The struggle between good and evil is a key element in storytelling. It always has been and always will be. To root for the morally righteous, there needs to be a good foil to stand opposite of them, who stands against everything they believe in, and vice versa. Many legendary conflicts have taken place in film. Think of Batman and The Joker, James Bond and Goldfinger, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader — every great villain is only as good as their adversary.
That being said, they can also make them the best allies at times, even if they do so begrudgingly. Imagine opposing someone so strongly, yet a greater conflict forces you to put your animosity aside to face the bigger danger together. Moments like these can make for some truly compelling, if not exciting storytelling. The following is a list of the best films where the hero and villain team up.
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10 Godzilla and Kong – Godzilla vs. Kong
Photo Credit - Legendary Pictures
Godzilla Vs. Kong was the throw-down flick we wanted, but didn’t know we needed. After being an unofficial savior in his last two outings, Godzilla attacks an APEX facility in Florida for seemingly no reason, setting himself up as the movie’s villain. To stop him from rampaging further, Kong is pulled from Skull Island to face off against the King of the Monsters in an epic three-fight clash that ultimately sees the great ape defeated. However, when a bigger threat emerges, Kong and Godzilla put aside their beef to bring Mechagodzilla down. The two titans fighting was glorious, but to see them team up was equally amazing. The two started this 2021 film as enemies, and although they didn’t leave it as friends, they did find a new respect for each other.
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9 Ben Wade and Dan Evans – 3:10 to Yuma
Photo Credit - Relativity Media, Tree Line Film
Directed by James Mangold, the 2007 film 3:10 to Yuma follows a father and Civil War hero on his way to escort a ruthless criminal to a train ride back to prison. Close to losing his farm due to a long-standing drought, Dan Evans (Christian Bale) signs on to help transfer Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) for a reward of $200. Ben is a formidable adversary and isn’t looking to go back behind bars. Surprisingly, the two find they have more in common than they first realized, coming to respect one another despite their opposing sides. This respect runs deep enough that Ben willingly joins Dan in a firefight against his own gang and allows himself to go back to prison so that Dan can retain his honor and collect the payment his family desperately needs. This goes to show that sometimes, respect runs deeper than any rivalry.
8 Kirk and Kahn – Star Trek Into Darkness
Photo Credit - Bad Robot Productions, Skydance Productions, K/O Paper Products
Considering their antagonism towards one another in 1982’s The Wrath of Khan, it’s riveting to see these two team up. While the goal of the USS Enterprise crew in Star Trek Into Darkness was to kill the terrorist for the murder of Admiral Pike and other senior officers, they are baffled when Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) saves them from Klingon attackers before handing himself over. He then reveals a conspiracy by their new commanding officer, Admiral Marcus, to start an intergalactic war with the Klingon race, prompting Kirk (Chris Pine) to form an uneasy alliance with Khan to stop him. Fully aware that Khan can’t be trusted, he eventually turns on him, but Khan gains the upper hand by damaging the Enterprise and taking control of Marcus’s USS Vengeance. While the pairing was never meant to last, the desperate plan to join forces made for a fun pairing that Star Trek fans aren’t likely to see again, which is unfortunate because the chemistry between Pine and Cumberbatch was palpable.
7 Warren and Mannix – The Hateful Eight
Photo Credit - Shiny Penny, FilmColony
Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight sees several wild characters come together at Minnie’s Haberdashery when a snowstorm forces them inside. Among the insane dynamics and interactions that occur are the ones between Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins) and Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson). Warren, a slave turned bounty hunter, had made a name for himself during the Civil War by dispatching many southern soldiers, which doesn’t sit well with Mannix, who fought for the south. Tensions quickly reach a boiling point between the two, and they soon have their guns drawn. However, when the Patrons of the Haberdashery find the coffee poisoned, the two quickly deduce each other’s innocence and work together to root out the real culprit, despite their disdain for one another. While not Tarantino’s most memorable film, his storytelling excels in this film as he proves once again that he is a master of dialogue and character dynamics. Despite the two former soldiers being opposites, they make a formidable team and a fascinating combination to boot.
6 Ah Jong and Li – The Killer
Film Workshop
John Woo’s 1989 classic The Killer sees a hero and villain team up to take down Chinese Triads. Veteran hitman Ah Jong (Chow Yun-fat) finds himself in a shoot-out where he inadvertently blinds Jennie, a nightclub singer. Eagar to make up for the incident, Jong decides to leave his bullet-riddled life behind to find her a doctor in the states. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to perform one last kill. He soon becomes aware of a hit placed on him by the Triads. He also learns that a cop, Inspector Li (Danny Lee), is after him. When the two men are ambushed, Jong is hurt and Li is forced to stay with him while he recuperates. Despite being enemies by law, the two form an unlikely friendship that sees Li aiding the assassin in beating their foes and getting Jennie her operation.
