Every week at SiftPop.com, we challenge our writers to come up with their favorite answer to a movie-related prompt tied to a recent release. This week, with the release of Despicable Me 4, starring those Minions, we’re discussing some of our favorite movie henchmen! Let us know your favorites @SiftPop!
Most villains are looking for an evil henchman with skills and abilities that aid in carrying out a nefarious plan. Cool under pressure, handy with a weapon, proficient in combat, and not afraid to get their devious hands dirty. Horace (Federick Worlock) and Jasper (J. Pat O’Malley) are none of those things in One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Surprisingly, Cruella (Betty Lou Gerson) procures the services of the derpy duo anyway in her attempt to steal and skin 99 patchy pups. The stumbling doublet are somehow able to capture quite the collection of spotted puppies, but that’s where their competence trails off. While taking a break to enjoy some television and snacks ahead of skinning the speckled scamps, a lone tabby cat is able to coordinate and abscond with a majority of the diminutive Dalmatians before the preoccupied pair even notice. Horace and Jasper don’t let the puppies’ escape deter their plans — they track them through the snow and attempt to recapture the yipping clutch of pups, this time taking on a horse and sheepdog in the process. Failing in this attempt, they remain dogged in pursuit of the runaway rascals. Tracking them to a small village where now all 101 Dalmatians are disguised as labradors, Horace and Jasper continue their search. Releasing the dogs are hitching a ride on a truck bound for London, they jump in their junky jalopy and the chase is on. While they didn’t exactly succeed, their relentlessness to carry out Cruella’s bidding demonstrates the most important henchmen characteristic of all… dedication. (Patrice Downing)
To be a good henchman, you must be fiercely loyal, possess a set of skills that provide value to you master, and have no aspirations to improve you lot in life, traits which perfectly describe Kronk (Patrick Warburton). Henchman to Yzma (Eartha Kitt), who is in turn the scheming advisor to Incan Emperor Kuzco (David Spade), Kronk serves many roles, including muscle, cook, and private transportation. Kronk is right there alongside Yzma as she plots to assassinate and dethrone Kuzco, never wavering in his loyalty to her devious nature, despite his own kind-hearted personality. From Warburton’s deep and dreamy dulcet tones, to the bickering of the angel and devil on his shoulders, Kronk is one of the most endearing parts of one of Disney’s most underrated animated films. (Jake Hjort)
Within the realm of perfect casting, there are several prominent characters in the Harry Potter movies that are great examples. We all agree on Alan Rickman as Professor Snape, for instance. Helena Bonham Carter’s particular nature as an actor suited her tremendously for Bellatrix Lestrange, as well. Her ability to inhabit unhinged characters is almost scary, and Bellatrix is suitably insane to allow her to play it up at every turn. Of course, we see her take Harry’s godfather away from him in Order of the Phoenix, but it’s probably equally telling that the scene in which Bonham Carter has to act as Hermione Granger acting as Bellatrix really stands out. The woman has range, and she’s been proving it her entire career. From that extreme of a talented but inexperienced teenager having to embody a sneering witch like Bellatrix, to actually being that woman who has lost her mind probably more than once in the pursuit of evil in service to Voldemort, Bonham Carter made sure Bellatrix’s cackling and shrieking glee at how evil she is definitely belongs on this list. (Chris Bakker)
If you’re looking for an accurate portrayal of Greek mythology, Disney’s Hercules is not it, but it’s so much fun. One of the big reasons for that are the impish henchmen, Pain (Bobcat Goldthwait) and Panic (Matt Frewer). The fact that they’re a personification of feelings allows for the characters to be over-the-top in a way that’s memorable. While they’re certainly frightening enough when they need to be, where they really shine is in the comedic moments. Working for Hades (James Woods), our main villain is at his most fun when he’s exasperated and watching him go off on his henchmen, whether it’s for their inability to complete their mission or their choice in footwear, it never fails to entertain. In a movie full of great quotes and moments, this duo has their fair share. (Jake Bourgeois)
The very first scene the hyenas characters appear in is one of my favourite in the The Lion King, as they make jokes about their plans to eat the lion cubs. Banzai (Cheech Marin) suddenly wonders if this dinner they are planning is “to go” because “THERE IT GOES!” It’s a silly joke, but it wonderfully sets up the sinister but almost unserious approach the hyenas have to help Scar take over. I also love Shenzi (Whoopi Goldberg) referring to Zazu as “Mufasa’s little stooge,” unaware that Scar probably sees them similarly. During the “Be Prepared” sequence, they adopt an image of the Third Reich, which Scar later proclaims as “a new era.” It’s interesting how Ed (Jim Cummings) doesn’t have many lines. He laughs a lot, so he’s like the pinnacle of the braindead part of their society that follows Scar’s orders because they don’t know what else to do. By the end, they learn Scar will throw them under the bus to save his skin, and in doing so, Scar ironically ends up doing himself in, as the hyenas kill him because of this betrayal. (John Tillyard)
Cinema has such a grand legacy of henchmen, doesn’t it? You can find one of the most interesting looking and intense henchmen out in the crazy and lawless world of the Wasteland. Wez, portrayed by the committed Vernon Wells, is one of the most recognizable characters from the world of Mad Max. Arriving in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior with black, spiked shoulder pads, black leather chaps, and a red mohawk, Wez would certainly win out on intimidation. But he is much more dangerous than just his looks. He burns through pain, is incredibly athletic, and downright unhinged when it comes to his rage and drive. He is even seeking revenge for the death of his twink sex slave (who is brutally killed by a metal boomerang). Not even the Lord Humongous (Wez’s leader) can trust Wez to follow his orders. This henchman was so darn cool that they brought back Wells and his aesthetic in Weird Science. Yeah… go figure! (Shane Conto)
Look, if my childhood filled with R.L. Stine stories taught me anything, it’s that ventriloquist dummies are creepy as hell. It’s a fact of life that Toy Story 4 uses to great advantage. As Woody finds himself trapped in an antique store, pursued by our main baddie, Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), she sends a trio of dummies (Steve Purcell) on our hero to do her bidding, and it is effectively unnerving. They don’t need to talk to creep you out — the fact probably adds to the creepiness. Add to that the rubbery way they move around the deserted store, and you have perhaps Pixar’s most effective henchmen. (Jake Bourgeois)
The best henchman (or woman), is one that can continue carrying out an evil plan even in the absence of their leader. In X2, Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) does just that, devising and carrying out a successful plan to break the imprisoned Magneto (Ian McKellen) out of his plasticine prison ward, while continuing to impersonate Senator Kelly (Bruce Davison), in order to get back on track with their mutant rebellion an attempt to eliminate humans. Mystique is everything a villain is looking for in a good henchwoman. She is intelligent, brave, crafty, cunning, manipulative, excellent at hand-to-hand combat, computer savvy, able to pilot and drive just about anything, devoted to Magneto, dedicated to the nefarious cause, and thanks to her mutation, able blend seamlessly into any situation by imitating the appearance of others, even their voice. (Patrice Downing)