In recent years women have moved away from the helpless victim role, usually reserved for female characters, and instead occupied a role that sees women fight back. Admittedly these new Femme Fatales are not meant to be liked but due to the refreshing role change being so groundbreaking, many female viewers can't help but love to hate these female villains.
Girl power was previously represented at the expense of men but this new type of representation sees women become something to be feared. Reddit user Olivebranch99 was just one fan that sought to find out which female character viewers feared the most, and Reddit had some fascinating answers to give.
Maleficent — Maleficent
The tale of Sleeping Beauty continues to be shared with many children even today but it is also one of the most unsettling fairytales to date. 2014 saw the release of Maleficent which sought to tell the story of the whimsical fairy who had turned villainous after being betrayed by her one true love.
Disney is known for giving visual cues as to who the movie villain is, due to most of their movies targeting young children, the character of Maleficent was no stranger to this. The evil personality of Maleficent was brought to life by her somewhat demonic appearance representing that of a fallen angel with black horns, black wings, and long talons. Maleficent was a particularly terrifying villain with her character preying on the most vulnerable when she placed a death curse on a baby, something which MovieMike007 thought "hit the top of the villainous scales, man or woman".
Dolores Umbridge — Harry Potter
Dolores Umbridge made a name for herself when she first appeared in Harry Potter, her character may have had an obsession with pink tweed and cats but she looked somewhat normal. However, her character soon proved to be an evil power-hungry woman who took pride in torturing both her students and staff with cruel devices and her patronizing giggle.
Imelda Staunton captured the true wickedness of Dolores Umbridge as recognized by Reddit user rukivverh5995who stated that she gave a "fantastic performance". Her character was irritating and terrifying at the same time due to her representing the damage power can cause especially when someone as power-hungry as her is given that kind of authority. Dolores Umbridge got worse and worse over time which left fans trying to predict what she could do next to make her even more unlikable.
Annie Wilkes — Misery
Annie Wilkes is a particularly scary character who once again deceives viewers, at first she seems to be the hero but this soon changes when viewers are left fearing for Paul, who desperately attempts to escape the wrath of the sweet woman that saved him. Annie's caring facade saw her enter into a career of nursing with very different intentions than saving people's lives, her many victims date back to her early childhood with her earliest kill taking place aged 11.
Her ability to mask her murderous tendencies makes her such a frightening character as she reels her victims under pretenses but soon reveals her true intentions, making her highly deceptive and narcissistic. Reddit user Olivebranch99 described Annie as "a twisted mind under the guise of love who can snap at any moment" before sharing that "Kathy Bates is a MASTER of her craft" with many fans praising the stars acting ability.
Bellatrix Lestrange — Harry Potter
Every villain has to have a manic cackle and Bellatrix Lestrange has perfected her witch-like laugh with many fans claiming they could hear her presence before actually seeing her. Her character has an infinity with the darkness which sees her dress head to toe in long black gowns often gripping a wand with her disgusting talons, however, her appearance is equally as dark as her personality.
Bellatrix is a close lieutenant of Voldemort with her lack of empathy making her a master of torture as well as a perfect addition to that of the dark arts. Her character is severely impulsive which only ever ends in death or cruelty as seen when she murders everyone's favorite house-elf: Dobby. Her murderous streak doesn't end there when she continues to add to her kill list but she soon meets her match with Mrs. Weasley. Stormy8888 shared that "pretty much everyone in the theater cheered when Mrs. Weasley took her on", emphasizing how easy it was to hate her.
Alex Forrest — Fatal Attraction
Fatal Attraction continues to be an iconic movie for many reasons but it was the character of Alex Forrest that had fans hooked from the very beginning. It's safe to say that Alex didn't have any endearing qualities which is why she became a thoroughly unlikable character, many viewers labeled her as intimidating, obsessive, and completely spoilt.
Alex was an egotistical individual who proceeded to make herself the victim in a bid to get what she wanted however her plan failed and her behavior soon became increasingly toxic. Her character left many fans looking over their shoulder and keeping future dates at arm's length with Reddit user Ganonsmurf echoing her haunting words "I'm not gonna be ignooooored by you, Dan!". Alex certainly took till death do us part literally when she made it her duty to gain Dan's attention even in her final moments, she may have been terrifying but she remains an iconic femme fatale.
The Beldam (Coraline)
Coraline continues to be one of the best horror-themed animated movies with many adults still being traumatized from this childhood flick. The movie left many fans terrified of crawl spaces and the alternative universe that potentially lives inside of them, with several viewers also being extremely thankful for the parents they have. Coraline took evil parents to a new level but it was The Beldam that was particularly terrifying, with buttons for eyes and a demonic stature, this mother gave fans nightmares.
Her shape-shifting ability made her character such an unreliable one with fans never knowing what to expect due to her behavior ranging from sweet to angry to completely evil. Olivebranch99 referred to The Beldam as "the stuff of nightmares" with her appearance mirroring something of a spider and her invading body language being so intimidating and nightmare-like, her character was enough to leave fans feeling trapped in their sinister universe.
Ma-Ma (Dredd)
Ma-Ma from Dredd looks like your typical villain when she adopts the controversial villain staple: the facial scar. Ma-Ma may have a previous history of being a prostitute and drug kingpin, but it is her love of violence that makes her one of the best female villains.
Ma-Ma is a powerful woman and drug dealer who manages to recruit a team of dedicated and loyal soldiers, proving just how manipulative she can be. Dredd might be a small-scale comic book movie but Ma-Ma takes on a huge role and fulfills her role as the main antagonist by subjecting others to violence and torture by drugging them. Similar to Bellatrix Lestrange, Ma-Ma has no empathy which goes against her stereotypical role as a woman and therefore her nickname which led to thejonslaught labeling her as a "Great villain [that is] utterly reprehensible".
Amy Dunne (Gone Girl)
Amy Dunne's character was particularly well written in the sense that she represented your stereotypical suburban wife but in reality, she was a highly manipulative woman who had one thing on her mind: framing her husband for her murder.
Her character is clever, sneaky, and calculating which makes her so disturbing to fans, she seeks revenge on many men in her life and goes as far as injuring herself to frame those that have done her wrong. She is potentially one of the coldest villains in cinematic history but continues to play the vulnerable victim and does a good job of convincing those around her, proving how talented of a liar she is. TheUnrepententLurker labeled her as "believable, understandable, utterly capable. Evil." which has ultimately led to her being the best female villain.