5 Professor X and Magneto – X-Men: Days of Future Past
Photo Credit - Marvel Entertainment, Bad Hat Harry, The Donners' Company, Genre Films, TSG Entertainment
X-Men: Days of Future Past sees the two old friends turned adversaries team up to prevent a world-ending event that sees the last vestiges of humanity struggling for survival. We may have seen Magneto (Michael Fassbender) and his allies join the mutant superheroes before, but here the stakes had never been higher. Wolverine is sent back in time to unite the two while they are at their lowest points. Xavier (James McAvoy) is disillusioned from his shortcomings and drowning in alcohol while Eric is locked below the Pentagon in a high-security prison. While the reunion is shaky at first, they are able to coexist for the most part. Their methods of saving the future differ due to their beliefs, but they manage to get the job done and part ways with a newfound respect for one another. The beauty in their continued rivalry is that it’s not based in hate but on a difference in ideology. They have a common goal, but their ways of achieving said goal prevent them from ever being on the same team, making for one of the best good guy bad guy team-ups, per Looper.
4 Frank and Carl – Catch Me If You Can
Photo Credit - Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks Pictures, Parkes/MacDonald Productions, Kemp Company, Splendid Pictures
Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can follows Frank Abagnale (Leonardo DiCaprio) on his fun misadventures around the world while being followed by FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) in a chase that stretches across years. The film sees a young Frank take on many disguises and lead an impressive life, all through forged checks. Throughout, he also maintains a relationship with the very man whose been after him the whole time through their shared experiences with abandonment and divorce. They find a kindred spirit in one another, but ultimately, Hanratty captures Abagnale and puts him away. However, their friendship would continue as Hanratty gives Abagnale a chance at redemption by volunteering for the FBI’s bank fraud unit, where his expertise in forgery helps advance multiple cases. This film is actually based on a true story, although a little embellished. The real con man and cop duo had been working together for years at the time of the film’s release. Despite Abagnale technically being the antagonist of the film, it goes to show that not every villain is evil.
3 The Connors and the Terminator – Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Carolco Pictures
The first film in the famous Terminator franchise saw the T-800 hunting Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) to end human resistance against machines in the future. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the script was flipped as the legendary gun-wielding machine (Arnold Schwarzenegger) returned to protect the Connors from an even more formidable foe. For those who haven’t seen this film, it’s unclear whose side the shades-wearing cyborg is on for the first 30-minutes, and fans are meant to assume that the cop uniform dawning T-1000 is a protector. The huge reveal comes when the T-800 protects John Connor from the liquid metal killer, starting one of the wildest chases in film history. While the heroic machine would be seen as the franchise’s hero in the years following, it wasn’t a matter of consciousness. The powerful robot is still very much the destroyer that Skynet created to wipe out humans, but reprogrammed to protect the future.
2 Blondie and Tuco – The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly pits an odd couple against a sadistic killer to retrieve lost gold. Blondie, often referred to as the Man with No Name (Clint Eastwood), delivers Tuco (Eli Wallach) for a reward. However, he saves the oafish bandit in an act of mercy before he can be executed. The two don’t like each other in the least, and for good reason. However, they need each other’s help if they want to find the gold first. Tuco knows the name of the graveyard in which it’s hidden, but Blondie knows which grave. Neither can become wealthy without the other. The two manage to coexist to find the riches, but not without a good share of attempted double-crossing from Tuco. And despite their disdain for one another, there is a touch of caring between them, making for one of the most fascinating dynamics in film history.
1 Hannibal and Clarice – The Silence of the Lambs
Orion Pictures
Despite only being in The Silence of the Lambs for less than 20 minutes, Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) is the undeniable star of the film. To catch a sadistic serial killer, FBI rookie Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) turns to Hannibal “The Cannibal” for aid. The theory behind this tactic is that it takes a sadistic killer to match another’s intellect. He isn’t so easy of a council to work with, though. His extensive psychiatric knowledge allows him to get into Clarice’s head as he feeds her information to find the elusive Buffalo Bill. All attempts to manipulate him for information are futile as he’s always the man in control. The dynamic between Lector and Starling is magnificent, however, and he soon comes to respect her intelligence and dedication. He eventually plays his captures and escapes most brutally into a world where he can resume mentally tormenting and eating people. However, he doesn’t forget about Clarice and calls to congratulate her on graduating from the FBI academy before setting off to take revenge for his former warden.
