Keanu Reevesis a versatile actor that has been through his share of ups and downs. The Canadian actor made his feature film debut in the 1986 sports filmYoungblood. Then, in 1989, he landed the role of Ted inBill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, making him a household name. He played great roles in many movies of different genres, showing his great level of skill. Unfortunately, despite his talent and work ethic, the critics seemed not to favor Reeves. Even in the successfulDevil’s Advocatefilm, all the cast were praised except for Reeves. No matter how successful his movies were, it seemed like he was the number one actor for critics to hate.
AfterJohn Wickcame out in 2014, audiences took to the internet to form their own opinion. Keanu Reeves became a star in the public’s eye and is now one of the most popular actors. Looking through his filmography, Reeves has a list of assorted roles that vary in type and genre. Some of his best performances are when he plays a villain or bad guy role.
6Don John - Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
In the 1993 Shakespearean farceMuch Ado About Nothing, there is comedy and romance abound. The film follows the story of an intended couple and their commander, Don Pedro (Denzel Washington), as they play matchmaker to a couple that absolutely despises one another. Meanwhile, Don John (Keanu Reeves), the half-brother of the commanding Don Pedro, is looking for any way to thwart his brother’s plans to cause an uprising. This film is incrediblypopular and well-loved, especially by those familiar with Shakespeare’s work. This was a fun way to put Reeves into a villain role. The film received many nominations and won two awards; however, Reeves was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor. Even with this nomination, audiences couldn’t help but enjoy the farce of Reeves' performance.
5Evil Ted - Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)
The 1991 filmBill & Ted’s Bogus Journeywas the follow-up sequel to the successfulBill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. When a villain from the future sends duplicate robots on a destroy-and-replace mission,Bill (Alex Winters)and Ted (Keanu Reeves) are in the middle of an adventure. After they are killed by the robots, the duo must challenge the Grim Reaper in the afterlife for a chance to return to the land of the living. TheBill & Tedmovies are a fun and fantastical trilogy that audiences love. The far-out, goofy duo are lovable, and their adventures are outrageous. In the sequel, audiences were introduced to Evil Bill and Ted, the robot assassins who were supposed to be exact replicas of the originals. The only problem is that instead of being the lovable sweethearts, the robots are completely evil. Reeves playing the opposite of himself, being similar, yet so different, makes for a hilarious scene.
Related:Original Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey Ending Sounds Insane
The 2016 dystopian filmThe Bad Batchis an odd survival film. Following the story of Arlen, played by Suki Waterhouse, as she finds herself abandoned in a Texas wasteland. She must learn to survive in the desert while avoidingsavage cannibals. Even the supposed perfect settlement is not all it appears to be. Reeves' character, The Dream, is the cult leader of the settlement named Comfort. He has a severe savior complex since he was able to make Comfort functional, thanks to an economy based on the drugs he makes. Reeves was able to play a demented villain that took audiences on a head trip through a very demented story.
3Donaka Mark - Man of Tai Chi (2013)
The 2013 martial arts filmMan of Tai Chiis an interesting movie that takes a look at how important balance truly is. In his directorial debut, Keanu Reeves plays Donaka Mark, the leader of an underground fighting competition who takes an interest in the disciple of a Tai Chi master. Needing a substantial amount of money, the disciple Tiger (Tiger Chen) agrees to participate in the competition. Reeves played a very interesting character. He enjoyed seeing strength being twisted into something corrupt. His goal was to take an innocent Tai Chi student and turn him into a cold-blooded killer, all because he could. Even when the fighting ring was raided by the police, Donaka still hunts down Tiger to complete his goal.
Related:Devil in the White City Ordered to Series at Hulu, Keanu Reeves to Star
2Donnie Barksdale - The Gift (2000)
The 2000 Sam Raimi filmThe Giftis a great psychological mystery film with a few twists and turns along the way. In small town Brixton, Georgia, a well-known socialite goes missing, and clairvoyant Annie (Cate Blanchett) tries to help find her. The town where nothing stays quiet reveals a number of odd characters that could be behind the young woman’s disappearance. The film as a whole was amazing and the cast’s individual performances were just as great. Reeves played Donnie Barksdale. Donnie is a violent and abusive man that even threatened Annie’s life for speaking with his wife. He was the perfect suspect for the missing woman’s investigation. This character was so vile that Reeves admitted that playingDonnie was disturbing.
1Griffin - The Watcher (2000)
The Watcheris a psychological thriller from 2000. The film follows a serial killer that preys on lonely young women in Los Angeles, and the FBI agent that seems to always be a step behind. Agent Campbell, played by James Spader, relocates to Chicago and becomes a recluse. When a woman from his building is murdered, Campbell discovers that the killer followed him to Chicago and wants to pick up the chase where they left off. The piano wire strangler Griffin, played by Reeves, is one of the best performances of a mentally disturbed killer. While Reeves has been open about not liking beingforced to be in the film, he certainly still took the role seriously and gave a great performance. The depraved codependency Griffin had for Campbell was frighteningly believable and disturbing to see. It was the performances of Reeves and Spader that made the film.
