30 Most Evil Movie Computers

SID 6.7 - Virtuosity (1995)

The Evil Computer : A virtual reality serial killer, SID 6.7 (Russell Crowe) is being targeted by Lt Parner Barners (Denzel Washington).

Later, of course, he transforms into a regenerating android, which means he has even more power than before. But that also makes him fallible…

If It Tweeted: @Barners Just because I'm carrying around the joy of killing your family inside me doesn't mean you can't follow me.

Unnamed Alien - Virus (1999)

The Evil Computer: Technically, this one's a sort of alien-cyborg-computer-virus hybrid thing, but seeing as it's mostly computer, we'll include it.

And it really is evil. An electrical alien descends on Earth and inhabits the computers aboard a sea vessel, taking out the crew one at a time as it builds itself into a formidable animatronic menace. Then hunts Jamie Lee Curtis.

If It Tweeted:
#Checkmate

Dexter Reilly - The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

The Evil Computer: Dexter Reilly (Kurt Russell) is fixing a computer during a storm (stupid) when he receives an electric shock that transforms him into a human computer.

Armed with a super-human intelligence, this walking AI meatsack decides to use his newfound smarts to win TV quiz shows (jackpot: $100,000) and become an international celebrity. See? EVIL.

If It Tweeted: If I were anymore famous, I'd be Paris Hilton.

Computer - Evilspeak (1981)

The Evil Computer: Alright, the computer itself technically doesn't really do anything evil, but it's used for evil means in this daft-but-fun horror flick, so it definitely counts.

When outcast Stanley Coopersmith (Clint Howard) uses his computer to translate black magic, the computer then becomes a tool for him to take down anybody who crossed him.

If It Tweeted:
Take eye of newt and a dead man's toe. Stir well before adding the giant's bum fluff.

Mother - Alien (1979)

The Evil Computer: Like most of the computers on this list, Mother's culpability as an 'evil computer' is thrown into question by the fact that she/it is simply carrying out orders prescribed in her programming.

The voice of the ship's computer in Ridley Scott's sci-fi comes across as massively evil, though, because she's so unsympathetic to the plight of Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) as she attempts to stop the rampaging xenomorph.

If It Tweeted:
Hey @Ripley, thanks for blowing me up. Bitch.

V'ger - Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

The Evil Computer: Travelling in an 'energy cloud', the V'ger is a deep-space probe that became sentient (it was originally the Voyager 6) after disappearing through a black hole.

It was reprogrammed by alien beings who sent it back into space, where its very existence threatened all life on Earth.

If It Tweeted: Is Twitter all that I am? Is there nothing more?

Karl - Ghost In The Machine (1993)

The Evil Computer: One-time Address Book Killer Karl Hochman (Ted Marcoux) is hit by a truck while plotting his next murder.

When he's rushed to ER, an electrical storm hits just as he's being hooked up to an MRT machine, which transfers his mind into a computer. Cue a killer who can control any computer he likes…

If It Tweeted:
You can't run, you can't hide. If you unfollow me, you're dead meat.

The Main Cerebral Lifepod (1981)

T he Evil Computer: "I'll be damned to hell in my socks if it didn't fabricate the entire charade," declares Captain Montaine (Christopher Cary) of the Main Cerebral, the computer aboard space liner the Arcturus.

See, the Cerebral randomly announces a red alert and orders all of the liner's passengers to abandon ship - but nobody knows why. Could there be an insidious cyber agenda at play?

If It Tweeted: Mayday! SOS! Abort! Flee!

Alpha 60 Alphaville (1965)

The Evil Computer: A computer overlord that dominates a dystopian society, Alpha 60 has abolished emotion and individuality, which is sort of a problem considering those are the building blocks of humanity.

He also has an insanely creepy voice.

If It Tweeted:
What's the point in tweeting? Everything has been said, provided words do not change their meanings, and meanings their words.

TTD / Bomb #20 - Dark Star (1974)

The Evil Computer: The computere (or Thermostellar Triggering Device) aboard the space ship Dark Star is responsible for destroying unstable planets at the behest of Sergeant Pinback (Dan O'Bannon) by deploying nuclear bombs.

Annoyingly, the ship's computer is damaged and decides that the Dark Star itself is fit for bombing. The crew attempt to reason with Bomb #20, which refuses to be convinced otherwise.

If It Tweeted:
Bombs away!

Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.