Cinema’s love affair with dynamic duos extends beyond laughs and romantic couples, since killer couples exist. The real deal nowadays is two murderers turned into protagonists, creating anti-hero magic. A solo killer sends shivers, but a romantically entangled murderous pair? Suddenly, they’re the rebels everyone secretly cheers for. Love and loyalty become their wicked motivators, making violent acts oddly forgivable.
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Movie magic thrives on killer couples, turning potential baddies into captivating, if twisted, protagonists. Here are some couples who made the term “couple” so much more thrilling and bloody!
10 Bonnie and Clyde – Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
During the Great Depression, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow became infamous as a criminal duo; their love story and lawless exploits captured public fascination and Bonnie soon became somewhat of a feminist icon. This film romanticizes their real-life crime spree and how Clyde pulls Bonnie into the criminal world of robbing and stealing.
Based on Real-Life Murderers
The fact that Bonnie and Clyde were a real-life killer couple on whom many killer duo movies are based is wild enough. Bonnie and Clyde, notorious for their bank robberies and shootouts, garnered a Robin Hood-esque reputation. Their lethal image was accentuated by the murder of at least 13 innocent people, yet this brutality didn’t diminish their perceived heroism.
9 Joker and Harley Quinn – Suicide Squad (2016)
Harley Quinn and Joker form a menacing killer duo in the comic book chaos. This chaotic couple came onscreen with their unhinged love story in the movie Suicide Squad. Harley Quinn, previously known as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist, falls under the Joker’s charismatic spell while treating him at the Asylum. The Joker manipulated and exploited her vulnerabilities, pushing her sanity to the brink.
A Twisted Love
Harley Quinn’s unwavering devotion to “Mr. J” becomes a potent weapon in the Joker’s hands. This devotion in many situations turns bloody. Joker skillfully exploits and weaponizes her emotions for terroristic purposes. Harley’s devotion is crazy enough to make her jump into suicidal missions as long as she makes her Joker happy or content. Their twisted love is capable of wreaking havoc on the world.
8 Holly and Kit – Badlands (1974)
Badlands, an underrated crime drama, draws inspiration from Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate’s crimes but presents a more poetic narrative. The film unfolds as Holly and her boyfriend, Kit, embark on a killing spree in the desolate Badlands of South Dakota. Kit and Holly form a violent couple who go from town to town, murdering and stealing.
A Ruthless, Childlike Duo
Kit is a murderer who killed Holly’s abusive father, but that act was not out of sociopathic urges, but to save Holly and make a life with his love. Holly, longing for more, finds escape in Kit’s charismatic charm. However, their love story takes a wild turn when they start killing innocent people and stealing from them. The film captures the eerie innocence of the duo amid their crime spree. This juxtaposition of childlike bliss and ruthless acts makes them so much more haunting.
7 Chucky and Tiffany – Bride of Chucky (1998)
Had eHarmony been around 1998, Chucky and Tiffany would’ve been an ideal pair. Chucky, the possessed Good Guy doll with a killer’s soul, meets Tiffany, a voodoo practitioner with her own doll. Their shared interests include beach strolls, scrapbooking, and, oddly, cold-blooded murder. Despite their doll form, they possess a mysterious ability to reproduce, adding a bizarre twist to their relationship.
Perfect for Each Other
Chucky and Tiffany, though often attempting to kill each other, share an undeniable love. The couple achieve their crazy, deadly pursuit when they leave a trail of dead bodies on their honeymoon. Their relationship’s unpredictability is what makes them deadlier than a stable killer couple. The duo’s mood swings ensure bloody doom for anyone crossing their path.
6 Paul and Mary – Eating Raoul (1982)
Eating Raoul introduces the unlikely concept of accidental cannibalism through Paul and Mary Bland. A financially struggling couple aiming to open a restaurant they inadvertently delve into the scheme. Their unconventional plan involves luring deviants, committing murder, and pilfering their possessions to make ends meet.
