10 Most Underrated Action Movie Villains, Ranked

Some of the most incredible action movies owe much of their success to their well-written and compelling antagonists. The action genre isn’t short on memorable villains. From brilliant criminal masterminds like Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) from Die Hard to deadly inhuman foes like Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) from The Matrix, there are plenty of enjoyable and unique baddies that have graced the silver screen and, above all else, never failed to entertain audiences.

But what about the villains that not many viewers seem to talk about? What about villains who were unique, engaging, and enjoyable to watch but never quite reached the heights of memorability like some of the other more well-known antagonists in the action genre? A treasure trove of underrated action villains is out there, all distant and incredibly entertaining. They may not have gotten much recognition or praise over the years, but they deserve a second look. From Universal Soldier to Men in Black, here are the ten most underrated movie villains anyone considering themselves an action movie buff could appreciate more.

10 Sergeant Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren)

‘Universal Soldier’ (1992)

Sergeant Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren) was a highly deranged and proficient soldier who was killed in action alongside his rival, Private Luc Deveraux (Jean-Claude Van Damme), during the brutal Vietnam War. When a top-secret US government agency acquired their bodies for experimentation, they were later resurrected as mindless elite supersoldiers to carry out covert operations throughout the years. However, when Deveraux regained his humanity after refusing to kill an innocent reporter, Scott snapped out of his programming as well and went on a violent revenge mission to kill Deveraux once and for all.

Dolph Lundgren, best known for playing the vicious Russian boxer Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, delivers one of the most intense performances of his career as the sadistic Sergeant Scott in Universal Solider. He was an extremely violent and relentless antagonist, single-minded and deadly in his mission to eliminate Deveraux and anyone he perceived as a threat. Though admittedly a little over-the-top and absurd at times, it’s Lundgren’s frightening but darkly comedic performance that has elevated Andrew Scott to become a genuinely captivating villain, one who undoubtedly chews every moment of screen time.

9 Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff)

‘Blade’ (1998)

As the first formidable foe to cross paths with the titular vampire slayer Blade (Wesley Snipes), the cunning and power-hungry vampire Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff) truly gave his nemesis a run for his money. Once human before becoming a bloodthirsty immortal, Frost later harbored a burning disdain for his former species and sought to make vampires the Earth’s dominant race. Now attempting to harness the spirit of an ancient blood god, it soon becomes a race against time for Blade to stop Frost from using the god’s power to conquer humanity.

Marvel villains, when done right, have the potential to be some of the most compelling antagonists in cinema. However, that’s not always the case, as plenty of them have also faded into obscurity. Deacon Frost from 1998’s Blade doesn’t deserve the little attention he’s gotten over the years. Perhaps due to him being overshadowed by the far more menacing villain Novak (Luke Goss) from Blade II, Frost just hasn’t been discussed and appreciated much compared to so many other Marvel villains, which is a shame considering how much fun and enthusiasm Stephen Dorff appears when playing this role. He truly looks like he’s having a blast, and his performance helped make Deacon Frost such an absolute joy to watch.

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8 Emil Fouchon (Lance Henriksen)

‘Hard Target’ (1993)

Played by legendary B-movie horror icon Lance Henriksen, Emil Fouchon was a sadistic and immensely resourceful New Orleans crime lord who ruled the city from behind the shadows. With an insatiable lust for violence and a twisted passion for hunting, he concocted cruel games in which he and his wealthy clients would hunt down selected homeless people, primarily veterans, for sport. However, when the daughter of his latest victim arrived in town and hired the help of a capable marine veteran, Chance Boudreaux (Van Damme), to help find her father, Bourdreaux eventually crossed paths with Fouchon and engaged in a brutal hunt.

