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 the film. Think ofBatman 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.
Updated on September 1st, 2023, by Danilo Raúl:This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
15Neo & Deus Ex Machina
The Matrix Revolutions(2003)
In the final chapter of the originalMatrix Trilogy, Neo risks everything by venturing into Machine City in the Logos while the surviving members of the crew escape to Zion in the Nebuchadnezzar. Neo, now able to use his Chosen One powers in the real world, deflects an all-out attack from the Machines, but it’s quickly overwhelmed by their numbers.
Trinity makes the ultimate sacrifice to get them into Machine City,where Neo strikes a bargain with Deus Ex Machina, the leader of the machines, to purge Agent Smith from the Matrix as the rogue Agent has been slowly overtaking the system, replicating himself like a virus.
14Alexa Woods & Scar The Predator
Alien Vs. Predator(2004)
Not many people know this, but the firstAlien Vs. Predatoris a comic adaptation of an original story that paired the two properties under Dark Horse Publishing. Alexa Woods loses all her human partners to the Xenomorphs, and only Scar is left standing with her.
Recognizing her worth as a warrior, Scar helps Alexa build makeshift weapons using Xenomorph remains. After detonating the pyramid, Alexa still must face the wrath of the Alien Queen, which she does with the help of Scar, who brands her as a fierce warrior at the end of their confrontation.
13Rey & Kylo Ren
Star Wars: The Last Jedi(2017)
In an unlikely twist of the story, Kylo Ren brings Rey before Supreme Leader Snoke, who knows her force abilities. Since she’s still not adequately trained, she cannot stand the powerful onslaught of his force attacks,which pushes Kylo off the deep end.
He betrays his master and teams up with Rey to kill every royal guard in the room. While this might have seemed clear for the young Ben Solo, he’s driven by the dark side and his greed for power.
12Frodo, Sam & Smeagol
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers(2002)
Gollum is the shadowing presence following Frodo and Samas they travel to the lands of Mordor to dump the ring into the abyss of fireinThe Two Towers. Gollum tries to ambush the hobbits, but they overpower him quickly.
Feeling minuscule and subdued, Gollum lets his former persona of Smeagol rise again, making Frodo feel sympathy for him. From that moment on, Smeagol would guide them through the dangerous paths of the rocky hills into Mount Doom while setting up their downfall in secret.
11The Goonies & Sloth
The Goonies(1985)
The Goonies are a group of kids who find a treasure map and decide to hunt for it to save their derelict neighborhoodfrom being overrun by a real state company. Along the way, a group of scumbags named the Fratellis force them to get the treasure for their financial gains and threaten to unleash Sloth unto them.
Instead, Chunk befriends the deformed giant since he’s not scared of him, which Sloth takes to heart. Sloth declares himself a friend and starts helping The Goonies escape from the caverns containing the loot.
Related:The Best Villain Roles From Actors Who Almost Always Play Good Heroes
10Godzilla & Kong
Godzilla vs. Kong(2021)
Godzilla Vs. Kongwas 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.
9Ben Wade & Dan Evans
3:10 to Yuma(2007)
Directed by James Mangold, the 2007 film3:10 to Yumafollows 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 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.
8Kirk & Kahn
Star Trek Into Darkness(2013)
Considering their antagonism towards one another in 1982’sThe Wrath of Khan, it’s riveting to see these two team up. While the goal of the USS Enterprise crew inStar Trek Into Darknesswas 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.
This prompts 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 thatStar Trekfans aren’t likely to see again, which is unfortunate because the chemistry between Pine and Cumberbatch was palpable.
7Warren & Mannix
The Hateful Eight(2015)
Quentin Tarantino’sThe Hateful Eightseesseveral wild characterscome 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.
6Ah Jong & Li
The Killer(1989)
John Woo’s 1989 classicThe Killersees ahero and villain team upto 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.
