Good, bad, evil: 7 most prominent representatives of evil spirits in movies and TV shows

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Agriel, “Penultimate Instance” (2022 – …)

In the first season of the popular Russian TV series, viewers got acquainted with experts on the human soul — employees of the department for their distribution. The tandem of Maxim (Pavel Priluchny) and Valentina (Irina Rozanova) in each episode sent mere mortals either to Paradise or to Hell. In the new episodes (the television premiere will take place on March 20 on TNT), the employees of the fantastic office will once again go about their important business, however, they will be even more actively opposed by a competitor from the underworld. — Agriel performed by the colorful Igor Mirkurbanov.

The demon wears black, displays a “goat” because “it’s just so cool”, and pours a Bloody Mary at the Fallen Angel bar. Well, he is also trying to implement the most profitable business plan for buying souls, bypassing the office of Maxim and Valentina. Opposition between the heavenly office and the subjects of Hades — the main theme of the second season, but given the charm and black sense of humor of the hero Mirkurbanov, it is not so easy to immediately take the bright side in him.

Crowley, “Good Omens” (2019 – …)

Once bosom friends writers Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett decided to write a book about other bosom friends: an angel and a demon. Aziraphale and Crowley have known each other for an eternity in the truest sense of the word. — since the creation of the world. Since the time of Adam and Eve, they have been in competition (Crowley, for example, was that tempting serpent). But the angel and the demon are so accustomed both to life among people and to their own strange cooperation that when the world faces the threat of the Apocalypse, they decide to prevent it together.

Another bosom friends played the main roles in the serial adaptation — actors Michael Sheen and David Tennant. And although both are ideal for the embodiment of their heroes, Tennant has a real benefit here. His Crowley is smart, sexy and able to outsmart everyone. The phrase “so bad it’s already good” has never been so relevant.

Satan, “The End of the World” (2022)

And this is a domestic comedy story about the prospects for the coming Apocalypse with a clear nod towards the creations of Gaiman and Pratchett, but based on Russian realities. The prince of darkness is almost two meters tall and with a bald head (Yuri Kolokolnikov) suddenly appears on the Patriarchs (that’s right, where else?!).

Turns out the devil — an ordinary “alimony” who has not seen his own son Demyan (Semyon Treskunov) for 20 years, but now he remembered the child. The hero of Kolokolnikov conceived the end of the world, for this he needed the Antichrist. The son must “open the gates of hell and reign.” True, Demyan is not up to the accession: he has a job in the Korzinochka supermarket, as well as great and pure love. As a result, evil spirits walk around Moscow in a red cloak, trying to persuade his son to follow in his footsteps while he hesitates, and two angels (Nikolai Schreiber and Anton Rogachev) try to interfere with his insidious plans.

Woland, The Master and Margarita (2005)

With film adaptations of Bulgakov’s novel, everything is very difficult. Many directors tried to bring the story to the screen, but their plans were not destined to come true. The same Elem Klimov, for example, was engaged in the script, but did not find funding. In the 1990s, Yuri Kara shot his version, although his work lay on the shelf for 17 years. So Vladimir Bortko and his series were lucky, although there are a lot of “supernatural” gossips of varying degrees of veracity about this project on the net.

Oleg Basilashvili played the force “which always wants evil, but always does good”, Bortko played, and perhaps — it’s the best thing in the series. The artist manages the mysterious meaningful silence no worse than the dialogues of a stranger from the Patriarch’s Ponds. According to the actor himself, he tried to play exactly the connoisseur of souls — after all, a man, not a devil, who has lived for many thousands of years and has known the psychology of people. And it looks like he did a great job!

John Milton, The Devil’s Advocate (1997)

“Definitely vanity — my favorite of sins, — when Al Pacino utters this famous phrase with a characteristic sly smile, you immediately understand that this actor was nominated nine times for an Oscar for a reason. The plot of the film is generally known: a young and successful handsome lawyer Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) agrees to “an offer you can’t refuse” — takes a job with the unscrupulous John Milton (Al Pacino). His firm defends in court people who have money but no conscience. In addition to a huge salary and a luxurious apartment, Kevin gets a lot of oddities and misfortunes in order to finally understand who the deal was really made with in the finale.

Interestingly, Pacino turned down a role in this film three times (!) until the script was rewritten. But in the end, he didn’t regret it. And while preparing, he finally read Paradise Lost. — 17th century epic poem about a fallen angel by Briton John Milton. Yes, you guessed it: Pacino’s character’s name in the movie is no coincidence.

Lucifer Morningstar, “Lufitzer” (2016 – 2021)

In modern cinema, Maleficent can become a strong independent woman with a heightened maternal instinct, and the Joker — victim of the capitalist system. So do not be surprised that in this unusual series, the King of Hell suddenly turned into a charming guy.

The fallen angel Lucifer (Tom Ellis), who heads the underworld, one day realizes that he is extremely bored with his position. He changes his boring “job” for a cheerful Los Angeles, where he becomes the owner of a nightclub. And after, together with the police, he manages to uncover the mystery of the murder of a friend, he finds himself as a consultant to the guards not of hell, but of order. As a result, for the first time in several millennia, Lucifer begins to do at least some good deeds. He also has a sense of humor and the ability to make people blurt out the secret. True, “hellish affairs” still periodically remind of themselves throughout the six seasons of the project, where without it!