We all know that heroes in films save and protect people's lives, Superheroes as well save the world from an alien invasion or from extinction. Sometimes people see them as like gods. Not only that they answer prayers but they also grant wishes.
Heroes are normal people just doing good to help or save people while superheroes are extraordinary humans that have superpowers.
Sometimes these superheroes in films tend to be destructive. When they are doing efforts fighting with aliens and monsters, it can’t be avoided that the places are ruined and casualties are possible. But it is just a movie so those things aren’t seen by the viewers even if they are visible. They are focused on how the superhero defeats the enemy.
Anyway enough of the introduction. In this article, we will talk about Anti-hero or Antiheroine. We always hear of heroes in films but never of anti-heroes.
There are several films about anti-hero as the main character, perhaps you have already watched a film about it not even once. You never knew that the character was anti-hero because our mind has been set to a hero if a movie character has a cape, extraordinary suit, and fights bad guys.
What is an Anti-hero?
Anti-hero doesn’t necessarily mean the adversary of a hero although in some fictional films anti-hero acts as the hero's foe. They are not fighting to save the world in general as Ironman, Superman, or Thor Odinson does. They fight a specific enemy for personal reasons. Anti-heroes lack heroic abilities but they have certain powers that can knock bad guys or kill their enemy.
Sometimes anti-heroes actions might be righteous but it is often for self-interest. Revenge is always an attribute of an anti-hero so their hearts are full of hatred and always thinking of revenge.
Most cases they are doing it to avenge their loved ones, family and for themselves to seek justice.
Below are my favorite Anti-hero films. The list doesn't have rankings as they are all my personal choice. This is chronological from the past to the most recent.
1. Eric Draven (The Crow 1994)
The crow is about the life of Eric as the main cast, who avenged her fiance from bad guys who raped and beaten her. He was also dead in the same incident due to a stabbing wound and gunshot.
A crow taps Eric's tombstone, he is awakened and risen from the dead. Eric experiences a flashback on his memories and he remembers the terrible incident that happened to her and his fiance.
The crow guided and helped Eric find the bad guys thus killing them all. After he was done with his revenge he returned to his grave.
2. Al Simmons (Spawn 1997)
Spawn is another anti-hero film released in 1997. Before Al Simmons became Spawn he was a CIA operative.
They conducted a raid in North Korea, a biochemical weapon plant. Little did Simmons know, his superior, Wynn, ordered one of his top assassins to murder him whilst on the mission. Simmons died and his body was set on fire by Wynn until the plant exploded.
When Simmons arrived in Hell, Malebolgia, one of the rulers of hell, offered him a deal. If Simmons agrees to become his servant and leader of his army in Armageddon he will have a chance to see his fiance Wanda and their daughter Cyan. Simmons accepts the deal and returns to earth.
Upon returning to earth as Spawn, he learns that Wyn is now a weapons dealer. Spawn attacks Wynn at reception and kills the assassin who killed him.
The Violator, a clown-like evil, who was Spawn's guide to the evil path, has conspired with Wynn. Spawn learns that they are going to kill Wanda and Cyan.
Spawn has a battle with the Violator until the evil clown is defeated. He also fought with Wynn until almost nearly killed him. Wynn was apprehended.
Spawn realized that he had no more place in Wanda's life so he dedicated himself to justice and returned to the street.
3. Frank Castle (The Punisher 2004)
The Punisher has no acquired superpower. He was just an ordinary guy with skills in special forces operation by the United States.
Although his second life of existence was not really that of rising from the grave or dealing with the devil.
His story is similar to The Crow and Spawn which is to revenge for his murder and or his family.
The story began when the son of a mafia boss was killed during a smuggling operation. Bobby Saint, the son of mafia boss Howard Saint was killed during the operation and Otto Krieg who was an arms dealer was killed too.
Nonetheless, Kriegs' death was fake. He was Frank Castle, an FBI agent, and Delta Force veteran. The Operation was his farewell mission.
Howard Saint was agitated over the death of his son and used his influential power to find Krieg. He learned that Frank Castle was Otto Krieg by means of acquired access from corrupt federal law enforcement officers.
Saint ordered to kill Castle including his family. Fortunately, Castle survived the killings.
Castle lived in an abandoned apartment and started his plans for revenge.
Saint discovers that Castle is alive and sends assassins to kill him. However, all the assassins were defeated by Castle. He also killed all of Saints people by assaulting his club.
Castle captures Saint and he punishes him by tying Saint to a car then sends it to his club's parking lot loaded with explosives. Saint died thereafter in a large explosion.
Castle tries to kill himself when he returns home because he has already avenged his family. However, he changes his mind after seeing a vision of his wife.
He decided to continue his life by fighting crimes and vowed to kill all evil people under the name of The Punisher.
4. Wade Wilson (Deadpool 2016)
Deadpool was one humorist anti-hero character. His story is a bit more different from that of Eric, Simmons, and Castle.
Wade Wilson was also a member of the special forces but has been discharged due to some dishonorable act.
He met Vanessa and they became deeply in-loved. Wilson proposed marriage to Vanessa which in return was accepted by her. Wilson has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and leaves Vanessa in secret because he would not want her to see him die.
Wilson was offered by a mysterious recruiter to cure his cancer through an experimental procedure. Wilson then agreed and he was taken to Ajax and Angel Dust. They started the process by injecting him with a serum to trigger mutant genes but did not succeed.
Wilson activates his super-healing ability when he is put by Ajax into a hyperbaric chamber. However, it resulted in him having severe disfigurement and burn-like scars all over his body.
Wilson manages to escape from the chamber and attacks Ajax but changes his mind when Ajax tells him that he can still be cured.
Ajax overpowers Wilson and leaves him burning in the laboratory.
Wilson survives and went to Vanessa but does not reveal himself for she might reject him with his new appearance.
Wilson decided to hunt down Ajax for the cure. He then becomes a masked guy trying to be a hero under the name of Deadpool.
In the end, Wilson captured Ajax and killed him because of knowing that there is no more cure for his present condition.
Wilson reconciles with Vanessa though she was angry for leaving her. He then promises to do good as heroes do moving forward.
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There it goes again, I hope you find yourself entertained with this another not-so-time-traveling story. As I have mentioned earlier, these are my personal choices. This is just to let some people know that not all fictional characters with masks and capes that kill or punish bad guys are heroes, some are anti-heroes.
Thanks for reading. Ciao!
*Images are not mine, they are all screengrab from the movie. Links are added below to give credits to sources.
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Sources:
Deadpool is all time favorite of mine. I wrote multiple articles on him you probably like to read. Thanks.