To many,Kiefer Sutherlandis known best as24protagonist Jack Bauer, but before the action series began, the actor was known for playing multiple villainous characters. Some of Sutherland’s more sympathetic characters make it difficult to believe he could portray such memorable antagonists like those inEye for an EyeandStand By Me. Yet every villainous character portrayed by Sutherland was believable and wholly embodied by the Canadian actor.
In recent years,Sutherland’s filmographyhasn’t been strictly defined by such characters as it was in the ’80s and ’90s. Still, rare, strong villain characters can still be seen. In 2023, Sutherland appeared in the sci-fi comedyThey Cloned Tyronewhere he delivered an interesting villainous performance in a supporting role.Both longtime fans and newcomers can enjoy going back through Sutherland’s filmographyand seeing his range through his best villain performances.
10Senator Corvus
Pompeii (2014)
Receiving mixed reviews from critics upon its release and adding to Sutherland’s lowest-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes isPompeii. The 2014disaster filmisset in ancient times and is inspired by the eruption of Mount Vesuviusin the titular city. Sutherland plays a corrupt Roman Senator Corvus.Pompeiiisn’t a particularly bad film, but it failed to impress critics with its formulaic adventure tale.
Pompeii
Cast
Pompeii tells the story of the eruption of Vesuvius through the eyes of a young Celtic gladiator, Milo, who was sold into slavery as a child. As the disaster approaches, Milo falls in love, forms a rivalry with a fellow gladiator, and comes face-to-face with the man who sold him into slavery.
Unfortunately,Sutherland wasn’t immune to harsh criticismas his accent and campy, villainous performance was a miss for some critics. Still, there is much to be appreciated aboutPompeii. Director Paul W. S. Anderson sought accuracy when reconstructing the historical events and had numerous archaeologists and volcanologists praising the film’s attention to detail. Additionally, the action inPompeiiis lively and though Sutherland doesn’t give his best performance, he’s still a source of pure entertainment, as one would expect.
9Robert Doob
Eye for an Eye (1996)
Widely panned by critics for its thin plot,Eye for an Eyestill featuresa bold villain played by Sutherland. Rounding out the main cast ofEye for an Eyeare Sally Field and Ed Harris. The psychological thriller follows an enraged mother (Field) who takes matters into her own hands when her daughter is assaulted and killed by a delivery driver (Sutherland).
Eye for an Eye
Eye For An Eye is a 1996 crime thriller directed by John Schlesinger. The film stars Sally Field as Karen McCann, who seeks justice after the brutal murder of her daughter. Featuring Kiefer Sutherland as a relentless predator and Ed Harris as Karen’s supportive husband, the narrative explores the moral complexities and emotional turmoil of a mother taking the law into her own hands.
Eye for an Eyehas never been a favorite of critics or audiencesas the film tends to put its main characters, namely Field’s character, through an endless amount of trauma without ever exploring the effects of such events beyond the surface level. Sutherland doesn’t deliver a terrible performance inEye for an Eye, but unlike his other antagonists, there are no redeeming qualities to Robert, making it difficult to watch as he continues to cause trouble.
8Nixon
They Cloned Tyrone (2023)
WithThey Cloned Tyrone’s high Rotten Tomatoes scoreand stacked cast, the sharp sci-fi mystery film was a hit on Netflix and features a recent villainous performance by Sutherland. The film stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx asits leads who uncover a government-backed cloning scheme performed on the Black community.They Cloned Tyronemakes several referencesto the Blaxploitation and science fiction genres, all with a decent amount of surreal humor.
They Cloned Tyrone
They Cloned Tyrone is a comedic sci-fi mystery movie by director Juel Taylor and writer Tony Rettenmaier. The film follows a group of people who stumble upon a top-secret cloning experiment being conducted by the U.S. government when a man who died following a failed drug deal reappears - completely unscathed.