A Silly, but Deadly Premise
The Blands’ money-making scheme took an unexpected turn. Raoul, who disposed of their victims, attempted to steal away Mary, which eventually led to his demise. Accidentally, the killer couple serves their dinner guest Raoul’s meat, creating a dark comedic twist in the movie. It’s the struggling couple-turned-killers kind of trope that makes the audience sympathize and be disgusted at the same time.
5 Frank and Julia – Hellraiser (1987)
In Hellraiser, the relationship between Frank and Julia is destructive, to say the least. Frank, a tormented soul banished from the living world. Julia, a textbook enabled, tries to help Frank. She resorts to picking up men, murdering them, and letting Frank feed off their blood to regain his human form.
Hellraiser (1987)
- Release Date
- September 11, 1987
- Cast
- Andrew Robinson , Clare Higgins , Ashley Laurence , Sean Chapman , Oliver Smith , Robert Hines
- Runtime
- 94
A Not so Innocent Sacrifice
Julia’s success in luring men to their deaths marks her as a dangerous killer. It’s the way Julia would do anything for Frank, and Frank would do anything to return to his former form is what makes the duo lethal. Their goals revolve around creating bloodshed and innocent sacrifices just so Frank can live. However, Franks ends up killing Julia to complete his form, which showcases it was never love for him but the obsession to live.
4 Howard and Pearl – X (2022)
In the slasher film X, a small group rents out the guest house of an old couple in Texas to film a movie, without telling them the film will be a pornographic shoot. When Pearl and Howard find out, Pearl’s lust to be wanted takes over, which turns into a murderous spree.
X (2022)
- Release Date
- March 18, 2022
- Runtime
- 1hr 45min
Til Death Do Us Part
Pearl desires fame and has an unfulfilled sexual appetite. Howard loves her, but is unable to fulfill all her needs, and when Pearl is rejected by a member of the crew, the movie takes a bloody turn. Howard starts hunting down the crew for daring to upset his wife. And Pearl joins him in this endeavor filled with bloodshed. What’s more terrifying than a man in love, killing for his wife?
3 Mallory and Mickey Knox – Natural Born Killers (1994)
Mallory and Micky engage in heinous acts yet emerge as protagonists. Director Oliver Stone tackles this paradox by making every other character tenfold more despicable. Against the psychopathic Detective, the killer couple appears comparatively heroic. They are just as lethal, nonetheless, despite this.
A Trail of Death and Destruction
Wherever Micky and Mallory go, they leave behind a trail of destruction and dead victims. Not only do they kill, but they also play their cards in a way to manipulate others for their own benefit. Like how they create a riot in the prison by leading inmates on a rampage against the guards displays a visceral anarchy. This showcases the couple’s ability to thrive amid mayhem, which makes them a perilous duo.
2 J.D. and Veronica – Heathers (1989)
In this dark comedy, J.D. and Veronica share a complex relationship. J.D. orchestrates the deaths of popular kids, disguising them as suicides, while Veronica feigns surprise at the growing body count. J.D. becomes Veronica’s means of breaking free from the social confines she’s imposed upon herself, creating an unconventional connection.
Heathers
- Release Date
- March 31, 1989
- Director
- Michael Lehmann
- Runtime
- 103
A High School Power Couple
Veronica is aware and happy about the killings J.D. orchestrated, since those people happen to be her mortal enemies as well. In a way, the audience could feel that Veronica uses J.D. to get rid of the people she hates, but he’s not at all aware of that. The duo of a manipulator and the killer goes well with the lethal couple trope.
1 John and Jane – Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
In Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the exceptionally attractive titular couple, adds a lethal twist to the typical romantic-comedy formula. Initially grappling with marriage issues, they discover their secret lives as assassins. As their assignments demand that they eliminate each other, the film takes a thrilling turn.
Assassins That Fall for One Another
Since both John and Jane are assassins, they are as lethal as they come. Along the way, they try their best to get rid of each other, but they end up falling for each other. Once they come together, they kill people who try to harm them. Their combat skills and the perfect-aim shot make them a dangerous chase for their enemies.
