Hides His Eyes said:
I'd point you to the film Battle Royale. It has two evil characters. One is revealed to be profoundly disturbed because of childhood traumas and social ostracism, and the other is simply pure, unexplained evil.
Though I haven't seen the film, and from your post it sounds like an interesting one worth checking out, it sounds like in that case the unexplained mystery behind the second character was in itself a relevant part of the story and an important factor for the character.
But in the real world there is never evil without explanation. Sadam, Hitler, Stalin, Polpot, the Norweigan madman in current news...all have motives. Unless the lack of such is a driving force or important plot point itself as the movie you mentioned, the Evil Overlord thing I maintain is dull, done to death and uninspired. Why would they just kill their own henchman, wear all black armour and oppress the village-folk?
At least with Sith Dark Lords for example, you know they're taught that weakness is punishable and survival of the fittest is the path to power. Reason. Interesting. I can disagree with them on a moral and intellectual level, not just be told I have to defeat them because...errr...they're the black-armour wearing villain and I have to defeat them.
