Movies about Vengeance
Pomstít, the directorial debut from writer and star B.J. Novak (“The Office”), is a darkly comic thriller about Ben Manalowitz, a journalist and podcaster who travels from New York City to West Texas to investigate the death of a girl he was hooking up with. With an ensemble cast that includes Issa Rae, Ashton Kutcher, Boyd Holbrook, J. Smith-Cameron, and Dove Cameron.
Oficiální trailer: Pomstít
Ashton Kutcher as Quentin Sellers and B.J. Novak as Ben Manalowitz in Pomstít, written and directed by B.J. Novak
Clint Obenchain[l] as Crawl, B.J. Novak as Ben Manalowitz and Boyd Holbrook as Ty Shaw in Pomstít, directed and written by B.J. Novak.
Issa Rae as Eloise in Pomstít, written and directed by B.J. Novak
Isabella Amara [l] as Paris Shaw, Boyd Holbrook as Ty Shaw, Louanne Stephens as Granny Carole, and Eli Abrams Bickel as El Stupido in Pomstít, written and directed by B.J. Novak.
B.J. Novak as Ben Manalowitz in Pomstít, written and directed by B.J. Novak.
B.J. Novak as Ben Manalowitz and Boyd Holbrook as Ty Shaw in Pomstít, written and directed by B.J. Novak.
Boyd Holbrook as Ty Shaw and B.J. Novak as Ben Manalowitz in Pomstít, written and directed by B.J. Novak.
Actor Issa Rae and director/writer/actor B.J. Novak on the set of Pomstít.
Writer / director B.J. Novak on the set of Pomstít.
The 10 Best Revenge Movies About Vengeance and Payback
Nothing is colder than revenge. These incredible movies explore the heart of vengeance (or lack thereof) and what it can do to people.
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Who doesn’t love a good revenge film? When someone is deeply wronged by another and it seems like no consequences will come their way, we long for our hero to take matters into their own hands.
But the revenge film can also be self-reflective, asking us to consider questions like: Is revenge good? Where is the line drawn between justice and vengeance? When is vigilantism acceptable, if it is?
For any given case, the desire for revenge may seem justified by some yet unlawful or even immoral by others. Does the nature of an offense—or the degree of malice behind it—make retribution justifiable?
Here are my picks for the best revenge movies about vengeance and payback, which tap into the human need for settling scores and explore how far we’re willing to go to make that happen.
10. Memo (2000)
Režie Christopher Nolan
Starring Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano
Mysteriózní, Thriller (1h 53m)
Christopher Nolan’s feature-length directorial debut was actually with Následující in 1998, but for many, his first «real» feature film was the mind-bending amnesia film Memento v 2000.
This breakthrough movie was based on a short story by his own brother, Jonathan Nolan, and together they crafted one of the most intelligent revenge movies ever made.
In Memento, Leonard Shelby (played by Guy Pearce) is a man on a quest. His mission is to find the man who killed his wife, but he suffers from anterograde amnesia (short-term memory loss and an inability to form new memories) so he frequently forgets who and where he is.
Celý příběh o Memento plays backwards, with every scene followed by the scene that came before it, resulting in one of the most unusual, gripping, and thrilling movies of our time.
Related: The Best Movies About Memories and Memory Loss, Ranked
9. Upgrade (2018)
Režie Leigh Whannell
Starring Logan Marshall-Green, Melanie Vallejo, Steve Danielsen
Akční, Sci-Fi, Thriller (1h 40m)
In the futuristic and dystopian society of Aktualizujte, technology is becoming more and more advanced. However, the people of this society are being left behind in an impoverished state.
After one man watches his wife die at the hands of criminals and ends up paralyzed while trying to save her, he’s given the opportunity for a cybernetic implant that can control his central nervous system. This grants him the ability to walk again—and seek revenge.
Aktualizujte flew under most radars when it came out in 2018, which is a true shame because it’s one of the best cyberpunk movies with a hard-hitting ending. Full of twists and turns, revenge is rarely this cold.
