The Films About Revenge subgenre can be found within every major film genre. Stories based on revenge have been around long before film even existed and are a natural theme found within cinema. Revenge films often cross into other subgenres such as Films About Vigilantes and Westerns About Revenge but are also singular in focus – a man or woman seeking revenge for being wronged.
There are many classic tales of revenge that have been translated to screen, but our list (for now) focuses on films starting in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. This era saw the rise of Films About Vigilantes and Exploitation Films. The most notable Revenge Films that appeared during this time period included Get Carter (1971), Deliverance (1972), The Last House on the Left (1972), Death Wish (1974), Carrie (1976), The Duellists (1977), Rolling Thunder (1977), I Spit on Your Grave (1978) and Max Max (1979).
The 1980’s saw the first Golden Age of films with revenge as their major theme or plot. There were many film genres that used the Films About Revenge subgenre including Horror, Sci-Fi and Crime. Horror utilized Revenge themes in popular decade films such as The Fog (1980), Ghost Story (1981), Christine (1983), The Vindicator (1986) and The Wraith (1986). Sci-Fi had many 80’s Films About Revenge with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Class of 1984 (1982) and Batman (1989). Crime films of the 1980’s also used revenge themes in different Crime subgenres with Death Wish II (1982), Raw Deal (1986) and Johnny Handsome (1989). Other notable films of the decade include Ms. 45 (1981), An Eye for an Eye (1981), Conan the Barbarian (1982), First Blood (1982), Commando (1985), Rocky IV (1985), Heathers (1989) and Lethal Weapon 2 (1989).
The popularity of revenge-themed films continued into the 1990’s with an increased popularity of Historical Films telling revenge inspired tales. Hamlet (1990), The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Braveheart (1995), Rob Roy (1995), The Mask of Zorro (1998) and Sleepy Hollow (1999) were all Revenge Films that were set during past eras such as The Medieval Age and The Industrial Age. Western Films featuring Revenge were also popular during this decade with standouts including Tombstone (1993) and The Quick and the Dead (1995). 1990’s classics of the Revenge Films subgenre included Revenge (1990), Ghost (1990), Cape Fear (1991), Patriot Games (1992), Carlito’s Way (1993), The Crow (1994), Léon: The Professional (1994), Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995), The Usual Suspects (1995), Sleepers (1996), Face/Off (1997), Payback (1999), Cruel Intentions (1999), and Audition (1999).
The 2000’s saw Revenge-themed films continue to gain in popularity with additional subgenres featuring Films about Revenge: Superhero and Comic Book Films and World Cinema Action Films. Superhero films started their rise as one of the most popular subgenres of the decade and many of these films featured revenge as a theme including The Punisher (2004), V for Vendetta (2006), The Dark Knight (2008), and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). Many World Cinema films (especially out of Asia) featured Horror or Thriller genre films with a major emphasis on revenge. A few of these films are classics of the subgenre and include Irreversible (2002), Oldboy (2003), Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009). Other classic Films About Revenge from this decade included The Patriot (2000), The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), Road to Perdition (2002), Gangs of New York (2002), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), Man on Fire (2004), Troy (2004), Dead Man’s Shoes (2004), Hard Candy (2005), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), The Prestige (2006), There Will Be Blood (2007), Taken (2008), Drag Me to Hell (2009) and Inglourious Basterds (2009).
The 2010’s saw an increase of Films About Revenge, but it unfortunately was a matter of quantity over quality. This decade saw an increasing number of remakes of revenge films from prior decades or from World Cinema films. I Spit on Your Grave (2010), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Carrie (2013) and Oldboy (2013) were all remake films that weren’t as good as the original revenge films they were based on. However, the decade did give us some classic films of the revenge subgenre with The Man from Nowhere (2010), I Saw the Devil (2010), Django Unchained (2012), Kick-Ass 2 (2013), Blue Ruin (2013), Prisoners (2013), Gone Girl (2013), John Wick (2014), The Gift (2015), The Revenant (2015), Deadpool (2016), Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), Revenge (2018), Upgrade (2018), and Mandy (2018).
It’s too soon to say that the 2020’s are becoming the 2nd Golden Age of Revenge Films, but the first two years of the decade have already produced some future classics of the subgenre. Promising Young Woman (2020), Below Zero (2021), Wrath of Man (2021), Pig (2021), Don’t Breathe 2 (2021), The Card Counter (2021) and The House of Gucci (2021) are some of the best revenge-inspired films thus far and not to be missed.
Our list of Films About Revenge includes over 404+ films from 1959 – 2021. Our list primarily starts with films in the late 1960’s and covers all the genres and subgenres mentioned above and more. This is a particularly difficult subgenre to pick only 10 Top Films About Revenge You Haven’t Seen, and we had to leave the following films (some of which are subgenre classics) off the list: Rolling Thunder (1977), Class of 1984 (1982), The Wraith (1986), Audition (1999), Oldboy (2003), Hard Candy (2005) and Anna (2019).
We have embedded a compilation video of our Top Films About Revenge You Haven’t Seen and more details on these films can be found in the list below. Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Plot: Drug courier and former boxer lands in prison and enacts revenge within the prison.
KBZ’s Take: Unless you’ve seen other films by S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk (2015) and Dragged Across Concrete (2018)), it’s best to be prepared what you’re getting into when watching this film – raw action, gore and violence. Vince Vaughan is barely recognizable as the former boxer who goes on a vengeful rampage throughout the prison. It’s a great film and destined to be one of the classics of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3XUa27B
#9
Red
Plot: Three teens kill a reclusive old man’s dog which sets him off on a path of vengeance.
