10 incredible revenge films that are best served cold
Vengeance is a dish best served . . . yeah, yeah, we know.
Revenge is important for people who can’t let things go. In the movie world however, it makes for a supercharged plotline. So if you’re in the mood for a little scheming and retribution this weekend, check out our list of the ten best movies about misfortuned characters seeking revenge on their enemies. Spoiler alert!
Oldboy (2001)
It was a toss-up between Oldboy or Lady Vengeance (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is probably worth a mention too). But out of the entire trilogy, there’s no denying Park Chan-Wook’s 2001 neo-noir thriller prevails, telling the complex and harrowing story of a man who sets out to find why he was locked in solitary confinement for fifteen years. “Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.”
God Bless America (2001)
This isn’t so much about a man seeking retribution for any one solitary act, but more seeking revenge on everything wrong with modern American culture. The protagonist Frank (Joel Murray) nutshells his disdain in one of the best on-screen rants we’ve ever seen.
Twin Town (1997)
This 1997 film set in the UK town of Swansea continues to enjoy cult status in the pantheon of Welsh cinema, exploring the exploits of two trouble-making “twins” (despite sharing no physical likeness) played by Rhys Ifans and real-life brother Llyr Evans.
Their ongoing feud with a local businessman and part-time drug dealer turns into a murderous game of tit-for-tat. Also, anyone brave enough to attempt their bath-bong game deserves a medal (or maybe a prison sentence).
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
You can’t make a vengeance list without giving Kill Bill a mention, or its director, who appears to have a strict “revenge only” policy when it comes to cinematic stories. Uma Thurman is 100% badass in Quentin Tarantino’s empowering take on a martial arts thriller. There are too many best-bits to mention, so instead we thought we’d crack on the 5,6,7,8s and have a boogie!
I Saw the Devil (2010)
I Saw the Devil – the devil being an NIS agent who will stop at nothing to seek revenge on the man who brutally murdered his fiancée. This takes the traditional saying of “an eye for an eye” to a hideous new level. Squeamish people: look away.
Dead Man’s Shoes (2004)
Shane Meadows’s harrowing drama-thriller sees Paddy Considine play an army-trained soldier seeking vengeance on behalf of his mentally-challenged younger brother. Probably one of the best gritty drama flicks to have emerged from Blighty in the last 10 years, this film will leave you both devastated & amazed.
Carrie (1976)
The ultimate film for any misfit who felt ostracized at school, Carrie starts out the film as a shy, sheltered teen and winds up a murderous prom freak who uses her telekinetic powers to unleash pain and suffering amongst the a-holes who bullied her. That’s what you get!
Hard Candy (2005)
Never underestimate the power of a teenage girl. This crime thriller tells the narrative most people would wish upon the kind of lurkers who groom young girls on the internet, after a fourteen-year-old female vigilante traps and tortures a man whom she suspects of being a sexual predator. Once again – that’s what you get!
Martyrs (2008)
The French prove they know how to do a horror in this utterly devastating, stomach-turning horror with a religious twist. The narrative follows a young woman’s quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child, leading her into the depths of depravity. If you haven’t watched this movie yet, just be prepared – you might need to set aside a few weeks of recovery time.
Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)
Yes, it’s about a hobo, and yes, he has a shotgun. We added this film to the list because you just can’t argue with a B-movie parody that gives birth to one of the greatest film quotes of all time:
