Back to trending
Villain

Villain

Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1971

In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.

Movie details

Villain

“By the time he's ready to kill you, its an act of mercy.”

1971 Crime · Drama · Thriller 1h 38m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.1 / 10

Community rating

In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Villain?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Inside Man

Inside Man

Crime · 2023

Based on true events. A disgraced police detective seeking redemption goes undercover to expose a violent crime syndicate. But as he sinks deeper into the mob, the price for absolution may be higher than he can afford.

Trafficking

Trafficking

Crime · 2023

Fresh out of prison, a former debt collector working for a gangland boss is told he has a terminal brain tumour. In an attempt to atone for his past he rescues a young girl from trafficking, forcing him into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with his boss.

Blood Ties

Blood Ties

Thriller · 2013

Two brothers, on either side of the law, face off over organized crime in Brooklyn during the 1970s.

The Public Eye

The Public Eye

Crime · 1992

A crime photographer gets involved in a conspiracy.

Layer Cake

Layer Cake

Drama · 2004

When a seemingly straight-forward drug deal goes awry, XXXX has to break his die-hard rules and turn up the heat, not only to outwit the old regime and come out on top, but to save his own skin...

Across 110th Street

Across 110th Street

Crime · 1972

In a daring robbery, some $300,000 is taken from the Italian mob. Several mafiosi are killed, as are two policemen. Lt. Pope and Capt. Mattelli are two New York City cops trying to break the case. Three small-time criminals are on the run with the money. Will the mafia catch them first, or will the police?

Gloria

Gloria

Crime · 1980

When a young boy's family is killed by the mob, their tough neighbor Gloria becomes his reluctant guardian. In possession of a book that the gangsters want, the pair go on the run in New York.

King Ivory

King Ivory

Crime · 2025

Based on extensive research involving law enforcement and gang members, a never-before-seen, authentic look inside the underworld of fentanyl trafficking from gangs inside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester a.k.a. "Big Mac."

The Long Good Friday

The Long Good Friday

Crime · 1980

In the late 1970s, Cockney crime boss Harold Shand, a gangster trying to become a legitimate property mogul, has big plans to get the American Mafia to bankroll his transformation of a derelict area of London into the possible venue for a future Olympic Games. However, a series of bombings targets his empire on the very weekend the Americans are in town. Shand is convinced there is a traitor in his organization, and sets out to eliminate the rat in typically ruthless fashion.

Barron's Cove

Barron's Cove

Crime · 2025

When his young son is viciously murdered by a classmate, a grieving father with a history of violence kidnaps the child responsible, igniting a frenzied manhunt fueled by a powerful politician -- the father of the kidnapped boy.

Where it lives

Watch in your region.

Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.

Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michael Tuchner

Written by

Dick Clement · Ian La Frenais

Richard Burton

Richard Burton

Vic Dakin

Ian McShane

Ian McShane

Wolfe Lissner

Nigel Davenport

Nigel Davenport

Bob Matthews

Donald Sinden

Donald Sinden

Gerald Draycott

Fiona Lewis

Fiona Lewis

Venetia

T. P. McKenna

T. P. McKenna

Frank Fletcher

Joss Ackland

Joss Ackland

Edgar Lowis

Court is in session

Put Villain on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.