5 Underrated Bond Villains

For over six decades, the Bond franchise has produced all manner of characters and tropes that remain firmly entrenched in the mainstream today. Generations of audiences have looked forward to the action, drama, theme songs and characters among other things.

Perhaps one of the most essential aspects to any Bond film are it’s villains. After all, no hero is worth much without a compelling villain to stand in their way. While some Bond villains have received the praise they rightfully deserve and others are best left on the wayside, a few excellent antagonists have unfortunately slipped the minds of many fans.

In this list, we will look at 5 of the Bond franchise’s most underrated villains.

Number 5. Mr. Hinx: Spectre

While the reception to Christoph Waltz’s reimagined Ernst Stavro Blofeld was quite polarizing, Dave Bautista’s portrayal as henchman Mr. Hinx was received far more favorably.

To older fans, Hinx was a throwback to the beloved trope of the villainous henchman. With his imposing stature and granite fingertips, Hinx was reminiscent of characters like Oddjob and Jaws. Bond’s fight with Hinx on the train was also an homage to the classic Bond films where 007 would often fight the enforcer after defeating the main villain.

To younger fans, Hinx was well-received for his intimidating demeanor, powerful appearance and high action scenes. Former professional wrestler, Batista was the perfect choice to play this physical specimen.

It was unfortunate that Hinx was disposed of rather quickly in his final fight. Also, his silent, stone cold demeanor did leave a bit more to be desired especially with the charismatic Batista portraying him. That being said, Hinx was the perfect fit for a Bond film that referenced the earlier feel of the franchise and he deserves more love.

Number 4. Baron Samedi: Live and Let Die

Some of the earlier Bond movies featured a whole slew of colourful villains. This was especially prevalent when Roger Moore donned the famous tuxedo. While they often pushed the limits of what was believable, no villain ever originated from the supernatural. No villain except Baron Samedi.

Initially presented as a mere entertainer who was portraying the Voodoo God of the same name, Samedi’s over-the- top theatrics and claims of immortality seemed like nothing more than a cheesy gimmick. However, it soon became apparent that there was more to Baron Samedi than meets the eye.

Although a henchman of the main villain Dr. Kananga, Samedi seemed to operate quite independently of his employer. Not interested in money or power, Samedi seemed to enjoy rituals and sacrifices instead. Kananga always seemed unnerved and uneasy around Samedi and never ordered him around like he would his other henchmen.

Perhaps most famously, Baron Samedi is the only Bond villain to never truly be defeated. Living up to his supernatural image and reputation as an immortal, Samedi was able to trick Bond with clay doubles of himself and even survived being locked in a coffin full of snakes.

Initially believed to be dead after his fight with 007, Samedi appears at the very end of the movie, laughing maniacally at the camera and confirming his otherworldly origins. It has been almost 50 years since Live and Let Die and James Bond has never encountered a supernatural foe like Baron Samedi ever since.

Number 3. Elliot Carver: Tomorrow Never Dies

In the 90s, 24 hour news was booming and many media moguls often found themselves front and center of the headlines for their bullish and at times intrusive ways to get a story. The Bond series picked up on this with a truly contemporary villain, Elliot Carver.

A ruthless media baron who could make even the most heartless tabloid afraid, Carver made his fortune by always getting the first scoops on any scandal or disaster. The way he did that was by orchestrating these events in the first place.

So obsessed was Carver for media dominance, that he planned to instigate a war between the UK and China in order to monopolize the Chinese media for himself. He was willing to start a war and even kill his wife and millions of other innocent people just to be able to tell the best story.

Portrayed by an actor as skilled as Jonathan Pryce, Carver’s obsession, malice and twisted drive was conveyed perfectly for all to see. He was the perfect blend of the typical Bond megalomaniac and a contemporary villain. In fact, one could say that Carver was the most fitting Bond villain for that era and for that, he deserves far more love.

Number 2. Francisco Scaramanga: The Man With The Golden Gun

The man with the golden gun himself, Francisco Scaramanga was played to perfection by the great Christopher Lee. It’s almost a travesty to call any of Lee’s performances understated or forgotten but as this movie is often considered one of the franchise’s weaker entries, the character of Scaramanga has unfortunately fallen by the wayside.

Prior to The Man With The Golden Gun, Bond’s main foes were usually megalomaniacal masterminds and intricate crime syndicates with goals of world domination. Scaramanga was cut from a very different cloth. In fact, you could say he was cut from the same cloth as Bond himself. An “anti-Bond” of sorts, Scaramanga was Bond’s equal in skill and parallel in life.

Whilst both men were trained killers, Bond killed to protect his country and the world while Scaramanga killed for profit and entertainment. While 007 killed only when necessary, Scaramanga relished in killing and seemed to treat it like a sport. Their parallels were also highlighted aesthetically. While Bond favored darker colors and black suits or tuxedos, Scaramanga often wore white.

In many ways, Scaramanga served as a glimpse into what James Bond could have been if he had become a villain. The fact that he was portrayed by Christopher Lee, a master of villainous characters and a relative of Ian Flemming, only served to add to the character’s mystique. It is truly unfortunate that the movie he was featured in did not make as big of an impact as it could have.

Number 1: Franz Sanchez: License To Kill

License To Kill is arguably one of if not the darkest entry into the Bond franchise. While Bond actor Timothy Dalton is widely praised for bringing back a gritter, more realistic 007, Robert Davi’s portrayal of drug lord Franz Sanchez is often understated. After all, it was Sanchez who set the plot into motion.

The biggest thing that stood out about Sanchez was how personal he made things with Bond. Up to that point, every villain that Bond faced was someone he was sent to go after as part of an assignment. Sanchez was the complete opposite of this.

A cold-blooded killer who had dictators and celebrities in his pocket, Sanchez brutally maimed Bond’s best friend Felix Leither and had his wife Della murdered. Bond was so enraged by this that he went rogue and abandoned his duties to go after the cartel boss.

Sanchez’s cold demeanor and often vacant expression added to his unsettling aura. Just like his methods, Sanchez’s death was as brutal as it was satisfying. While most Bond villains usually meet their demise through a simple gunshot or some other over-the-top way, Sanchez was set on fire and suffered before his death. It was fitting as Bond was not neutralizing a threat but avenging a friend.

In an era where almost every action or crime film features a cartel boss or drug lord as a villain, Robert Davi’s portrayal of Franz Sanchez served to pave the way for this character trope. Unlike the hot-tempered but morally principled Tony Montana in Scarface, Sanchez’s cold, remorseless and business oriented demeanor have been used as the template for drug lord character type. Thus, he is definitely more deserving of a whole lot more recognition.

Well, that does it for this list. If you’ve made it this far, let me thank you for taking the time to read this.

Also, lists like this are often influenced by a bit of personal preference so feel free to disagree with any of the entries you see. In fact, let me know who you think are the most underrated Bond villains.

Until then, take care!