Sutherland has a supporting role inThey Cloned Tyroneas Nixon, the man in charge of the cloning process. Nixon isn’t Sutherland’s toughest villain and the actor doesn’t stay in the film for long. However, even with the limitations, Sutherland makes it clear to both audiences and the film’s characters that he isn’t to be messed with. As Nixon,Sutherland has a calm and confident manner that’s equally chilling as it is impressive.
7Robert “Bob” Wolverton
Freeway (1996)
InFreeway, Sutherland joins Brooke Shields and a young Reese Witherspoon early on in her career. The black comedy crime film follows a runaway teen (Witherspoon) who gets picked up by Sutherland’s Bob Wolverton.The plot acts as a twisted take on the famous Little Red Riding Hood fairy talewith Sutherland’s character embodying the story’s cunning wolf.
Freeway
Freeway is a dark comedy thriller that reimagines Little Red Riding Hood in modern-day America. The film follows Vanessa Lutz as Vanessa, a teenage girl who is trying to visit her grandmother in a nearby town. Along the way, she encounters Bob Wolverton, a charming but sinister stranger played by Kiefer Sutherland.
Without spoiling Bob’s true identity, it’s safe to say Sutherland is excitingly wicked. He’s not someone audiences root for by any means, butthere’s a subtle charm to his performance that still manages to captivate audiences.Freewayis considered one ofShields' best movies, but it is Witherspoon that truly shines, giving audiences a taste of the talent that would define her later career.Freewaydid open in theaters to disappointing results, but the film’s campy tones and satire allowed it to achieve a cult status over the years.
6Dr. Daniel Schreber
Dark City (1998)
In a recent interview withGQ, Sutherland reflected onsome of his most iconic characters. One of which comes from the Alex Proyas filmDark City. The film is led by Rufus Sewell, playing a man suspected of murder. Having had most of his memories wiped, Sewell’s John Murdoch is on the hunt for the real perpetrator, as well as his true identity, but not before getting interrupted by an unknown group of people known as the “Strangers.”
Dark City
Dark City follows a man grappling with lost memories in a sunless, dystopian world. As beings with telekinetic powers manipulate the city’s inhabitants, he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about his past and the mysterious forces controlling their reality.
InDark City, Sutherland plays Dr. Daniel Schreber,a psychologist teaming up with the Strangers to conduct experiments on humans. Sutherland is delightfully strange and, unlike a few of his other villain roles, Dr. Schreber isn’t so simple. There are layers to the complex villain, which become more clear as the film continues.Dark Citydidn’t do well at the box office but it has continued to be enjoyed by audiences and received positive remarks from critics.
5Lt. Jonathan Kendrick
A Few Good Men (1992)
FollowingWhen Harry Met SallyandMiserywas Rob Reiner’sA Few Good Men. The absorbing legal drama is full of memorable performances from actors like Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore to name a few.A Few Good Menis centered on a trial involving two U.S. Marines charged with murdering a fellow Marine.Sutherland appears in the film in a supporting roleas Lieutenant Jonathan Kendrick, the commanding officer of the deceased individual.
A Few Good Men
Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, and Kiefer Sutherland star in A Few Good Men, a legal drama that follows military lawyer Daniel Kaffee, who defends two Marines on trial for murder, uncovering a high-level conspiracy in the process. The 1992 movie is based on the eponymous stage play written by Aaron Sorkin.
Aaron Sorkin’s writing — the film is based on his late ’80s play of the same name — combined with the cast’s talent resulted in powerful performances. Though Cruise and Nicholson’s performances are talked about most, Sutherland too gives a notable show.Sutherland captures the cold demeanor of a lieutenant who believes in strict codes of conductand harsh means of punishment.
4David
The Lost Boys (1987)
The Lost Boysbrought life to on-screen depictions of vampires, inspiring a new wave of such supernatural stories that opted to focus on younger, energetic characters more than ever before. The humorous supernatural film follows two brothers (Jason Patric and Corey Haim) who move to a new town that happens to be home to fanged, bloodthirsty creatures.Sutherland plays David, the leader of the film’s vampire gang.
