Satisfaction Guaranteed: The 10 Best Comeuppances In Cinema

There is a very simple reason for the high level of enjoyment that comes from watching a great cinematic comeuppance – it affords us the kind of satisfaction we rarely find in life. Who hasn’t found themselves up against the sort of arch-nemesis that belongs on the silver screen? In every audience-member’s own narrative, there is an embodiment of cold, calculating evil – plotting the demise of the more sympathetic and heroic characters in that personal story. As we go about our day, we are constrained by social convention and niceties that preclude us from really engaging in the downfall of those that would work to ruin our good-natured demeanour. We lie awake at night coming up with the kind of witty riposte that would cut them to the quick at just the right moment. If only we had our own, brilliant scriptwriter to provide us with the right line at the right time, as our enemy comes face-to-face with the most satisfying story element of all: karma. So we turn to the movies – where those constraints are ripped away, and the bad guys get what’s coming to them – more often than not. These moments are reassuring in that they restore faith in universal balance – fictional though that may be – that good will always triumph, and we can all look forward to a moment of smugness, or two. The cinematic comeuppance takes many forms – sometimes violent, sometimes just a well-timed phrase – but always with the promise that satisfaction is guaranteed. Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) Richard Donner’s sequel to his own 1987 hit movie, Lethal Weapon, is a much deeper cut in terms of characterization. We uncover more about the two leads, as they face a foe that proves to have influenced their lives beyond the current criminal case. Our heroes, Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Murtaugh (Danny Glover) have gone up against a group of South African diplomats who are deeply involved in organized, violent crime. As the pair close in on the ring-leader, Arjen Rudd (Joss Ackland), Riggs becomes romantically involved with Rudd’s assistant, Rika Van Den Haas (Patsy Kensit). That is, until he discovers her dead body and is devastated by the news that not only have the criminals killed his new girlfriend (and a number of police colleagues), but they have been trying to kill Riggs for a while and were responsible for the death of his wife several years prior. The drama builds to an inevitable showdown amid darkened shipping equipment, during which Riggs is cut down in a hail of bullets. This proves to be a step too far for Murtaugh – normally renowned for following the rules – who decides to personally revoke Rudd’s diplomatic immunity with his service revolver. Inglourious Basterds (2009) Quentin Tarantino’s World War II movie is a bold, dramatic adventure that sees the ultimate in fictional movie comeuppances perpetrated against a very real-life evil-doer. As a group of U.S soldiers infiltrate Nazi-occupied France, they work with a theatre owner who is desperate for revenge to create the perfect set of circumstances to assassinate Nazi leaders. This is not just any assassination scene, however. This is a Tarantino assassination scene. Having taken his time getting to the pivotal moment, the writer-director builds tension within the theatre setting by having the various characters – the good guys and the bad – unknowingly converge. As obstacle after obstacle is dealt with and overcome, the appointed hour arrives and the heroes of the hour rain a torrent of bullets upon the assembled war criminals. The sequence of rapid-fire lead lethally penetrating the person of Adolf Hitler in the perceived safety of his private box continues for what would ordinarily be an uncomfortable amount of time – but this is the Big Bad of the 20th century, and he is getting his comeuppance, Tarantino-style. Toy Story (1995) Could there be anything more terrifying, for a harmless group of children’s toys, than a child determined to torture toys in the most horrific ways possible? Mutilation, imprisonment, and even explosive dismemberment – such is the danger presented to Woody and friends by the evil and sadistic boy next door, Sid. When Buzz and Woody fall into the hands of this intimidating bad guy, they suddenly realize what he has in store for the brave Space Ranger when he begins constructing a large rocket. Woody must enact a plan to distract Sid and save Buzz, but such an act would do nothing to prevent future atrocities against his fellow toys. Instead, quick-thinking Woody – laying on a BBQ grill, waiting to be burned – takes the opportunity to show Sid what he can do. Woody activates his own pre-programmed voice box, enticing Sid to pick him up. It is then that Woody suddenly comes alive and plays the part of a possessed doll – terrifying him into changing his ways. Cruel Intentions (1999) In this modern take on the classic Les Liaisons Dangereuses, a tale is weaved of such horrid and callous manipulations that the inevitable comeuppance needs to be seismic in nature, but fitting the tone of the piece. The two leads – Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) are both despicable creatures – ruining the lives of others for their own privileged amusement. They both have comeuppances heading their way, but for Sebastian, this is something of a redemptive episode – sacrificing himself to save his loved one. The greatest comeuppance is reserved for Kathryn – a young woman who has carefully constructed a public reputation as a perfect student, daughter and friend. This outward façade masks the truth, however – which is that she is an evil, cold, drug-addicted bully who bears the responsibility for untold damage, and ultimately, the death of her step-brother, Sebastian. It is at his funeral that her misleading persona is ripped away from her, as she begins to deliver a eulogy designed to paint her as a saint, but finds her peers walking out of the church during its delivery. Following them out, she finds Annette – the innocent object of her scheming, and the loved one for whom Sebastian died – handing out copies of Sebastian’s journal, which details the ‘real’ Kathryn for all to see. Jaws (1975) Steven Spielberg’s quintessential monster movie sees a small U.S coastal town terrorized by a particularly blood-thirsty, and enormous, great white shark. Eventually, it becomes clear that somebody is going to have to go get this terrifying creature in order to save the lives of residents, tourists, and to preserve the economy of the town – so Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) assembles a crack team, comprised of marine biologist Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and bitter fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw). Reluctantly, the trio head out on the water. As events take increasingly gruesome turns, Brody becomes more and more determined to end the ocean-dweller’s reign of terror. This leads to a denouement in which Brody takes advantage of the gas canister that is lodged in the creature's mouth - inviting the advancing great white to “Smile, you son of a...” before shooting it in such a way that it explodes, obviously. