Revenge (2017) Review: Glossy, Gory Genre Thriller With Bite

This revenge review looks at Coralie Fargeat's R-rated action thriller, a French-language, Belgian-produced film that wears its genre roots proudly. It runs a lean 108 minutes and aims straight for the gut. Whether it hits depends on your appetite for stylised violence.

Revenge Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The revenge plot starts simply. Jen (Matilda Lutz) travels to a remote, luxurious retreat with Richard, her rich and married boyfriend. The trip is meant to be private and indulgent, a few days of sun, drinks and escape.

Then Richard's friends turn up early for a hunting trip nobody had mentioned. The mood in the house shifts. Fargeat lets the unease build through glances, loaded small talk and shifting power, and the weekend tips toward something much darker.

I will stop there. The film's first act is the only part worth discussing before you see it, and it is the strongest stretch of the setup. The tagline, "Why do women always have to put up a fight?", tells you what the film wants to argue.

What Works in Revenge

Fargeat writes and directs, and her control of tone is the film's biggest asset. This is a debut feature with a clear visual identity. Bright, saturated colours and sharp compositions make even a barren landscape look like a painting.

The film also commits to its themes. It sets out to examine the male gaze, and it does so by first showing how the men around Jen see her. Her confidence and her body are never the problem. The problem is the entitlement of the men who think that gives them a right to her.

Here are the other things that stand out:

• Striking camerawork. The setting is used as a character, and the wide shots of arid terrain make the story feel both beautiful and hostile.

• A physical, committed lead turn. Jen looks worn down, dirty and exhausted as the story goes on, and the film never glamorises that.

• Efficient pacing. There is little padding, and the story moves from tension to action without a long lull.

• Symbolism with intent. Visual motifs recur throughout, and several land with real force.

Fans of the action movie reviews we cover will find a film that treats its genre with more care than most. It borrows from exploitation cinema, but it brings craft and a point of view to the job.

Revenge Cast and Performances

The Revenge cast is small, and the film depends heavily on Matilda Lutz. She plays Jen, and she handles a demanding role that shifts from playful to terrified to ferocious. Her physical commitment sells the story's more extreme moments, and she carries long stretches with almost no dialogue.

Kevin Janssens plays Richard, the wealthy boyfriend, with a smooth charm that curdles quickly. He makes the character feel dangerous in an everyday way, which is more unsettling than a cartoon villain. Vincent Colombe plays Stan, and Guillaume Bouchède plays Dimitri. Both fill out the group dynamic convincingly, even if the script gives them fewer shades than the leads.

Jean-Louis Tribes appears as Roberto, and Barbara Gateau supplies the voice of Richard's wife. Their roles are smaller, but they help establish the world around Jen. Overall, the acting is better than the genre usually gets, a point several audience reviewers also raised.

Where Revenge Stumbles

The film's biggest problem is believability. The central conflict that sets everything in motion goes so far over the top that some viewers will struggle to buy into it. If you need your thrillers grounded, the escalation may pull you out of the story.

The gore is another sticking point. The film uses blood on a huge scale, and while the heightened style is clearly deliberate, some scenes feel excessive. A few viewers have called the violence pointless, and I understand the complaint even if I found it more stylised than gratuitous.

The characters are also fairly thin outside of Jen. The male roles serve the theme more than they work as people, and that makes the film feel schematic at times. It is a crime story with a very clear moral line, and it rarely complicates it.

The audience score of 6.5 out of 10 from over 2,200 votes on TMDB reflects this split. Some reviewers call it a much-needed jolt for the genre, while others find the plot too ridiculous to take seriously.

Is Revenge Worth Watching?

Yes, if you can handle intense violence and want a stylish, angry genre film. This revenge review comes down to a simple point. The film is not subtle, and it is not realistic, but it has real confidence and a lead performance that keeps you hooked.

Fargeat's direction is the reason to watch. She makes bold choices with colour, framing and pacing, and the result feels like a filmmaker announcing herself. If you have enjoyed Atlas King or similar hard-edged crime fare, this is a more artful cousin.

It is not for everyone. Viewers who dislike graphic bloodshed, or who struggle with implausible plotting, should think twice. For the right audience, though, it is a punchy and memorable watch.

Who Will Enjoy Revenge

• Fans of stylised action thrillers and exploitation-inspired cinema who want something with a message.

• Viewers interested in Coralie Fargeat's work and in films that deal directly with the male gaze.

• Anyone who likes strong, physical lead performances and visually bold filmmaking, and who can stomach heavy gore.