Movie vigilantes have been taking justice into their own hands and punishing the greatest movie villains while protecting innocents in inventive and often darkly drastic ways. Even though movie lovers can meet all kinds of vigilantes in movies, one thing connects them all; they all decided to take matters into their own hands and not wait for the help of official law enforcers.
Some of the most iconic movie heroes are vigilantes whose life purpose is to prevent crime and to punish those who cause harm to others even if it means that they have to break the law themselves. Movie lovers can get lost in the twisty stories of classic films, unforgettable superhero stories, and thrilling action movies while meeting fearless and deadly vigilantes.
7 Harry Callahan - Dirty Harry
Harry Callahan is the most popular vigilante cop of all time. Even though Callahan is an inspector he still became one of the most iconic movie vigilantes since his methods are illegal more often than not. Inspector Callahan AKA Dirty Harry was never above breaking the law when punishing criminals and would even kill them in cold blood if necessary.
Dirty Harry is one of the best Clint Eastwood movies with a gritty story about Harry, who abuses the rights of a psychopathic murderer and has to hunt him down again after the killer gets released because of him.
6 Robert McCall - The Equalizer
Robert McCall is the heroic and deadly vigilante of The Equalizer franchise. He was a U.S. Marine and DIA intelligence officer who tried to leave his violent and mysterious past behind. However, he decided to take justice into his own hands after he met a teen prostitute who was under the control of violent Russian gangsters.
Robert McCall is one of Denzel Washington's most popular roles thanks to The Equalizer's twisty and dark story and to its thrilling action scenes. Its story follows McCall's dangerous journey as he brutally takes down members of the Russian mafia to save Teri and punishes everyone else who tries to abuse the helpless.
5 V - V For Vendetta
V is a mysterious vigilante in V for Vendetta who fearlessly fought against the totalitarian regime while using questionable methods. Even though V was fighting for the freedom of all he would also commit brutal acts including torturing and killing just to achieve his goals.
V for Vendetta is one of the greatest dystopian movies that was based on Alan Moore and David Lloyd's beloved graphic novel with the same title. Its story is set in a dystopian Britain, and it follows V's adventures as the morally ambiguous vigilante tries to overthrow the tyrannical government with the help of a young woman named Eve.
4 John Rambo - First Blood
John Rambo is a heroic and tragic movie vigilante who had to find a way to successfully adjust to civilian life while also dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. He was United States Army Special Forces veteran who decided to use his unmatched military skills to take justice into his own hands.
He would bravely face drug cartels and even fight against corrupt cops to protect himself and innocents. First Blood is one of the most popular Silvester Stalone movies and the first one in the Rambo franchise that was based on David Morrell's award-winning novel also titled First Blood. Its story follows Rambo's adventures after the veteran is forced to fee into the mountains and start a one-man war.
3 The Bride - Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2
Beatrix Kiddo AKA The Bride is Kill Bill's deadly vigilante who decided to serve justice in her own way. She was a skilled warrior and mysterious assassin who worked for Bill for years under the code name Black Mamba before she fell in love and decided to leave that life behind.
However, Beatrix had to take justice into her own hand once again after he woke up from a coma and realized that her former team and boss betrayed her and tried to kill her. Kill Bill is Quentin Tarantino's bloodiest and most action-packed movie with one of the most memorable movie swords of all time.
2 John Wick - John Wick
John Wick quickly became one of Keanu Reeve's most iconic movies in which he plays a former hit-man who decides to take justice into his own hands and take revenge on the group who broke into his house, murdered his puppy, and stole his car.
As an ex-hit-man, John knows exactly how to track down and kill the criminals he's after and on his bloody and bullet-riddled journey he also kills anyone else who tries to stop him. John Wick is about John's dark and action-filled journey as he returns to the criminal underworld he abandoned years ago.
1 Batman - The Batman
Batman is not only DC's most popular vigilante, but he's the world's most recognized movie vigilante of all time. This DC character is a violent vigilante who is not afraid to risk his own life while fighting against the deadliest criminals of Gotham city.
Since Batman was mostly operating outside the law he had to hide his identity and use fairly unconventional methods. The Batman took fans on a thrilling new adventure as the vigilante Batman tried to catch a sadistic serial killer. Bruce Wayne was portrayed by Robert Pattinson who also provided one of the best DC performances of all time and introduced fans to an even darker and more vulnerable Batman.