Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > Movie Talk
Reload this Page >

Best Heel to Face character changes (bad guys turning good)

Community
Search
Movie Talk A Discussion area for everything movie related including films In The Theaters

Best Heel to Face character changes (bad guys turning good)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-02-08 | 11:24 AM
  #1  
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Best Heel to Face character changes (bad guys turning good)

one of the best has to be Johnny in Karate Kid. Other thoughts?
Old 01-02-08 | 11:28 AM
  #2  
Groucho's Avatar
Moderator
 
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 71,383
Received 130 Likes on 92 Posts
From: Salt Lake City, Utah
This happens a lot with James Bond henchmen. Usually the penalty is death. Exception is:
Spoiler:
Film: Moonraker
Spoiler:
Villain: Jaws
Old 01-02-08 | 11:35 AM
  #3  
Maxflier's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,930
Received 458 Likes on 334 Posts
From: Louisiana
Don't know if he counts as fully turning back face, but Darth Vader is the best one I can think of.
Old 01-02-08 | 11:41 AM
  #4  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 17,000
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
From: MA
Ice in Top Gun

Albert Laurent in The Island
Old 01-02-08 | 11:47 AM
  #5  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,385
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: Philadelphia
Both Apollo Creed and Ivan Drago. If I need to name the movies, or if you consider these spoilers, then you should consider suicide.


-Doc

Last edited by Doc MacGyver; 01-02-08 at 12:27 PM.
Old 01-02-08 | 11:51 AM
  #6  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 25,412
Received 452 Likes on 288 Posts
From: Chicago, IL
Blonde chick in Revenge of the Nerds... she went from heel to face (from jocks to nerds) when she fucked Darth Vader on a funhouse trampoline
Old 01-02-08 | 12:13 PM
  #7  
TGM's Avatar
TGM
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 17,094
Received 474 Likes on 295 Posts
From: Massachusetts
Originally Posted by GuessWho
Blonde chick in Revenge of the Nerds... she went from heel to face (from jocks to nerds) when she fucked Darth Vader on a funhouse trampoline

I think you just wrote my epitaph.
Old 01-02-08 | 12:21 PM
  #8  
Randy Miller III's Avatar
DVD Talk Reviewer
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,717
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
From: Harrisburg, PA
How about this change of heart in Blade Runner?

Spoiler:


EDIT: Spoilerized for her pleasure. My bad.

Last edited by Randy Miller III; 01-02-08 at 01:12 PM.
Old 01-02-08 | 12:25 PM
  #9  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Spoilers!
Old 01-02-08 | 12:27 PM
  #10  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,385
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: Philadelphia
Originally Posted by Randy Miller III
Spoiler:
How about Roy Batty's change of heart in Blade Runner?


Isn't
Spoiler:
Deckard really the Heal?



-Doc
Old 01-02-08 | 12:28 PM
  #11  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 17,000
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
From: MA
Originally Posted by kaze0
Spoilers!
I was going to put spoilers on mine, but it's an 'enter at your own risk' type of thread anyway.
Old 01-02-08 | 12:43 PM
  #12  
movie diva's Avatar
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,363
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Mongo in Blazing Saddles, he was just a pawn in the game of life.
Old 01-02-08 | 12:47 PM
  #13  
The Bus's Avatar
DVD Talk Godfather
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 54,920
Received 23 Likes on 18 Posts
From: New York
I'd like to make a list. Two columns. On one column is Ed Harris's character in National Treasure 2. On the other column, is every other character in anything, ever. Consider those in the second column before you consider the first.
Old 01-02-08 | 12:48 PM
  #14  
Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
How about Arnold Schwarzanegger turning from a bad guy in Terminator to a good guy in Terminator 2: Judgement Day ????????
Old 01-02-08 | 01:02 PM
  #15  
XavierMike's Avatar
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: Indianapolis, IN
Sato from Karate Kid 2.
Old 01-02-08 | 01:21 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I like the pro-wrestling terminology in the thread title.

My favorite isn't necessarily "bad to good," more like "bad to bad on better terms," but it would have to be the Wild Bunch's Final Four vs. the whole damn Mapache army.
Old 01-02-08 | 01:49 PM
  #17  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,385
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: Philadelphia
I know this is in the movie talk forum, but if we expanded it to television, there would be a wealth of characters to explore (the longer format obviously making possible more character development and wider arcs, if properly utilized).

With that in mind, I'd say Spike from Buffy and then Angel. A lot of people felt it nuetered the character, and I could see that. But I absolutely loved him as the good guy, yet still an ass in Angel's final season.


-Doc


Edit: Oh, and another, more realistic example would be from my personal favorite show, The Wire. While never a show to simply label anyone "Good" or "Bad", I think one could argue that Carver was on his way to being just another street-ripping, statistic-juking career cop, were it not for him starting out under Bunny Coleman and spending time under (and getting lectured by in a fantastic scene) Daniels. Subsequent seasons have shown just how good a cop Carver has become (community policing, trying to help the kids instead of just busting them) in contrast to his former partner, Herc, who is now just a bruiser with poor instincts climbing the ladder, more concerned with keeping his stripes than protecting a poor kid who snitched.

Last edited by Doc MacGyver; 01-02-08 at 01:56 PM.
Old 01-02-08 | 01:51 PM
  #18  
Banned
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,628
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: Bellefontaine, Ohio
Harry (green goblin version 2.0) in Spider man 3
Old 01-02-08 | 01:54 PM
  #19  
Mondo Kane's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 11,986
Received 258 Likes on 207 Posts
Dennis Franz in Die Hard 2.
(Although you have to wait til the last minute of the movie)
Old 01-02-08 | 01:57 PM
  #20  
stingermck's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 18,991
Received 575 Likes on 373 Posts
From: Cobra Island
Old 01-02-08 | 01:57 PM
  #21  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,385
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: Philadelphia
And who could forget Zangiff in the classic United Nations thriller, Street Fighter. Although to be fair, he wasn't so much "bad", as he was misled, simple soul that he was.


-Doc
Old 01-02-08 | 02:19 PM
  #22  
Charlie Goose's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 20,195
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 7 Posts
From: Sesame Street (the apt. next to Bob's)
Originally Posted by GuessWho
Blonde chick in Revenge of the Nerds... she went from heel to face (from jocks to nerds) when she fucked Darth Vader on a funhouse trampoline
You mean after she was raped in the funhouse.


How about Steven Williams from one of the Chuck Norris Missing in Action flicks.
Old 01-02-08 | 02:21 PM
  #23  
Groucho's Avatar
Moderator
 
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 71,383
Received 130 Likes on 92 Posts
From: Salt Lake City, Utah
Originally Posted by ConVerse
How about Arnold Schwarzanegger turning from a bad guy in Terminator to a good guy in Terminator 2: Judgement Day ????????
Not the same guy.
Old 01-02-08 | 02:30 PM
  #24  
Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Groucho
Not the same guy.


huh?
Old 01-02-08 | 02:32 PM
  #25  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,662
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: H-Town, TX
Darth Vader wins this one hands down. Especially if you ignore the prequels and what a p-ssy he was in those movies.

If you count Ahnuld in T2, then that was one of the more inspired face turns I've seen.

Miss Tessmacher in Superman: The Movie.

Do Inigo Montoya and Fezzik in The Princess Bride count?


Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.