Revenge is a common theme in action movies, and it drives some of the most exciting action movies ever made. Due to the profound catharsis that comes from witnessing extreme versions of justice and characters getting even, action thrillers make up a large portion of the best revenge films. Revenge movies speak to a deep-seated human desire for justice.
There are some slights which can't be rectified within the bounds of the law, and this is where revenge thrillers come in. They represent a vision of existence in which acts of brutality, oppression and cruelty are punished, even if real life is often more complicated and less satisfying.
10. Mad Max (1979)
Max Rockatansky can be very stoic and mysterious, so it's worth going back to the first movie that he appears in to get some insight into his character. The first movie of George Miller's Mad Max franchise shows that Max's decisions are ruled by vengeance and grief, which gives him a kind of aggressive nihilism.
Max's decisions are ruled by vengeance and grief, which gives him a kind of aggressive nihilism.
Mad Max cuts to the heart of criminal justice and law enforcement, asking how useful these tools are in a society that has fallen apart. Max's vengeful crusade against Toecutter and his gang won't bring back his family, but his act of vigilante justice is closely linked to his role as a police officer.
9. Get Carter (1971)
Get Carter is one of Michael Caine's best movies, making good use of his rough charms. There are few film characters as cool as Carter, a stone-faced hitman who travels from London to his hometown in North East England to seek revenge for the murder of his brother. Part detective movie and part violent rampage, Get Carter is nothing if not entertaining.
Get Carter embodies the appeal of British gangster movies, as it mixes suave style with brutal, unflinching violence. It's been criticized for a perceived lack of humanity, and its assured callousness perplexed some contemporary critics, but these elements merely contribute to its darkly cathartic appeal. Get Carter is as overly violent and emotionless as its harshest detractors say, but this speaks to the most base impulses of revenge that many people can identify with.
8. Man On Fire (2004)
Denzel Washington has achieved immense critical acclaim and public adulation throughout his career, but these don't always arrive simultaneously. While some of his more patient dramas are critical darlings without necessarily connecting with millions of people, Man on Fire sits at the other end of the spectrum. It's one of Washington's most popular action movies, but it received mixed reviews.
Man on Fire sees Washington playing one of his authority figure characters, this time a former CIA agent turned bodyguard charged with protecting a young girl in Mexico City. Dakota Fanning delivers a compelling performance as the child in question, and Washington is just as captivating as his character embarks on a vengeful quest, partly to rescue his charge and partly to dish out his own brand of harsh justice.
7. Taken (2008)
Taken solidified Liam Neeson's transformation into an action star, carrying on the process from his roles in The Phantom Menace and Batman Begins. He plays an ex-CIA officer who uses his skills to track down his daughter and her friend after they are kidnapped on vacation in Paris.
Taken may trade in cheap thrills, but it's certainly difficult to resist its straightforward charms. The premise is so simple and effective, and the action so clean-cut and powerful, that Taken doesn't need the most complex story. Its simplicity allows it to connect with the ideas of love, protection and revenge. Unfortunately, the Taken franchise peaked with this first entry, and the sequels seemed superfluous.
6. Memento (2000)
Christopher Nolan's movies often play with different structures as a way of examining our perceptions of time. Tenet and Interstellar are two obvious examples, but even Oppenheimer, which would be a straightforward biopic in the hands of most other directors, uses a non-linear narrative to blur the lines between cause and effect. Memento was Nolan's first experimentation with these ideas, and it's still just as intriguing.
Memento follows a man seeking revenge for the murder of his wife, but his rare condition makes it impossible for him to create and store new short-term memories. This means that he lives his life in a blur of confrontations and chases, often without knowing exactly what his goals are. Nolan tells half of the story backwards to give the audience a similar experience of constant discovery. Somehow, Memento works brilliantly, with Nolan pulling off the impossible.
5. Léon: The Professional (1994)
In Léon: The Professional, Natalie Portman gives a young performance that is in line with her character's maturity beyond her years. After her family is murdered for running afoul of a criminal syndicate, Mathilde teams up with a professional hitman to exact her revenge against the men who orphaned her.
Léon: The Professional has been the subject of much debate and much controversy over its representation of the strange relationship between Léon and the young girl he takes under his wing. Their uncomfortable bond, forged in the harshest of circumstances, is never quite what it appears.
4. John Wick (2014)
In some ways, John Wick is a typical revenge thriller, as a former assassin drags himself out of retirement after a group of thugs kill his dog and steal his car. What really sets it apart is the unique style of action, which has set the standard for the genre for over a decade now.
Keanu Reeves' cold, calculated assassin is the ultimate big-screen badass, improvising with whatever weapons he has at his disposal and taking on a seemingly never-ending procession of criminals out to kill him. The franchise has evolved a lot over the years, with the first John Wick spinoff movie, Ballerina, coming soon, but the original still packs a punch.
3. The Gladiator (2001)
Ridley Scott has been pretty outspoken about his apathy towards historical accuracy, and Gladiator certainly shouldn't be treated as a historical document. However, there's no denying the entertainment value, the glorious spectacle and the thematic richness of the Roman epic.
Gladiator follows Maximus Decimus Meridius on his quest to take revenge against the brutal emperor Commodus, after his family is killed and he is forced into a life of gladiatorial slavery. It's rare to see an action movie win Best Picture, but Gladiator deserved this honor for its superb craftmanship and compelling story.
2. Kill Bill (2003)
Kill Bill is as unpredictable as any of Quentin Tarantino's films, and the director has a history of defying genre norms. While the story and the aesthetics clearly borrow from wuxia and martial arts movies, there are also allusions to westerns and a whole host of action thrillers.
Tarantino counts Kill Bill as one film split into two volumes. When it's seen this way, it's hard to argue against it being one of the most satisfying and entertaining revenge movies ever made. The Bride's crusade is punctuated by plenty of unforgettable fights, and Tarantino's usual flair for dialogue is also in full flow.
**1. Oldboy, 2003
Oldboy is one of three films that make up Park Chan-wook's Vengeance Trilogy, along with Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Lady Vengeance. Oldboy stands out from the other two, despite the fact that each of the three films is well worth watching. It has gained an international reputation, resulting in an American remake that fails to recapture the brilliance of the original.
Oldboy is one of three films that make up Park Chan-wook's Vengeance Trilogy.
Although Oldboy has some traditional elements of a revenge thriller, the strange nature of Oh Dae-su's capture and the film's unforgettable twist ending give it the appeal of a crime mystery too. Even for those without much knowledge or interest in Korean cinema, Oldboy deserves attention from action fans everywhere.