Související: Nejlepší dystopické filmy všech dob, hodnoceno
8. Cape Fear (1991)
Režie: Martin Scorsese
Hrají Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange
Krimi, Thriller (2h 8m)
Cape Fear is a bit of a unique entry on this list because the one who’s seeking revenge is the antagonista. In framing the story this way, Cape Fear allows us the experience the truly murderous nature and sadistic mentality of those who hunt for vengeance.
Convicted rapist Max Cady (played by Robert De Niro), who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, is given early release.
Now that he’s out, he’s determined to track down the lawyer who defended him in court—because he feels that the lawyer sabotaged his chances of being a free man.
His quest for vengeance is horrifying and De Niro’s performance is honestly the stuff of nightmares.
Související: Nejlepší filmy o psychopatech, sociopatech a maniacích
7. Mnichov (2005)
Režie Steven Spielberg
Starring Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Marie-Josée Croze
Action, Drama, History (2h 44m)
Steven Spielberg, a director best known for making family-friendly movies, made one of the best revenge films of all time in Mnichov.
The narrative follows the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes were murdered in cold blood by a group of terrorists. Most accepted this event as a tragedy and wanted to move on, but not everyone was quick to take this affront lying down.
A team of men are assigned by the Israeli government to avenge the deaths of their compatriots, and many are challenged by the bloodthirsty nature of their mission.
Based on a true story—called Operation Wrath of God—Mnichov looks at the heartache and turmoil involved in pursuing revenge.
Související: Nejlepší špionážní filmy pro fanoušky špionážních thrillerů, hodnoceno
6. Django Unchained (2012)
Režie Quentin Tarantino
Starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio
Drama, Western (2h 45m)
Quentin Tarantino makes his first appearance on this list, but it won’t be his last. With Django Unchained, Tarantino managed to create a historical film that pointedly looked at America’s sordid history of slavery while also making it a gripping revenge movie.
The story starts with Django (played by Jamie Foxx), a man who’s freed from his masters by a German doctor named King Schultz. He now has two missions—and both demand sweet, sweet payback.
One of the best movies of the 2010s, Django Unchained is a must-watch film for anyone seeking a good revenge story.
Related: The Best Movies About Slaves and the Slave Trade, Ranked
5. Šílený Max (1979)
Directed by George Miller
Starring Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne
Akční, Dobrodružný, Sci-Fi (1h 28m)
George Miller made the most profitable film of all time when he made Mad Max in 1979, but profit was only a secondary goal. His primary intent was to make a badass revenge flick—and he succeeded.
Příběh Mad Max follows Max Rockatansky (played by Mel Gibson), a police officer stuck in an unruly Australian society. He ends up killing a gangster, but the villain’s underlings take it personally and decide to punish Max by killing his family.
Vengeance breeds vengeance, and now Max will stop at nothing to find those who were responsible and get payback.
Related: The Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies After the End of the World
4. Kill Bill: Sv. 1 (2003)
Režie Quentin Tarantino
Starring Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox
Akční, Krimi, Thriller (1h 51m)
For Tarantino’s second entry on this list, we have Kill Bill, which is arguably the greatest revenge flick ever made as far as pure entertainment value is concerned.
After The Bride (played by Uma Thurman) wakes up from a coma, she seeks to find the people who nearly murdered her on her wedding day. She’s going to hold them all accountable—and unfortunately for them, The Bride’s sense of justice differs greatly from that of the law.
With endless style, fantastic characters, an insanely good soundtrack, and fight sequences that rival any action film, Kill Bill: Vol.. 1 is easily one of the best movies about vengeance.
Související: Nejlepší filmy o zabijácích a zabijácích, hodnoceno
3. Oldboy (2003)
Directed by Park Chan-wook
Starring Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong
Action, Drama, Mystery (2h)
Park Chan-Wook is one of the greatest Korean filmmakers of all time. When he released Oldboy—the culmination of his trilogy of revenge films—it was so good that it changed cinema forever.
In Oldboy, a man named Oh Dae-Su (played by Choi Min-sik) is held captive in a hotel room for 15 years. He’s drugged asleep every night, his food is delivered, and he even has his hair cut every so often. He doesn’t know who’s doing this to him or why, only that he isn’t allowed to leave.