There’s much to enjoy about Hard Target. It’s one of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s most kick-ass action flicks, full of exciting chases, explosions, gunfights, and a remarkable villain performance by Henricksen, who perfectly fits into his despicable big game hunter role. No one was safe whenever Emil Fouchon was around, and that’s the way he liked it. He was a remorseless, irredeemable, and incredibly disturbed monster who relished in the hunt for his victims. Henricksen brings so much intensity and menace to his performance, making Emil Fouchon one of the most terrifying villains to ever appear in an action movie.

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7 Major Vic Deakins (John Travolta)

‘Broken Arrow’ (1996)

In this highly absurd but incredibly entertaining John Woo action flick, Broken Arrow sees John Travolta shine as the traitorous US Major Vic Deakins. After years of being criticized and passed up for promotion by his arrogant superiors, Deakins, in a carefully orchestrated plan, finally snapped and betrayed his country by deliberately crashing an advanced new stealth plane during its test flight and taking its two armed nuclear weapons to threaten the government for ransom. However, when he fails to kill his co-pilot, Captain Riley Hale (Christian Slater), during the attempt, it is up to Hale to race against time to stop Deakins before he can run off with the nukes.

While it’s an admittedly over-the-top cheesefest that’s probably flown over most people’s radars over the years, it’s undeniable that John Travolta’s performance as Deakins is the saving grace of Broken Arrow. He brings so much of his usual charm and energy when playing this immensely likable antagonist, and it’s hard not to feel enjoyment every time he appears on screen. Deakins is a manic, highly unpredictable, and utterly deranged sociopath on a wild thrill ride that’ll surely entertain audiences from beginning to end.

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6 Colonel Winters (James Gandolfini)

‘The Last Castle’ (2001)

Played gloriously by the late James Gandolfini at the height of his The Sopranos fame, Colonel Winters was an exceptionally brutal and corrupt commandant in charge of one of the most inescapable military prisons in the country, known as “The Caste.” When a disgraced former Lt. General, Eugene Irwin (Robert Redford), arrived and slowly began to rebel against his authority, Winters wouldn’t let Irwin usurp his command, leading to a deadly uprising.

Corrupt prison wardens aren’t anything new when it comes to movies. It’s a tried and often overused character trope, with some notable examples being Samuel Norton (Bob Gunton) from The Shawshank Redemption and The Captain (Strother Martin) in Cool Hand Luke. However, Colonel Winters from The Last Castle may be the most compelling example of a corrupt warden, as he’s a heartless authoritarian high on his own power. He showed no remorse for murdering and squandering anyone who was a threat to his authority, even disgracefully shooting Irwin in the back in the end in a last-ditch attempt to feel like he’d won. He’s a despicable and cowardly antagonist who was amazingly brought to life thanks to James Gandofini’s impressive acting talents. He truly made the character his own.

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5 Elektra King (Sophie Marceau)

‘The World Is Not Enough’ (1999)

Appearing in, admittedly, not the most remarkable 007 film, The World Is Not Enough, the devious and seductive Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) is easily one of James Bond’s most underrated villains. Presenting herself first as the innocent daughter of a slain oil tycoon, it was later revealed she orchestrated the murder of her father as a means of revenge to get back at him for refusing to pay the ransom for her traumatic kidnapping years earlier. Now conspiring with her former kidnapper/lover Renard (Robert Carlyle), the two set off to blow up her father’s successful oil pipeline to steal his vast fortune.

The first and to date only main Bond villain to be a woman, Elektra King is a true franchise standout, a cunning and manipulative foe who presents an enormous challenge for 007. She’s one of the few villains to get close to James Bond (Pierce Brosnan), deceiving and forcing him to challenge his moral code. Sophie Marceau delivers a powerful performance as King, creating a glorious femme-fatale character unlike another Bond girl.

4 Colonel William Stuart (William Sadler)

‘Die Hard 2: Die Harder’ (1990)

Removed from his command after secretly aiding an extradited South American dictator, General Esperanza (Franco Nero), the cruel and vengeful US Special Forces Colonel William Stuart (William Sadler) led a rouge unit of mercenaries to lay siege to Dulles International Airport. Now in complete control over the skies, he held most of the planes surrounding the area hostage unless Esperanza was released. However, he didn’t realize then that the heroic NYPD cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) was also at the airport, ready to wage a one-man war.

