Writing Great Villains: Why They Shouldn't Be Sympathetic
Writing great villains is about striking a balance between charming and evil, so we love them but also love to see them lose.

Revenge. Feels so good. Are you ready to pay the price for it?
Writing great villains is about striking a balance between charming and evil, so we love them but also love to see them lose.
"WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE?!!!!" "EVERYTHING!!!!!" This is but one of a multitude of highly emphatic questions, and subsequent answers, being asked in the newest feature film from one of the current masters of horror, Jordan Peele ("Get Out", "Us" and "Nope"). I must give Peele credit in that he continues to push the boundaries of specific genres and their associated tropes in order to provide what ends up amounting to subtly then jarringly intense, yet still character and story-driven, cinema that speaks more to indie stylings than mainstream.
This is a film that is going to leave some people bored, and some people thrilled.
In a film where a Black couple is framed to be the lead characters, they still managed to get shuffled off to the sidelines. The enthusiastic cast delivers well on goofy bits- but can only go so far before they begin to fall flat.
Mahavatar Narsimha (2025) brings the epic tale of Hiranyakashipu to life with stunning animation, intense action, and a bold retelling of this timeless mythological drama.
Do not trust Rotten Tomatoes. That is what I learned after watching Eternals. Critics currently rate it a 48%, but it's an amazing character-focused Marvel movie with positive diverse representation.