When he’s mysteriously released one day, he seeks answers. What follows is a dark and often surreal film about the nature of memory and its role in revenge. Twenty years on, Oldboy zůstává mistrovským dílem.
Related: The Best Fight Scene Examples With Great Choreography
2. Nevratný (2002)
Režie Gaspar Noé
Starring Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel, Albert Dupontel
Krimi, Drama, Mysteriózní (1h 37m)
In 2002, Gaspar Noé made one of the bleakest revenge movies of all time. How did he do it? By telling the story in reverse.
Nevratné is a revenge film about two men in search of the man who raped and nearly murdered one man’s girlfriend. However, this path brings them to a point that neither could’ve imagined.
By inverting the traditional revenge story structure, Noé communicates the truth about violence and vengeance: it’s nothing but emptiness. As the story events move further away from the violence, we realize how hopeless their endeavor truly is.
Tímto způsobem, Nevratné is one of the best payback movies: it’s critical, it’s reflective, and it’s unspeakably violent.
Related: The Scariest Horror Movies Ever That Were Banned
1. The Virgin Spring (1960)
Režie Ingmar Bergman
Starring Max von Sydow, Birgitta Valberg, Gunnel Lindblom
Ingmar Bergman is up there as one of the greatest movie directors of all time. He was well-known for his beautiful cinematography, complex character psychology, dreamlike imagery, and the intense emotional turmoil of his protagonists.
So it should come as no shock that he made one of the most brutal and introspective revenge movies in Panenské jaro.
Set in Sweden during the medieval period, two bandits rape and murder a young girl, then move on to seek shelter from the coming storm. But they pick the wrong place to hide: the house of her parents.
Once her father discovers who they are and what they’ve done to his daughter, he plans his revenge and waits for the perfect time to strike.
Panenské jaro was later adapted by Wes Craven in 1972 as his debut feature Poslední dům vlevo. However, the original film is unbeatable for how thought-provoking it is, and there hasn’t been a greater movie about vengeance since.
Read next: The Best Classic Indie Movies of the 1960s, Ranked
«Vengeance» sounds like the title of an action thriller. There have been films with that name before. But although vengeance is discussed in «Vengeance»—the first feature from writer/director/star B.J. Novak, co-star and co-writer of the American version of «The Office»—it has a lot more on its mind. Too much, probably.
The story begins in earnest when New Yorker writer and aspiring public intellectual Ben Manalowitz (Novak) gets a call at his Manhattan apartment late one night from Ty Shaw (Boyd Holbrook), who lives in one of the flattest backwaters in West Texas, a small town five hours’ drive from Abilene, which is two hours and forty minutes from Dallas. Ty is calling to tell Ben that his sister, Ben’s girlfriend—who is oddly also named Abilene, Abby for short—has died.
Ben doesn’t have a girlfriend named Abby. He’s a player who hooks up with many women. But a quick check of his phone confirms that he did indeed have sex with an aspiring singer named Abby (Lio Tipton) a few times and then forgot about her. Somehow he ends up letting himself be talked into traveling to Abby’s hometown, attending her funeral, and commiserating with her grieving family, which also includes her younger sisters Paris (Isabella Amara) and Kansas City (Dove Cameron), her kid brother El Stupido (Elli Abrams Beckel), and her mother Sharon (J. Smith-Cameron). Then Ty tells Ben that Abby was murdered, probably by a Mexican drug dealer named Sancholo (Zach Villa), and asks if he’ll help the family seek, well, you know.
Ben is a narcissist who seems to view every relationship and experience as a way of raising his status as a writer and quasi-celebrity, so it seems unbelievable at first that he’d travel to Texas to attend the funeral of a woman he didn’t really know. But the notion begins to seem more plausible once he starts talking to the family and slotting them into his prefabricated East Coast media-industrial-complex notions of «red state» and «blue state» people, and spinning his theories about temporal dislocation. Modern technology, he says, allows every person to exist in every moment except the present if they so choose. The desire for vengeance, we are told, is exclusively a backward-looking urge.
