injects John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) with a mysterious substance in Dark City.

In a recent interview with GQSutherland reflected on some of his most iconic characters. One of which comes from the Alex Proyas film. dark city. The film is directed by Rufus Sewell, playing a man suspected of murder. Having erased most of his memories, Sewell’s John Murdoch is on the hunt for the real perpetrator, as well as his true identity, but not before being interrupted by an unknown group of people known as the “Strangers.”

In dark citySutherland plays Dr. Daniel Schreber, a psychologist who teams up with the Strangers to conduct experiments on humans. Sutherland is delightfully strange, and unlike some of his other villain roles, Dr. Schreber is not so simple. There are layers to the villain complex, which become clearer as the film progresses. dark city It did not do well at the box office, but audiences continued to enjoy it and it received positive feedback from critics.

5 Lt. Jonathan Kendrick

A Few Good Men (1992)

Lieutenant Jonathan Kendrick is court-martialed.

Following When Harry met Sally and Misery Rob Reiner era some good men. The absorbing legal drama is packed with memorable performances from actors like Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore, to name a few. some good men focuses on a trial involving two US Marines accused of murdering a fellow Marine. Sutherland appears in the film in a supporting role as Lieutenant Jonathan Kendrick, the deceased individual’s commanding officer.

Aaron Sorkin’s writing (the film is based on his late ’80s play of the same name) combined with the talent of the cast resulted in powerful performances. Although more is said about Cruise and Nicholson’s performances, Sutherland also delivers a notable performance. Sutherland captures the cold demeanor of a lieutenant who believes in strict codes of conduct and harsh means of punishment.

4david

The Lost Boys (1987)

The Lost Boys - Kiefer Sutherland as David

The lost children brought vampire depictions to life on screen, inspiring a new wave of supernatural stories that chose to focus on younger, more energetic characters than ever before. The fun supernatural film follows two brothers (Jason Patric and Corey Haim) who move to a new town that turns out to be home to fanged, bloodthirsty creatures. Sutherland plays David, the leader of the film’s gang of vampires.

David is not as aggressive as some of Sutherland’s other villains, but he is extremely determined to get the town’s new residents to kill, thus transforming them into full-fledged vampires. David may not be the first name one thinks of when remembering the most iconic characters from ’80s horror movies, but Sutherland’s performance ensured that the character was remembered. The character’s temperamental personality and aesthetic inspired countless on-screen depictions of vampires in the years that followed.

3Freddie Lee Cobb

A Time to Kill (1996)

kiefer sutherland in a time to kill

Based on the novel of the same name by John Grisham, A time to kill paints a jarring but honest portrait of racism and the justice system. A time to kill follows Carl (Samuel L. Jackson), an angry father who takes matters into his own hands when the white men accused of assaulting his young daughter are believed to go free. The film continues as Carl is put on trial. Sutherland plays Freddie Lee Cobb, the brother of one of the attackers accused and later killed.

Freddie joins white supremacists in the local area to unite with the goal of having Carl convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Sutherland is always committed to the roles he plays and Freddie is no exception. Sutherland has said that people were hesitant to greet him after the film’s release because of his character’s actions. However, he is very interested in playing Freddie and highlights the importance of telling stories about racism.

2 The caller

Telephone Booth (2002)

Kiefer Sutherland looks eerily around the corner.

Despite its limited setting and simple premise, the exciting Phone booth excels at establishing high levels of suspense. Colin Farrell gives an infectious, restless performance as the film’s protagonist who walks into a phone booth only to answer a sniper’s call voiced by Sutherland. Phone booth It is fast-paced and works to keep the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the entire runtime.

Farrell, confined to the confined space of the phone booth, expresses extreme distress when Sutherland’s character gives him an ultimatum. Sutherland faces a similar challenge. Using only his voice, it was crucial for the actor to convey the serious menace his character possesses. Seen several times already throughout his career, Sutherland delivers his threats to Farrell’s character with a calm tone, which makes him even more terrifying.

1 Ace Merrill

Stay by my side (1986)

Kiefer Sutherland as Ace holding a knife in Stand by Me

One of the best films based on the work of Stephen King, stay by my side is a coming-of-age story that follows four young people who set out to find the body of a missing child. stay by my side has been praised for its nostalgic depiction of childhood friendships, striking the ideal balance between heartfelt moments and adventure. stay by my side was released early in the careers of its main cast, including Sutherland.

Sutherland played well-known childhood bully Ace Merrill, who taunts the younger group in the film. There was no desire or need to sympathize with Ace. His purpose in the film is simple, but Sutherland handled the character effectively, which may explain his stint as an antagonist for much of his career. Like Sutherland, the rest of stay by my sideThe cast earned praise for their polished but fun performances.

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