2022’s scariest movie villain might surprise you

2022 was a banner year for horror, with spine-tingling monsters such as Nope’s blood-thirsty, high-flying alien and Barbarian’s tried and true monster-in-the-basement called “Mother” being enough to keep even the most seasoned horror fanatic glancing over their shoulder. But Martin McDonagh’s somber dramedyThe Banshees of Inisherin is proof that sometimes, the scariest villain of all is someone you once called a friend.

What makes a scary horror villain?

It’s a question with many possible answers because peoples’ fear triggers come in countless shapes and forms. Throughout the years, some of the most famous bad guys have shared common traits: First, they look scary, perhaps donning a mask a la Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers; second, they are big – and can overpower their victims to cause physical harm such as the aliens in Signs or even Bruce the shark in Jaws; and third, their ire isn’t directed toward anyone in particular – they are out for blood and going to hurt anyone who gets in their way.

Some of 2022’s most popular horror films followed a similar structure; be it Nope‘s “Jean Jacket” snatching crowds of screaming people straight from the sky or the return of Scream‘s iconic “Ghostface” slashing his way through a new generation of unsuspecting young people. But I’m making the argument that 2022’s scariest, most evil villain wasn’t an alien or a knife-wielding home intruder. It was, in fact, a sad Irish pub-dweller named Colm (Brendan Gleeson) who abruptly and coldly puts an end to a life-long friendship with a man named Pádraic (Colin Farrell). This sends his (very confused) former BFF down a spiral of shame and uncertainty – and even leads indirectly to the death of his beloved pet.

So, what was Colm’s deal?

First and foremost, Colm is a complex character with many facets. He is far from a one-dimensional villain and is clearly in the throes of a serious depression while grappling with self-doubt and his own mortality. In many ways, Colm is himself, a sympathetic character. But it’s the way he chooses to deal with his own self-hatred by projecting his insecurities onto his best friend that makes his actions so loathsome.

From the get-go, Pádraic is thrust into a no-win situation. Cut off from his best friend for no discernable reason other than being told he simply “doesn’t like him anymore,” he finds himself caught in an insanely frustrating catch-22. He wants to help his friend and figure out what exactly he did wrong, but each attempt at a reconciliation leads Colm deeper down his self-imposed path of destruction.

Colm is, in his mind, a failed composer – and his unhinged reaction to Pádraic’s attempt at outreach is to cut off his own fingers, therefore ensuring he will never be able to compose again. It is a horrific and disgusting attempt at pinning his shortcomings directly onto Pádraic. A different life for Colm is possible – the “mainland” presumably has more people and greater opportunities – and we can see it is just a boat ride away. Colm, however, chooses the coward’s way out by refusing to take accountability for his own future and passing the buck onto his best friend.

Who can you really trust?

The Banshees of Inisherin takes the picture of what we believe to be a traditional movie villain and turns it on its head. No one wants to think that their oldest and best friend will one day wake up and abruptly and crudely cut ties – sending them down a desperate path to understanding that will never come. It is the ultimate betrayal; one from someone you thought you knew. And it’s scarier than any masked slasher or basement-dwelling monster you could ever imagine.