Nothing hits the spot quite like a revenge movie. A user from an online forum asked movie lovers for suggestions for films with satisfying revenge plots. Others replied with their recommendations of the best revenge movies of all time.
Django Unchained (2012)
Just before the outbreak of the Civil War, a slave and a bounty hunter search the country for two evil brothers. Their successful mission brings the two closer together, and the bounty hunter frees the slave before the two become a crime-fighting team.
The Count of Monte Christo (2002)
After a man is wrongfully imprisoned after being set up by his envious best friend, he hatches a plot for revenge in the hopes of getting his perfect life and a beautiful girl back. This epic quest features one of the most satisfying revenge stories ever told.
I Saw the Devil (2010)
When a sadistic taxi driver brutally kills a young woman, her body is later found floating in a river. When the woman’s fiance, who happens to be a secret agent, learns of her murder, he dedicates his life to tracking down her killer.
Blue Ruin (2013)
A man living a nomadic, drifter lifestyle catches wind that the man who murdered his parents twenty years ago was due to be released from prison. On a quest for justice, the man heads back to his hometown to kill the man who orphaned him years ago.
Payback (1999)
When a thief’s wife and partner team up to betray him and take all the money during a big job, he suffers a bullet wound in his back. Recovering from his injuries, the thief does whatever he can to track down his partner and get his hands on the money he believes is rightfully his. But it turns out his old partner no longer has the cash, and the thief’s mission is far from over.
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
A man’s world turns upside down when his wife and daughter are brutally murdered in their home. But the justice system fails when a prosecutor and one of the killers make a deal that keeps him out of prison. But after ten years, the family-man acts on an urge to kill the killer to find justice in his own right.
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Nocturnal Animals is a twisted film about a lonely woman who is left alone whenever her second husband travels for work. After she receives a manuscript of a novel written by her first husband in the mail, she reads the brutal story of the roadside kidnap and murder of a man’s family who goes on to seek revenge against the killers.
As she reads the novel, she must contend with her own past choices and mistakes.
The Punisher (2004)
When a terrifying crime lord murders an FBI agent’s family, the agent survives the brutal attack and dedicates his life to revenge. Once he heals from his injuries, the man arms himself with weapons and does his research to figure out the best way to take the crime lord down.
Taken (2008)
Taken is a classic action film about an ex-CIA agent whose daughter is abducted on a trip to Europe. On his last phone call with his daughter, he promises to find her and take her home safely after killing her abductors. But first, he has to find them.
Lucky Number Slevin (2006)
While a man is staying at his friend’s apartment, he’s abducted by a crime lord who mistakes him for his friend and threatens him to pay back his debts–or else. Soon, the man is embroiled in a rivalry between two warring gangs with seemingly no way out.
Conan the Barbarian (1982)
After a terrible ruler ransacks his village and kills his family, a young boy is forced to work tirelessly day in and day out for years. But once he grows up, the man escapes his confines on a mission to track down the man responsible for the destruction of his village and the deaths of his loved ones.
Rolling Thunder (1977)
Rolling Thunder follows a Vietnam veteran who spent years in a prisoner-of-war camp. When he returns home, a group of robbers invade his house, chop off his hand, and kill his family. After the attack, the veteran becomes obsessed with revenge and embarks on a journey to find it.
The Northman (2022)
As a prince nears his eighteenth birthday, his evil uncle murders his father and abducts his mother. He manages to escape and becomes a Viking who raids villages for resources. But he never forgets his goal: to reunite with his long-lost mother and kill his terrible uncle.
Death Wish (1974)
When an architect’s wife is killed during a home invasion, his growing desire for revenge sets him on a path of vigilante violence. After receiving a gun as a gift, he roams the streets, searching for criminals to kill. The police are wary of the vigilante killer, while the public praise his choices.
Maya (she/they) is a queer entertainment and culture journalist. They cover interviews, reviews, roundups, news, and more. She loves horror, history, and creativity. They hope their writing both entertains readers and inspires them to think critically. Her favorite pastimes include needle felting, gaming, and drawing.