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return Of The Jedi (1983) There are several iconic comeuppances in the Star Wars franchise, but perhaps none is more central to the narrative arc than the death of Emperor Palpatine. By the time Return Of The Jedi has progressed such that it has spilled its range of family secrets and personal politics, we find ourselves stumbling into a confrontation between Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and the Emperor. Here, Vader is torn between loyalty to his own father-figure – the evil Emperor - and pangs of emotion, as his defiant son, Luke, is slowly and painfully tortured at Palpatine’s hands. His actions are ultimately dictated by his sense of betrayal at what appears to be the Emperor’s revelation that he wishes to have the son replace the father at the Emperor’s side. This realization prompts Vader to attack Palpatine and hurl him from their high platform to his certain and spectacular death. A Few Good Men (1992) It may be a courtroom drama, but when you have Jack Nicholson playing the bad guy, you know it’s going to build to a spectacular showdown. This film version of Aaron Sorkin’s successful stage play of the same name sees Naval lawyers Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise), Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway (Demi Moore) and Lieutenant Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak) defend U.S marines Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private First Class Louden Downey against murder charges when a fellow marine is found dead in his bunk. Their investigations reveal that the marine died as a result of an extreme form of hazing – ordered by senior officers – called a ‘Code Red.’ Thus the emphasis falls onto the intimidating Colonel Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson), whom the lawyers suspect ordered the assault. As the trial heats up, and the legal team begins to fracture under the pressure, Kaffee and Jessup face-off with each other as the latter takes the stand. First, comes an iconic Jack Nicholson scene, in which Jessup screams that Kaffee “can’t handle the truth.” He rants about his position of authority and his role in keeping America and its citizens safe. Unfazed, Kaffee asks Jessup once more if he ordered the ‘Code Red,’ to which Jessup yells, “You’re goddamn right I did!” It is this confession that leads to a satisfying comeuppance, with Jessup arrested in the middle of the courtroom while still protesting about his importance. He gives Kaffee one last humiliating lecture, calling him “son,” at which point Kaffee draws himself up to full height, reminds Jessup of his own rank in the Navy, tells him he’s under arrest and says – in words dripping with contempt – “The witness is excused.” Speed (1994) Dennis Hopper created an iconic villain in the action movie Speed in the shape of Howard Payne, a retired and disgruntled bomb squad officer determined to bring terror to the populace by distributing various explosive devices around town. When Officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) repeatedly scuppers his plans, Payne begins to take it personally, killing Traven’s partner, Harry (Jeff Daniels), and eventually taking Traven’s love interest, Annie (Sandra Bullock) hostage. Annie has an explosive vest strapped to her person and is handcuffed to a pole on a moving subway train. Payne holds the remote trigger and escapes onto the roof of the locomotive. As Annie sinks to the floor and awaits her messy fate, Traven pursues Payne and engages in a careful fight. As they roll around, trading punches, Traven drops his gun and Payne attempts to choke his adversary with the remote detonator. With the train hurtling along, Payne derides Traven with comments about a lack of intelligence and Traven sees his opportunity. He pushes Payne upwards until he is decapitated by a tunnel light, just as Traven takes possession of the remote trigger. With Payne’s comments about being smarter than him still ringing in his ears, Traven says to himself, “Yeah? But I’m taller.” Star Wars: Episode VI – Return Of The Jedi (1983) Much is made of Princess Leia’s ‘enslavement’ costume – the gold bikini worn during her time in captivity at the palace of Jabba The Hut - but the outcome of that situation is often overlooked. Jabba The Hut is the abusive and powerful head of an organized crime syndicate and his palace is a place where the ring-leader holds court above a pit full of ravenous alien creatures - to which he throws anyone at random. His wall is adorned with Han Solo frozen in carbonite, and he has a scantily-clad Princess Leia literally on a leash when Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian attempt to come to the rescue. We see Jabba The Hut pawing at the trapped Leia and remorselessly killing innocent bystanders. These horrid actions make it all the more satisfying when he orders the group of rebels to be thrown to the Sarlacc, but is throttled to death by Leia, using the very chain with which he has kept her prisoner. Aliens (1986) In many respects, the film Aliens, as a whole, represents something of a comeuppance for all those bigoted individuals that continue to believe female characters are somehow lesser in terms of film – featuring, as it does, a performance from Sigourney Weaver that earned her a Best Actress Academy Award nomination (something unheard of in the science fiction genre at the time, let alone the realm of sequels). Her towering turn, and the recognition it received within the industry, was most certainly one in the eye for the more misogynist viewer. But the film features a spectacular fictional comeuppance, too, in which a final, dramatic chase sequence through the bowels of a decimated mining colony brings a traumatized Ellen Ripley face-to-face with a Queen alien, during which moment she burns its gestating offspring. The enraged Queen rampages through the structure, eventually bursting onto the platform of the dropship on which Ripley and a young girl in her charge – Newt – plan to make their escape. Ripley levels the playing field by donning an exo-suit, making her almost as large as the Queen, and difficult to injure. Announcing her presence with the now iconic phrase, “Get away from her, you bitch!” Ripley takes on the alien Queen and eventually evicts her, forcefully and fatally, with the aid of an airlock. Comeuppance complete – satisfaction guaranteed.