The Die Hard franchise’s villains are some of the most despicable and menacing antagonists in cinema. However, Colonel Stuart from Die Hard 2 takes the cake as the most cold-hearted and diabolical villain of them all, a remorseless, irredeemable monster who commits the most violent acts of the film. He even goes as far as deliberately crashing a plane full of innocent civilians just to prove his control. Though he’s vastly overshadowed by other more charismatic Die Hard villains like Hans Gruber and Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons), Colonel Stuart can’t be overlooked, as he’s one of the more frightening and formidable villains to ever go toe-to-toe with John McClane.

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3 Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman)

‘Air Force One’ (1997)

Blaming the United States for the decayed state of his country after the end of the Cold War, Russian ultranationalist Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman) led a bold attack against America by taking over Air Force One to hold US President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) hostage in exchange for the freedom of his imprisoned Soviet ally, General Radek (Jürgen Prochnow). However, when the President managed to escape during the takeover, he became the only man capable of stopping Korshunov and his men before Radek could be released.

The marvelous Gary Oldman is at his best when it comes to playing villains. Ivan Korshunov from Air Force One is one of his more overlooked performances, but one that’s still so captivating and intense. Oldman gives a sense of unpredictability and malice when playing Korshunov, making him appear as an unhinged ticking time bomb who keeps audiences guessing when he’ll explode into a fit of rage next. He’s a perfect foil to Harrison Ford’s heroic President Marshall as the two engage in a fierce rivalry that easily becomes the best part of the movie.

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2 Clarence J. Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith)

‘RoboCop’ (1987)

Appearing in the iconic 1987 classic sci-fi action blockbuster RoboCop, the cruel and psychopathic crime lord Clarence J. Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) was a menacing and heartless killer who violently ruled the streets of Detroit with an iron fist. As the secret underling of the true kingpin of the city, Omni Consumer Products Senior President Dick Jones (Ronny Cox), Boddicker created a reign of terror on the streets, killing many police officers for fun. However, when his latest victim, Officer Alex Murphey (Peter Weller), is resurrected by the Omni corporation with enhanced technology, he soon meets his match as Murphy becomes the unstoppable cyborg protector, RoboCop.

Actor Kurtwood Smith of That ’70s Show fame is truly spectacular as Clarence Boddicker. He creates a perfect balance of being both menacing and darkly funny, resulting in an unforgettable villain who surprisingly doesn’t chart on most people’s top action villain lists despite being so enjoyable. Boddicker is a villain audiences love to hate. He’s a despicable but widely entertaining antagonist with a twisted sense of humor and is responsible for delivering one of the most hilarious one-liners in film history.

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1 Edgar The Bug (Vincent D’Onofrio)

‘Men in Black’ (1997)

Appearing as the first sinister big bad of the immensely popular Men in Black franchise, Edgar the Bug was an interstellar terrorist from a hostile alien insect world. After crash-landing on Earth and stealing the body of a poor farmer (Vincent D’Onofrio), he set his sights on stealing a powerful energy device known as the Arquilian Galaxy to incite a war between humanity and another species and conquer the universe. However, standing in his way were the men in black agents Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith), who wouldn’t let him destroy their planet without a fight.

Given the daunting task of portraying a 12-foot-tall cockroach crammed inside a human body, Vincent D’Onofrio truly gave the most transformative performance of his entire career as Edgar the Bug. He’s a one-of-a-kind and fascinating villain who is too hard not to stare in awe at how monumentally creepy but darkly hilarious he is. It’s a spectacular and flawless performance by D’Onofrio, who was thankfully given a Saturn Award for his efforts, but arguably it deserved far more credit, perhaps even an Oscar nomination.

NEXT: The 10 Most Underrated Movie Villains of the 2010s, Ranked