The Villain Wins: Sorry, the Bad Guy Just Took the Whole Thing

80 films, ranked on my own star ratings by Arwin Edward Bagaslao. Updated 2026-04-11.

Heads up, this whole list is a spoiler by existing, so if a film here is on your watchlist, look away now. These are the ones where the bad guy actually wins. Not a sad ending, not a bittersweet one, an actual loss. The plan works, the mons

1. 1
   Bugonia (2025)

   ★★★★★

   Much stronger on a second viewing because the film shifts from feeling like a mystery to feeling like an interpretation exercise.

2. 2
   Sicario (2015)

   ★★★★★
3. 3
   The Founder (2016)

   ★★★★★
4. 4
   Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

   ★★★★½

   What unsettles me most is how calmly it presents something so catastrophic, as if total destruction can be triggered by routine, ego, and blind protocol.

5. 5
   Lights Out (2013)

   ★★★★½

   Scared shitless. I literally had to mute the sound just to get through it.

6. 6
   The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)

   ★★★★½

   I like both Schmuel’s and Bruno’s acting.

7. 7
   Polytechnique (2009)

   ★★★★½

   A Denis Villeneuve film where I can really feel the tension through the characters’ motivations and the musical score.

8. 8
   Oldboy (2013)

   ★★★★½
9. 9
   Uncut Gems (2019)

   ★★★★½

   Sa simula pa lang, may kadiri na agad. Ramdam ko na yung tension agad from the opening moments.

10. 10
    Shutter (2004)

    ★★★★½
11. 11
    Heneral Luna (2015)

    ★★★★½
12. 12
    Cloverfield (2008)

    ★★★★½
13. 13
    Ex Machina (2015)

    ★★★★½

    I first watched this back in college after randomly seeing a trailer.

14. 14
    The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

    ★★★★½
15. 15
    Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

    ★★★★½

    Watched on Thursday August 2, 2018.

16. 16
    Paranormal Activity (2007)

    ★★★★½
17. 17
    Saw (2004)

    ★★★★½
18. 18
    The Wall (2017)

    ★★★★

    The silence builds the tension and sustains it.

19. 19
    Following (1998)

    ★★★★

    This is a rewatch for me because I did not fully get it the first time.

20. 20
    Se7en (1995)

    ★★★★
21. 21
    Final Destination 3 (2006)

    ★★★★
22. 22
    Midsommar (2019)

    ★★★★

    Ang ganda ng color contrasts sa opening sequence.

23. 23
    Insidious (2010)

    ★★★★
24. 24
    Final Destination Bloodlines (2025)

    ★★★★
25. 25
    Vice (2018)

    ★★★★
26. 26
    Don't Look Up (2021)

    ★★★★

    First few minutes pa lang, pinakita na agad ni Leonardo yung terrified look niya.

27. 27
    Dawn of the Dead (2004)

    ★★★★
28. 28
    Captain America: Civil War (2016)

    ★★★★
29. 29
    Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

    ★★★★

    Watched on Tuesday March 5, 2019.

30. 30
    Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

    ★★★★
31. 31
    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

    ★★★★
32. 32
    Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

    ★★★★
33. 33
    Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

    ★★★★
34. 34
    Alien: Covenant (2017)

    ★★★★
35. 35
    Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

    ★★★★
36. 36
    Saw 3D (2010)

    ★★★★
37. 37
    Saw V (2008)

    ★★★★
38. 38
    Saw IV (2007)

    ★★★★
39. 39
    Saw III (2006)

    ★★★★
40. 40
    Saw II (2005)

    ★★★★
41. 41
    Scary Movie (2000)

    ★★★★
42. 42
    Dark Skies (2013)

    ★★★½

    Same vibes as Weapons, but instead of witchcraft this one deals with aliens.

43. 43
    Harakiri (1962)

    ★★★½

    It feels like something pulled straight from an old album.

44. 44
    Paths of Glory (1957)

    ★★★½

    The scale of no man’s land is great, but the sound feels blown out and harsh at times.

45. 45
    Dead Silence (2007)

    ★★★½
46. 46
    Area 51 (2015)

    ★★★½
47. 47
    Under Paris (2024)

    ★★★½
48. 48
    Quarantine (2008)

    ★★★½
49. 49
    Glass (2019)

    ★★★½
50. 50
    Chernobyl Diaries (2012)

    ★★★½
51. 51
    Grave Encounters 2 (2012)

    ★★★½
52. 52
    The Lazarus Effect (2015)

    ★★★½
53. 53
    Blair Witch (2016)

    ★★★½
54. 54
    Den of Thieves (2018)

    ★★★½
55. 55
    Joker (2019)

    ★★★½
56. 56
    The First Omen (2024)

    ★★★½
57. 57
    Watchmen (2009)

    ★★★½
58. 58
    Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)

    ★★★½
59. 59
    Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)

    ★★★½
60. 60
    Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

    ★★★½
61. 61
    Life (2017)

    ★★★
62. 62
    The Last Exorcism (2010)

    ★★★
63. 63
    Apollo 18 (2011)

    ★★★
64. 64
    Grave Encounters (2011)

    ★★★
65. 65
    Unfriended (2014)

    ★★★
66. 66
    The Great Gatsby (2013)

    ★★★
67. 67
    Candyman (2021)

    ★★½

    Nia DaCosta shows a strong command of atmosphere.

68. 68
    The Witch (2015)

    ★★½

    I’m locked in immediately by the voice and score, and the film never really lets go of that dread.

69. 69
    No Country for Old Men (2007)

    ★★½

    The film starts off like a painting: a vast desert drenched in silence and gold.

70. 70
    Nightcrawler (2014)

    ★★½
71. 71
    Jigsaw (2017)

    ★★
72. 72
    The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

    ★★

    The score is genuinely bothersome, and for me, it is the highlight of the film.

73. 73
    The Conversation (1974)

    ★★

    Stanley saying “Let’s take a break” really resonated with what I was thinking while watching.

74. 74
    Late Night with the Devil (2023)

    ★★

    Good yung prologue. It clearly sets the backstory and prepares you for what kind of world and tone the film is going for.

75. 75
    Hereditary (2018)

    ★★

    Hereditary open with an eerie score to set the mode right.

76. 76
    Saltburn (2023)

    ★½

    The cinematography does a huge amount of heavy lifting for me here.

77. 77
    Memories of Murder (2003)

    ★½

    Feels less like a mystery and more like watching people slowly break under pressure.

78. 78
    A Clockwork Orange (1971)

    ★½

    The film throws you into a world of delinquent energy and never lets you settle.

79. 79
    The Best Offer (2013)

    ★½

    I kept on guessing about the mysterious girl behind the door and the mechanical thing.

80. 80
    2AM: The Smiling Man (2013)

    ½