It all started with Matt Damon searching high and low for WMD in Green Zone – excellent but uncomfortable viewing. Try imagining military Jason Bourne in Iraq
There’s a particularly mean soldier named Briggs complete with evil frowny moustache that practically screams ‘kills if ordered or bored’. He’s so relentless nothing short of x-ray analysis will convince me he’s not a terminator sent from the future by hawk neoconservatives.
Alpha team, this is evil moustache, over
But then the shaky camera work stalled for a moment and I saw his face clearly. Hey that’s Jason Isaacs! No Matt Damon, don’t shoot! He’s still a baddy but now I don’t want Jason Isaacs to die!
What happened there? Ever since I saw Jason Isaacs play the (sexy) villain so well as Lucius Malfoy and Captain Hook I can’t help switching teams whenever he baddens it up. He’s built up enough rascal credibility I root for him even when the character’s flatter than an army buzz cut. But this isn’t an isolated case of wrong teamism. I thought back to Mulubinba’s search for the good Guy - a quest doomed to succeed. Why do we root for the bad guy? Perhaps it’s a personal thing. Here are my reasons:
They’re usually given the best lines
They’re usually given the best back stories
As long as they don’t hurt characters you like, you can still think they’re good people that made bad choices
They’re determined, proactive and ambitious; all misdirected but still attractive qualities.
They’re the underdog
9 comments:
Wasn't he the badass in The Patriot? If so, that guy has one heck of a squint. Love him as the bad guy!
Love the bad guys as underdog. Thinking of Alan Rickman in Die Hard. Great underdog. ;-)
True....With actors I like, even playing the baddie, I still try to find the good.
Amen to that, Ragtag! Sometimes the baddie is just a lot more interesting as a character than the good guy - Gisborne is a prime example of this. But yes, you're absolutely spot on with your reasons. It's +1 from me. :)
Jason Isaacs! I didn't recognize that name, but yes, he is a very good baddie! I just rewatched him in the Peter Pan movie and I had thought that was Timothy Dalton playing Hook. Don't you think he looks alot like Timothy Dalton? Hmmm? Maybe it's just me...(I do need new glasses)!
RAFrenzy, i'm going to have to stop myself every time i reply to you because the first impulse is to use your 'real' name. Haha!
Yeah that was him in the patriot, apparently he's the best thing about that movie according to many viewers. You saw him in 'State Within' as well, with our good friend Sarah from Spooks.
Goodness Phylly I didn't realise how much he does look like Mr Dalton when he's Hook. But doesn't he look like he's having a ball as Hook? Such glee.
You have to stop yourself?! Think about me. I've been using my name for, well, a long time. ;-)
Yes, I did watch the State Within. I liked it fine, and dear Genevieve was pretty good.
Jason Isaacs is an awesome baddie. He has one of those faces that make him scary in a cool way. (Like Mark Strong, only with better hair.) I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought Lucius Malfoy was hot. :) He was also great in "The Patriot" as RAFrenzy mentioned... pure evil.
If you haven't already, RagTag, You. Must. See. The. Patriot. Especially if you rent the DVD for the special features such as "Heart of a Villain" where you can see even more Isaacs in action.
JI was my first major celebrity crush before some crazy RA fan girl LIKE YOU slipped a GOG fanvid my way as a means of conversion tactics.
Issacs in my book gets extra stars for stealing new generations of female fans away from that runt Mel Gibson. Ha!
Great blog you have BTW. If you're feeling brave, click on my name and you'll see RA as you've never seen him before...
Hi MaidMelee,
No haven't seen the Patriot! It's on my to-see list. Will make time for it.
Thanks for stopping by, gee you draw a mighty fine GoG!
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