KBZ’s Take: This little-seen film features great performances by both Brian Cox and Tom Sizemore. It’s a classic tale of revenge where the man wronged (by the killing of his dog) first tries the legal route for vindication but soon finds that his form of justice will take any form necessary. This isn’t an action film by any means but is a great slow burn thriller. Not to be missed by any fans of the Revenge Films subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3DunPJR
#8
Wrath of Man
Plot: A new security guard is more than he seems while defending a heist.
KBZ’s Take: Heat (1995) is generally regarded as the best heist film of all time. Over the years, many films have tried (and failed) to be recognized on the same level as Heat. That is until Wrath of Man was released. This Guy Ritchie Heist film didn’t get the promotion and awareness it might normally have due to its release during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, like Heat, this film has a defining heist execution that’s on par with the best Heist action scenes of all time. It’s also a great Revenge thriller (that we can’t talk too much about as revenge is central to the plot).
Additional Lists: Top Caper & Heist Films You Haven’t Seen (Part 1) #2
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3B4oQXY
#7
Sleepers
Plot: Two gangsters exact revenge on the jail workers who abused them when they were younger.
KBZ’s Take: This was a very popular film in the mid-1990’s but has become one of the lost classic films of the subgenre over time. The film has an all-star cast including Jason Patric, Robert DeNiro, Kevin Bacon and a pre-megastar Brad Pitt. But it’s the revenge tale itself that is at the core of the film and keeps you engaged throughout. It’s a film of two halves with the first half of the film showing the jailing and eventual abuse of the youths, while the second half is more of a legal thriller as the now adult friends conspire to get away with murder. Highly recommended for younger fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3kS9zUP
#6
Mandy
Plot: Man goes on a bloody vengeance rampage after his wife is killed by a cult.
KBZ’s Take: If you are a fan of the revenge subgenre and still haven’t see Mandy, you need to stop reading this and watch it now. Panos Cosmatos brings violence, gore and weirdness to this tale (much like he did with his even weirder previous effort Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010)). The film can slow down at times but Nicholas Cage’s performance as a man descending into madness anchors the film throughout.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Y1jaHe
#5
Upgrade
Plot: A paralyzed man receives an AI brain implant that starts to take over his life.
KBZ’s Take: While this is a great techno thriller, it’s also a great tale of revenge – but with a twist. A technophobe gets a new AI implant that assists him on his path to vengeance. Though it had a limited theater release, Upgrade is a prime example of how great films in the Techno Thriller subgenre can be. Upgrade has everything in it from the ethics of AI to a future noir mystery thriller. Oh, and it can be a bit gory too. But don’t let that stop you from seeing one of the best films of 2018 and the one of the best Techno Thriller Films out there.
Additional Lists: Top Techno Thriller Films You Haven’t Seen (Part 1) #1
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/40cCSSf
Plot: Man goes to extreme lengths in his pursuit of the serial killer who killed his fiancée.
KBZ’s Take: Another film that is a classic of the Revenge Film subgenre but has not been widely seen. It’s unfortunate, because it’s one of the best films about a man becoming a worse monster than the monster he is chasing. This film usually lands in the Top 5 on every list of Top Korean Films and it’s one you need to see – especially if you’re a fan of revenge films.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Js2Awe
#3
The Gift
Plot: A married couple’s life is turned upside down when the husband’s high school acquaintance shows up.
KBZ’s Take: It’s always a crapshoot when you watch a film that’s written by, directed by and has a lead role all by the same actor. They’re often vanity projects and more often, horrible films. The Gift is the rare exception to that rule as Joel Edgerton writes, directs and gives one of his best career performances as the old high school acquaintance who suddenly re-immerses himself into the life of his ‘friend’. We can’t say much about the film as we don’t want to give away any of the plot. But this film is filled with twists and turns and is not only one of the best Stalker subgenre films, but also one of the best Films about Revenge.
Additional Lists: Top Films About Stalkers You Haven’t Seen #1
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3XNUpPb
#2
Revenge
Plot: Woman is raped and left for dead but survives to enact revenge on her rapists.
KBZ’s Take: While this film features some implausible scenarios and excessive gore, it’s still an exhilarating ride. The film only has a few actors in it, but it’s engaging and suspenseful throughout. It often butts right up to the exploitation line while not ever crossing it. It’s simple one word title also aptly describes the entire film – a woman who will stop at nothing for revenge. Highly recommended and one of the best films of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3WQbiYf
Plot: A former special agent who is now a recluse goes on a revenge-filled rampage after a gang kidnaps his only friend – the little girl next door.
KBZ’s Take: When we’re asked for film recommendations of any type, this is always in our top 3 films we recommend. It’s not only the best film of the Revenge subgenre, but it’s also one of the best films you will ever see – period. The plot itself is very basic – Cha Tae-sik befriends girl, girl’s mother dies leaving her alone, girl is kidnapped, Cha Tae-sik goes full rampage to save her. While the film does use some basic Revenge film tropes, there are three main things the film does to make it special. One, the execution of the film is top-notch and wastes no time between action and backstory. Two, the action and fight scenes are great and features one of the best (if not the best) knife fight in cinema history between Cha Tae-sik (Won Bin) and Ramrowan (Thanayong Wongtrakul). Three, the emotional undercurrent throughout the film helps explain Cha Tae-sik’s drive throughout the film to somehow become emotionally whole again. Yes, the film is in Korean and subtitled (and you can likely find a dubbed version as well) but that shouldn’t stop you from watching the best film of the Revenge Film subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3jcgmIH
