Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for Barbarian. Proceed at your own risk.
Horror movie villains fall into one of three categories, by and large. The first category is those that are simply evil – Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) or Pennywise (Tim Curry). The second is those whose actions can be justified, even to the smallest degree, like Daniel Robitaille, aka Candyman (Tony Todd). Then there are the villains who are acting on instinct, the shark in Jaws, or the St Bernard in Cujo, for example.
The first category, arguably, makes up the bulk of horror’s great villains, completely unsympathetic. The latter two, however, are sympathetic. Instinctive villains know no other way to act, while the second group are made, or appear to be, villains. Frankenstein’s monster (Boris Karloff) is a perfect example of how close the two groups actually are. He didn’t ask to be created, nor was he instructed on how to act. The acts of “villainy” that incited a mob are the acts of a naive creature, not knowing or understanding the idea of consequences, acting on instinct. A recent example would be the Mother (Matthew Patrick Davis) in Barbarian. The Mother is a terrifying monster hiding in the catacombs underneath the Airbnb that Tess (Georgina Campbell) and Keith (Bill Skarsgård) end up in together. She murders Keith and takes Tess captive, solidifying her presence as the film's antagonist, until we learn she's not. A flashback from decades before captures Frank (Richard Brake), a detestable man that kidnapped women, hid them in the catacombs and filmed himself sexually assaulting them repeatedly. The Mother was one of those women, and it was the repeated abuse at Frank's hands that slowly mutated her. She wasn't born a monster, she was forced to become one, and even at that her intent wasn't to kill but to find kids she could care for. With that in mind, what follows is a list of villains deemed guilty until proven innocent.
Shark (Jaws)
Contrary to what Jaws: The Revenge may say about sharks being vengeful, the truth is that there are only two things the shark in Jaws is guilty of: being a shark and doing shark things. That's it. To further complicate things for the beast, the first attack is rewarded by providing a smorgasbord, a beach full of snacks. The real villain in the film is money, or rather the fear of losing it.
Candyman (Candyman)
Theoretically, if you say his name five times in a mirror to summon him, you are the cause of your own death, not the Candyman, right? It's a loophole, one that Daniel Robitaille was never afforded. The son of a wealthy black man and former slave, Robitaille was well-educated, and artistically gifted, with his talents sought after for painted portraits. After a dalliance with the daughter of a rich white man that left her pregnant, the man hired goons who attacked Robitaille, cut off his right hand, stripped him of his clothing, smeared him with honeycomb from a nearby hive, and was left to his eventual death by multiple stings from angry bees.
Pamela and Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)
The first Friday the 13th was a game changer. It, along with Halloween, brought in the age of the slasher film, and (SPOILER) the reveal of Mrs. Voorhees (Betsy Palmer) subverted the idea of the killer in a film being male. But what could possibly have prompted the murder of dozens of teens at Camp Crystal Lake? A vengeful mama, whose son drowned in the waters of Crystal Lake in 1957 as the camp counselors were off having sex. Ah, okay, that makes sense. Then Mama V gets killed, giving rise to Jason himself (Ari Lehman), avenging his death and the death of his mother from Friday the 13th Part 2 (with Jason played by Steve Daskewisz) and onward through many, many, many sequels. Jason, buddy - you've made your point by now.
Carrie (Carrie)
Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) never had a chance. A social outcast with a wildly fanatical religious mother, Carrie is soundly ridiculed by classmates after her horrified reaction to her first period. It seems that mom never told Carrie about menstruation, and still doesn't, attributing it to Carrie sinning somehow and locking Carrie in her closet to repent. Bet your mom's looking pretty good in comparison now. One of her classmates, Sue (Amy Irving), feels horrible for how she treated Carrie and asks her boyfriend to take Carrie to the prom. He obliges, and Carrie is truly enjoying herself and is even elected prom queen. But before you can say fixed election, a bucket of pig's blood is poured on her, part of an elaborate prank perpetrated by one of the girls who blames Carrie for being banned from the prom. If the girl had survived, hindsight would prove how bad of a choice that was to make, but she doesn't. The prank sends Carrie over the edge, and - surprise! Carrie has telekinesis and exacts a bloody revenge on the party goers. Lesson for today, kids: be nice to everybody.
Norman Bates (Psycho)
The evolution of Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) into killer is captured in the brilliant series Bates Motel, detailing Norman's (Freddie Highmore) increasingly unhealthy relationship with his mother (Vera Farmiga). It fills in the gaps for today's audience, making what we know of Norman from the film itself even more sympathetic. At the end of the 1960 film, a psychiatrist (Simon Oakland) explains Norman's mental state. Ten years prior, Norman killed his mother and her lover out of jealousy (the buildup chronicled so well in Bates Motel). Deeply wracked with guilt, Norman mummified his mother's corpse and reacted with it as if she were alive, eventually developing the alternate personality of his mother. Whenever Norman would find a woman attractive, "Mother" would take over, kill her, and leave a horrified Norman to clean up after her. Sympathetic or not, Norman still ruined showers for thousands of people.
Jigsaw (Saw)
You know, some people just don't appreciate it when you try to help. Take John Kramer (Tobin Bell), for example. The former civil engineer, with an inoperable brain tumor and colon cancer, found a new appreciation for life after a failed suicide attempt. In fact, he vowed to inspire those people who didn't appreciate the gift of life. Such a noble goal. To help, Kramer put his engineering skills to use to create games that placed these people in situations where they could escape if they found that will to live. And were willing to endure intense physical torture or be okay with killing others to do so. There's just no appreciation for trying to make the world a better place.
Xenomorphs (Aliens)
Much like the shark in Jaws, the xenomorphs in the Alien franchise are just doing what they do by nature: hatch, find a suitable host, lay larvae in that host, emerge theatrically from that host, grow, and survive. They didn't ask to be brought aboard the Nostromo, or asked to accompany the Nostromo home, or have an entire terraforming colony setup on their home base. Give them a break. It's like they're being setup by a large, evil corporation who wants them for their own purposes, but that would be crazy... wouldn't it?
Eli (Let the Right One In)
12-year-old Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a meek boy, relentlessly bullied by classmates, to such a degree that Oskar dreams of a bloody revenge on them. Soon he meets Eli (Lina Leandersson), a 12-year-old (maybe) girl who has moved in next door, and she has a few little quirks. She's pale, avoids sunlight, and has to be invited into Oskar's home. Nevertheless, the two form a friendship, and Eli tells Oskar the truth. She isn't 12, isn't a girl, and she's a vampire. Oskar's surprised at the revelation (seriously, put two and two together, Oskar), but Eli's explanation tugs at the old heartstrings. She's not a monster, she does what she has to do to survive, nothing more. It's a wonderful film that succeeds in humanizing Eli.