Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2, Memento, Oldboy, Carrie, Gladiator… there have been some truly outstanding pieces of cinema centred around the theme of vengeance.
Revenge is a familiar motif in films seen time and time again. Why? Well, it’s pretty thrilling for viewers.
We see an innocent victim badly wronged, we’re shocked and appalled. They seek justice, we want justice for them.
They methodically pick off the bad guys one by one. It’s catharsis for them and a kind of vicarious catharsis for us.
Plus, c’mon, who doesn’t like a little on-screen violence, eh? If you dig revenge thrillers, you best make sure you’ve caught all these heart-pumping bad boys, all available on UK Netflix now…
Rebel Ridge (2024)
At the moment, there’s only really one film on Netflix. Dominating views is the all-action thriller Rebel Ridge.
Jeremy Saulnier’s pulse agitator pits ex-Marine Aaron Pierre’s Terry Richmond against a small town sheriff and his fellow corrupt officers.
After they – legally but dubiously – seize a stack of cash destined to bail out Terry’s cousin, things start getting tense.
Soon, after a few more incidents, our hero decides to declare all-out war.
Not as nasty as some on this list, this is stylish fun with plenty of tension and invention where the blood and gore often appear instead.
The Punisher (2004)
Most Netflix subscribers will be familiar with the Marvel TV adaptation of The Punisher starring Jon Bernthal. Mostly because it’s so good.
Not quite as classy, but a whole lot of fun nonetheless is the first movie version of the ultra-violent comic book.
Made back in 2004, John Travolta gives a rather hammy performance as bad guy Howard Saint.
But it’s the underappreciated Thomas Jane, in the lead, that makes the thing as the man on a mission to avenge his family’s brutal Travolta-ordered slaying.
Cold Pursuit (2019)
The Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland was only too happy to remake his own Scandinavian film for Hollywood with a nice fat budget laid on for him.
Cold Pursuit isn’t quite as good as the film that inspired it (In Order of Disappearance, 2019), but it’s almost as fun.
Liam Neeson takes over from Stellan Skarsgård as the friendly local snowplow driver, who breaks bad when his son dies from a heroin overdose and decides that the local drug-dealing gang ought to repent for their smack-pushing sins.
Edge of Darkness (2010)
Set in Boston and starring Mel Gibson, this rough ‘n’ touch conspiracy thriller is a bit rougher and tougher than the original 1985 BBC TV series that the movie’s based on.
Gibson plays a detective investigating the murder of his activist daughter. He quickly uncovers a cover-up and busts plenty of nuts to get to the bottom of the mysterious plot and make those responsible pay for the killing of his kid.
The Killer (2023)
Se7en, Zodiac, Fight Club and Gone Girl director David Fincher doesn’t miss. He hit the target again here with this cool, calm and collected thriller starring Michael Fassbender.
Ironically, however, it’s Fassbender’s eponymous killer missing his shot that sets the plot in motion.
He’s an assassin who botches a big job and upsets his employers, who then botch their own attempt on his life.
They’re successful in attacking his girlfriend, however. Which, naturally, quite upsets the nameless gun for hire. Cue some more killing…
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
Gerard Butler’s in a mean mood as Clyde Shelton, a man whose family is – you guessed it – brutally murdered.
When the justice system fails to punish the killers responsible, Clyde seeks – you guessed it again – revenge.
The twist in this is that he goes after both the criminals and those involved in the flawed legal process, including Jamie Foxx’s lawyer character.
Butler orchestrates a series of calculated attacks, challenging law enforcement at every step.
This vigilante thriller is much better than it looks.
Four Brothers (2005)
Okay, so Mark Wahlberg’s name on a film’s titles isn’t always the mark of quality. And, to be frank, John Singleton’s Four Brothers isn’t a classic.
But the Boyz n the Hood director injects a fair bit of life into this tale of a quartet of four adopted siblings (Wahlberg, Garret Hedlund, Tyreece Gibson and Outkast’s André Benjamin) who return to their hometown of Detroit to avenge their mother’s murder – uncovering a deeper conspiracy as they seek their own brand of justice.
There’s plenty of gratifying violence to appease those viewers in the market for that sort of thing, and the rapport between the four semi-siblings is pretty strong.
The Equalizer 2 (2018)
In 2023, Denzel Washington and his long-time collaborator-director pal Antoine Fuqua completed their trilogy of Equalizer vigilante flicks.
It will have been tempting for moviegoers to assume they’d all be fairly bland by-the-numbers action flicks. But no. All three are tightly-plotted and exhilarating outings powered by the always mesmeric and incredibly cool leading man Denzel.
This second film is no exception. He plays Robert McCall, a retired government assassin, who embarks on a personal mission of revenge after his close friend of his is murdered.
All while continuing to deliver his unique brand of well-timed and inventive justice.
A History of Violence (2005)
David Cronenberg took a brief sojourn from creating creepy body horrors to adapt this 1997 DC graphic novel by Vince Locke and John Wagner.
Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Maria Bello and William Hurt fill out the cast of this high-end thriller that went on to pick up a couple of Academy Award nominations.
Mortenson plays Tom Stall, a seemingly unremarkable and quite meek small-town diner owner who becomes a local hero after stopping a violent robbery.
As his dark past quickly resurfaces, it’s uncovered that he was once a brutal mobster, a revelation that forces him to confront his hidden identity in a rather unsurprisingly violent manner.
The Nightingale (2018)
Directed by The Babdook’s Jennifer Kent, this ferocious revenge thriller is set in 1825 Tasmania.
It stars the excellent Aisling Franciosi as Clare, an Irish convict who hunts down a load of British soldiers led by Sam Claflin’s nasty character after they murder her family.
Alongside an Aboriginal tracker (Baykali Ganambarr), Clare’s journey exposes some of the true horrors of colonialism.
There’s raw, unflinching violence about and tense and gnawing atmosphere that makes it pretty tough watching.
But if you’re in the mood to take it on, it’s a helluva watch.
Your Son (2018)
Your Son (known as ‘Tu Hijo’ in its native Spain) is a tense psychological thriller starring José Coronado as Jaime, a surgeon whose son is brutally beaten into a coma.
Consumed by both rage and grief, Jaime takes justice into his own hands, seeking revenge on all those responsible. It’s a slow burn, but it’s worth the investment of time.
Drive (2011)
Some folk might try to tell you that Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn’s work is style over substance. But just because something is incredibly stylish, that doesn’t mean it necessarily lacks substance.
Take Drive, for example. There’s no doubting this tale of a stunt driver and wheelman settling scores is extremely cool. But there’s also real heart underneath the surface.
Watch it, love it, just don’t go out and buy a silver and gold scorpion bomber jacket. You won’t look like Ryan Gosling in it. Trust us
Bull (2021)
We wrap up our round-up of Netflix’s best crop of revenge films with the most brutal of all – Bull.
This sucker punch of a film follows the savage enforcer of the title (played with genuine menace by Neil Maskell), a man who returns to his old town after a decade away, seeking revenge on the gangster and former colleagues who betrayed him.
As he tracks down his enemies, the film uncovers dark secrets, all of which lead to a violent, seriously unsettling climax.
Maskell proves himself to – quietly – be one of the UK’s finest and most underrated actors here.