What's Your Best Revenge Contemplation Films?
 

Which (horror or not-horror) films, that are about the subject of revenge, did you personally think (disregarding fame, ratings and critics), were the best? Ones that made a difference to you.

Of course, revenge is a common horror theme; I wouldn't doubt over half have aspects of revenge in them. But I'm talking about films that are about revenge. Those would be films like Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971), The Girl Most Likely To (1973 staring Stockard Channing) and Martyrs (and maybe you'd debate any of those films contemplate revenge).

Some films use revenge as reason for the horror killing, where it's more of setting, like a war, but it doesn't deal with the subject of revenge; which would be a film like "Friday the 13th". Akin to that, there's films were someone(s) is mistreated, and then they just kill at the end, such as "Carrie" 1976, where revenge appears, but the concept of revenge isn't contemplated. Along those lines, "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is like "Friday the 13th" where revenge simply starts the horror killing; and although the film does deal with guilt and fear of retribution, perhaps not the contemplation of revenge.

So, use your own judgment, but try to isolate films that deal with the concept of revenge, rather than merely a setting for horror killing. Are there any?

Dead Man's Shoes.

I know it's recent but I have to go with Kill Bill 1 & 2. It's probably because those films take so much from other revenge flicks that I love but without thinking Kill Bill is what immediately comes to mind. I'm sure I would have a different answer if I sat and thought about it, went through my collection, and searched online through my wishlist of DVDs/Blu-Rays I don't own but I'm not gonna'.

Dead Man's Shoes was definitely a great film.

Kill Bill was entertaining but the plagiarism in it is just too much for me. I'd rather watch Lady Snowblood or Sex & Fury.

The Horseman
Savage Streets
The Exterminator
Point Blank
Get Carter (1971)
Mad Max
God's Lonely Man

anything with Charles Bronson.

Some good stuff, I hear you with Kill Bill but I respect somebody who can take a lot of great ideas from some disjointed efforts and combine them into a saga like that. Were there issues? Oh yeah, but I dug it. Talking about Kill Bill always reminds me that I still need to get a copy of Thriller though...

I guess the classic erxamples would be I Spit On Your Grave and MS. 45.

Chan-wook Park's The Vengeance Trilogy! Gritty, challenging & disturbing! Took this genre into whole new level of awesomeness. There's another Korean revenge thriller: No Mercy (2010)...somewhat like a love letter to Chan-Wook Park's V-Trilogy. Strongly recommended.

Argh,you beat me to it Roshig.I was just going to post about this very same trilogy.Oldboy being the finest of the finest.

How about: Last House on the Left.

Tell me a little about Dead Man's Shoes. I haven't seen it. Do the characters really explore the concept of revenge? Do they struggle with if it's justice, or revenge? If they should do it, if they shouldn't? If they do it, does it display soul searching about it? Do they get the wrong person, or hurt innocent in the process? Do they get the right person and regret it? Does it change them?

The Kill Bills are certainly taking place in the setting of revenge. But I'm not so sure it contemplate's revenge. Do you think it does? If so, how so?

Deathwish is a classic dealing with revenge. Bronson doesn't know who killed his wife and raped his daughter. Is he getting revenge or is he a vigilante? Is he killing just to subside the feelings of his pain? Does it change him, does he change his mind about killing? It's a subtle film in those aspects, but I think it deals with them.

I saw Mad Max a couple times. There's not really enough pre-hurt Max to really show he changed. And he gets revenge, but I don't get he's debating it, or that it changes him.

Any of those films really dig into contemplation?
I've heard of those, but haven't seen them. Do they go into the deeper contemplations of revenge?

Does No Mery debate revenge at all?

I'm looking forward to seeing to the new Oldboy. Haven't seen either yet. How's it deal with revenge?

I think Last House of the Left is a 'revenge setting' film. The parents find out the sick trio killed their daughter, and then they kill the trio. There isn't any true debate about it. They aren't protrayed as being effected by their revenge. What do you think?

of course the Death Wish movie is the first thing to come to mind

The Brave One

Death Sentence

Taken

The Outlaw Josie Wales

High Plains Drifter

Film is viewed as a primarily visual medium and in general filmmakers try to frame debates in the events and images of the films themselves, instead of people standing around talking to each other. Or, even more often, a film will present a thesis and allow the debate to take place within the viewer's head, or afterwards between viewers.

-Crank
-Only God Forgives
-Payback

The first set of films that come to mind are Park Chan-Wook's Vengeance Trilogy. Each movie is a meditation on how revenge takes hold and drives various characters. Each film is a separate Masterpiece that had a large emotional impact on me. When you can sympathize yet fear someone at the same time, that's the mark of a good writer, good actor, and good director.

The other set of movies that come to mind are the Kill Bill movies, also epic and showing the evolution of a Character set on revenge.

I Saw the Devil is also filled with revenge and obsession and is an incredibly bloody, visceral movie.

Taken was also very, very surprisingly good. I only say "surprisingly" because I had low expectations. It really impressed me.

I believe that both Last House on the Left and I Spit On Your Grave are both iconic Revenge films, but I don't think that I can actually watch them; they genuinely make me too uncomfortable.

I'm not sure if I've seen many revenge films - Definitely I need to see:

• Ms. 45
• Only God Forgives

I like the end of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back when they went after the guys who dissed them on the internet :D

It's really not worth going into detail about it, because its the finale that allows you to put the movie into context and better understand the character and motivations.

I'd also add;

Sleepers (Some quality acting and a great story)

Man on Fire (Gotta be honest, I think both version are pretty solid revenge flicks)

The Count of Monte Cristo (1975 is the only version I've seen)

That's very true, Lee. As a matter of fact, that was the first rule I was given in my video/film/tv classes: "don't say it, show it". Good films are actually successful in allowing the viewer to virtually experience important, and even complex, experiences/issues visually.

In Art Studio, my art teacher told us we'd be learning the fundemental techniques, and "rules", of media and composition. And that we're encouraged to break any of the rules if it works.

As you say, film is viewed primarily as a visual medium; and we accept it evolved to having piano accompaniment, and text dialogue, and eventually complete surround sound audio of ambience, speaking and music.

Today there are many fine dialogue driven films, such as When Harry Met Sally, On Golden Pond, etc. Some films have a component of people sitting down discussing things. Whatever accomplishes the entertainment/concept goal is what works.

All that aside, when I was asking if any films contemplate/discuss/etc the concept of revenge, I never meant literally talking about (although that does happen in film), I just meant actual contemplation of revenge, as opposed to films that merely used revenge as a setting to terrorise/kill people.

"What the fuck is the internet?" ::big grin::

Theatre of Blood with Vincent Price is a good one... but it seems a lot of people hate it? I always thought it was a well thought out story, and done very well for the most part.

Really? As far as I've seen it's pretty highly regarded.

I spit on your grave 1 was a great concept of revenge and was quite 'in your face' with a few of the scenes...

number 2 EXACTLY the same concept and a let down, didn't enjoy watching pretty much the same movie but just in a different setting with different characters, bored me to say the least.

I'm glad to hear that, it deserves it. When I've mentioned it in discussions Online, I've had a lot of negative reactions... but of course, one person's conversations is not enough to base a statistic on. I would like to think that you're right ::smile::

Red, White and Blue-great unlikeable characters in that.