The Lost Boys
The Lost Boys follows Michael Emerson (Jason Patric) and his younger brother Sam (Corey Haim) after they move to the small California beach town of Santa Carla only to discover that it is overrun with teenage vampires. When Michael falls victim to the titular gang and joins their ranks, Sam enlists the help of young vampire hunters the Frog brothers (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander) in order to save his brother from head vampire David (Kiefer Sutherland).
David isn’t as aggressive as some of Sutherland’s other villains, but he is extremely determined to get the town’s new residents to kill, thereby transforming them into full vampires. David may not be the first name one thinks of when recalling the mosticonic ’80s horror movie characters, butSutherland’s performance ensured that the character would be remembered. The character’s moody personality and aesthetic inspired countless on-screen depictions of vampires in the years that followed.
3Freddie Lee Cobb
A Time to Kill (1996)
Based on John Grisham’s novel of the same name,A Time to Killpaints a jarring, yet honest portrait of racism and the justice system.A Time to Killfollows Carl (Samuel L. Jackson), an angered father who takes matters into his own hands when it’s believed the white men accused of assaulting his young daughter will walk away free. The film continues as Carl is put on trial. Sutherland plays Freddie Lee Cobb, the brother of one of the accused and later killed attackers.
A Time to Kill
In Canton, Mississippi, a young lawyer and his assistant defend a black man accused of murdering two white men who raped his ten-year-old daughter, inciting violent retaliation and revenge from the Ku Klux Klan.
Freddie teams up with white supremacists in the local area to rally with the goal of getting Carl convicted and given a life sentence. Sutherland is always committed to the roles he plays and Freddie isn’t an exception. Sutherland has said people were hesitant to greet him after the release of the movie because of his character’s actions. However, he feels strongly about portraying Freddie and stresses the importance of telling stories about racism.
2The Caller
Phone Booth (2002)
Despite its limited setting and simple premise, the thrillingPhone Boothexcels in establishing high levels of suspense. Colin Farrell delivers an infectious antsy performance as the film’s lead who enters a phone booth only to answerthe call of a sniper voiced by Sutherland.Phone Boothis quickly paced and works to keep audiences on the edge of their seats for its entire runtime.
Phone Booth
Phone Booth, directed by Joel Schumacher, follows a New York publicist who answers a ringing phone in a booth and receives a chilling ultimatum: if he hangs up, he will be killed. The threat is underscored by a laser rifle sight, proving the caller’s deadly seriousness.
Farrell, confined to the tight space of the phone booth, expresses his extreme distress as he’s given an ultimatum by Sutherland’s character. Sutherland is given a similar challenge. Using only his voice, it was crucial for the actor to get across the earnest threat his character possesses. Seen a few times already throughout his career, Sutherland delivers his threats to Farrell’s character with a composed tone, which makes him all the more terrifying.
1Ace Merrill
Stand by Me (1986)
One of the bestmovies based on Stephen King’s work,Stand by Meisa coming-of-age story that follows four young boyswho set out to find the body of a missing boy.Stand by Mehas been lauded for its nostalgic depiction of childhood friendships, striking the ideal balance of heartfelt moments and adventure.Stand by Mewas released early in the careers of its main cast, including Sutherland.
Stand by Me
Stand by Me is a coming-of-age film directed by Rob Reiner, based on Stephen King’s novella The Body. Set in the 1950s, it follows four boys from Oregon—Gordie, Vern, Chris, and Teddy—on a journey to find a deceased boy’s body, confronting personal challenges and deepening their friendships.
Sutherland portrayed the all too familiar childhood bully Ace Merrillwho taunts the younger group in the film. There was no desire or need to sympathize with Ace. His purpose in the film is straightforward, but Sutherland handled the character effectively — which can explain his stint as an antagonist for much of his career. Like Sutherland, the rest ofStand by Me’s castearned praise for their polished, yet playful performances.
Kiefer Sutherland On Why Playing Stand By Me Villain Was Easy
Kiefer Sutherland opens up about why he found playing the Stand by Me villain was so easy and his process for getting into the mind of an “a–hole”.
