“Before embarking on a voyage for retribution, dig two graves,” stated Confucius, a great Chinese philosopher. This holds true for the majority of the vengeance films we watch. That is most likely what draws us to these films. Knowing the repercussions of seeking retribution in real life, most of us would avoid the concept and back off. So we watch movies to get a taste of what a strong and rebellious soul might do to bring justice and, occasionally, peace to his own dreaded spirit.
All of these tough characters out for vengeance share one trait: they have nothing to lose. Their lives have been extended beyond sorrow and anguish to the point that they are willing to dig two graves to exact retribution. Most of us, on the other hand, have a lot to lose, so let’s just be ourselves and watch it all in movies. With that in mind, here’s a list of Netflix’s best revenge films. On the list, there are also female vengeance films.
Acts of Vengeance (2017)
‘Acts of Vengeance,’ directed by Isaac Florentine, is an action thriller written by Matt Venne. The film stars Antonio Banderas and Karl Urban as Frank Valera, a fast-talking lawyer whose life appears to be perfect until one routine day when everything go wrong. Frank’s family is brutally murdered by unknown perpetrators, and his life falls apart in an instant. The talkative lawyers swear a vow of silence and promise not to speak again until he has avenged his daughter and wife’s murderers.
Eye for an Eye (2019)
‘Eye for an Eye,’ directed by Paco Plaza, is a drama-thriller written by Juan Galianes and Jorge Guerricaechevarra. Mario is a morally decent man who takes after the elderly in an old people’s home in the film starring Luis Tosar and Xan Cejudo. When infamous criminal Antonio Padn gets freed from prison after being diagnosed with a terminal illness, he too ends himself at the same address. Mario, who has been working as a nurse at the facility, looks after Antonio just like the other residents, but the narco has no idea that his caretaker has some very unsettling plans for him.
I Don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore (2017)
Have you ever seen a vengeance comedy? Well, this is most likely the first of its kind. ‘I don’t feel at home in this world anymore’ is the narrative of a depressed woman who, without a sense of purpose, tries to find it by chasing down and avenging robbers who stole into her home. She catches the burglars with the help of her neighbor (Elijah Wood), but they both end themselves completely out of their comfort zones, deep in a rut of lethal crooks.
Gangs Of Wasseypur Part 2 (2012)
Gangs of Wasseypur is for those who enjoy seeing high-octane Hindi crime films. It’s a two-part criminal drama directed by Anurag Kashyap and co-written by Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri. The plot (which spans 68 years from 1941 to 2009) revolves around the Dhanbad coal mafia (Mafia Raj) and depicts underlying power struggles, politics, and terrible vengeance. The film, which starred Manoj Bajpai, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadda, Huma Qureshi, and Tigmanshu Dhulia, was a commercial and critical success.
Kate (2021)
Kelly McCormick, Bryan Unkeless, and Patrick Newall created the action thriller ‘Kate.’ The film follows the titular protagonist, a competent assassin who is frequently assigned difficult assignments by her tutor to assassinate some of the world’s most powerful people. As a result, when Kate is given the duty of assassinating a high-ranking yakuza boss, she doesn’t think twice about it and gets right to work. She is, however, taken aback when she learns that she has been poisoned and has only 24 hours to live. Now, determined not to let the mysterious assailant go free, the assassin resolves to track him down and exact vengeance before it’s too late.
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
Nothing is more aggravating to a man than being confronted with the murderers of his family, and Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is one of them. When his family’s killers get away with the crime they did due to flaws in the system, he becomes enraged. Clyde seeks vengeance not only by murdering them one by one, but also by destroying the entire corrupt system that was involved. Agent Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) attempts everything he can to capture Clyde in the act, but Clyde always manages to stay one step ahead of him.
Parker (2013)
‘Parker,’ an action thriller starring Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, and Bobby Cannavale, is based on Donald Westlake’s novel. The film is directed by Taylor Hackford and stars Melander, Carlson, Ross, and Hardwicke as the title protagonist, a professional thief who embarks on a mission with an unfamiliar crew. The robber concentrates on his aim, oblivious to the challenges that lie ahead. After double-crossing Parker, his new pals abandon him as the tables are turned against him. The tough man, on the other hand, survives and vows to avenge the betrayal.
Polar (2019)
He says, “I was in the funeral business,” which he was, because he was the world’s best assassin, who put many people to sleep on their deathbeds. Mads Mikkelsen plays a fierce former assassin who finds himself back in the game when the company he used to work for targets him. The film is filled with blood, gore, thunderous gunfire, and the desire for vengeance. Vanessa Hudgens also appears in this film as Camille, who develops a friendship with the assassin.
Revenge of the Pontianak (2019)
‘Revenge of the Pontianak,’ a Singaporean Malay-language romance horror film starring Nur Fazura, Remy Ishak, and Hisyam Hamid, is a standout performance by Nur Fazura, Remy Ishak, and Hisyam Hamid. The film follows Khalid and Siti, a soon-to-be-married couple who are looking forward to their big day. Strange mysterious occurrences and unexplained deaths, on the other hand, plague the community, causing chaos and bewilderment. Soon after, it is discovered that a beautiful Pontianak is stalking the villagers, one by one, with the intention of exacting revenge on Khalid.
Revenger (2018)
It’s amazing how nearly every vengeance film revolves on the protagonist’s family being murdered. Isn’t that true, though? Nothing can force a guy to become a vengeful beast like the death of his own family members. When your family means everything to you and you lose them due to circumstances beyond your control, you learn to regain control by seeking justice for them, and this is the only thing that allows you to sleep at night. This is exactly what Kim Yool does after his family members die tragically. To pursue the justice that his family deserves, he infiltrates the premises of an island jail that houses the most heinous death row inmates.
The Hard Way (2019)
‘The Hard Way,’ directed by Keoni Waxman and written by Thomas J. Churchill, is an action thriller starring Michael Jai White, Randy Couture, Grant Campbell, and Madalina Anea. The story follows John Payne, a retired soldier who now lives a calm life away from the dangers of combat. Unfortunately, when he hears that his brother, Cody, has died in action, he rushes to Romania to finish the task that his brother began. Along the way, he gathers two allies and swears vengeance for his younger sibling’s death.
Your Son (2018)
‘Your Son,’ a thriller drama film directed and co-written by Miguel ngel Vivas, stars Jose Coronado, Ana Wagener, Asia Ortega, and Pol Monen. The plot revolves around Dr. Jaime Jiménez, a family man who is devoted to his loved ones and has little interest in other worldly pursuits. When his 17-year-old son is left in a vegetative state after a savage beating outside a nightclub, Jaime pledges that the culprits will not be allowed to live a tranquil life. It’s the start of a bloody pursuit for every single man who has ever touched Jaime’s son.