Intrigued by the possibility of writing the equivalent of a great American novel in the form of a podcast (he even name-checks Truman Capote’s Chladnokrevně) Ben decides to stick around to gather material for an audio series, which will be created under the supervision of his friend Eloise, a New York-based podcast editor for a National Public Radio-like organization. (As Eloise, Issa Rae works wonders with a thinly written role.)
If Ben’s creative vision sounds like the kind of navel-gazing blather that you’d hear on a true crime podcast in which an actual person’s murder becomes a springboard for brunchy rumination on law and truth and the nature of yadda yadda by a group of Ivy League college graduates based in Brooklyn, well, Ben is aware that he’s sliding towards that cliché—and so is Eloise, who early on makes a joke to the effect that Ben is the only white man in America without a podcast. And yet, true to media form, they embrace the templates, tropes, and clichés anyway.
Unfortunately, so does the movie. Like «The Daily Show» and its many imitators—and like Jon Stewart’s recent film «Irresistible»—this is a movie that chastises its protagonist and the «red state» people he engages with for failing to look beyond the clichés they’re fed by their own self-enclosed media loops, while at the same time dining out on them. On one side of the great divide is a nation of «coastal elites» (driven by Harvard-educated Jewish people like Ben) who name-drop cultural tidbits that they learned in college and never revisited; sneer at monogamy, and think everything between the coasts that’s not a Top Ten city is a barbaric wasteland. The inhabitants of said wasteland are people whose favorite restaurant is Whataburger and have several guns in the house for every person (including the kids) and use them to settle their differences rather than calling 911.
Intriguingly, though, even as «Vengeance» checks box after box on the op-ed chart of American shorthand, it also presents a number of characters with idiosyncrasies and layers that we’ve never seen in a movie before. Ben himself is quite a piece of work, and it’s to Novak’s credit that we eventually dig past Ben’s buzzwords and NPR-ready voice and see the character’s self-loathing (and, it would appear, the filmmaker’s) at realizing that he’s a prisoner of the same limited thinking he decries. (Ben often plays more like the protagonist of a French comedy than an American one—or like the characters played by Canadian satirist Ken Finkleman in «The Newsroom» and «More Tears.») There’s little discussion of racial grievance as a motivation for politics in the film, and nobody mentions Trump, Greg Abbott, or the transformation of Texas into an authoritarian nation-state. The movie takes the audience into a minefield but tactfully declines to point out most of the mines. But these threats lurk under the surface, and they do occasionally explode—particularly when the drug epidemic that’s decimating white middle-America comes to the forefront of the story.
The supporting cast boasts a number of characters who seem one-note during their introductions but quickly assert their spiky individualism. Smith-Cameron seems underutilized at first, but becomes the emotional anchor of Ben’s story, and her final scene is powerful. There are several terrific scenes involving Abby’s onetime record producer Quinten Sellers, kind of a Phil Spector of West Texas who lives and works in a combination home, studio, and cult compound, and regales his talent and hangers-on with monologues about time, space, individuality, art, drugs, and hedonism that Marlon Brando or Dennis Hopper might have delivered in a 1970s American art film. Sellers is played by Ashton Kutcher in what might be a career-best performance. With his polite but eerie intensity, ten-gallon white cowboy hat, and lanky frame, it’s as if Sam Shepard had come back to play Col. Walter Kurtz.
Novak is a thoughtful writer with a lot of things to say about the United States of America in the year 2022. The problem is that he seems determined to say all of them in one feature film. The result is a jumbled, fitfully amusing, occasionally fascinating effort, but one that shows promise even when it’s stumbling over its ambition and falling prey to some of the same stereotypes about «red» and «blue» (or reactionary and progressive) America that it keeps intimating that Americans need to get beyond. The first 15 minutes are borderline awful, but the movie gets better and more surprising as it goes, and the final act is impressive in its determination not to give the audience what it wants. Novak is famous enough that he could’ve cobbled together an onanistic two hours of nothing and still gotten into South by Southwest with it, but he decided to try to make a real movie.
Nyní hraje v divadlech.
Matt Zoller Seitz
Matt Zoller Seitz je šéfredaktorem RogerEbert.com, televizním kritikem New York Magazine a Vulture.com a finalistou Pulitzerovy ceny za kritiku.
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