Best Revenge Movies

“Revenge is a meal served best cold.” A famous quote that is used in a few revenge themed movies. We have seen of the many decades films being made where the main character is subject to getting revenge based on something that has happened to them or someone they care about. Some of these films are excellent. Some of these films stink. I have thought about this hard and decided to put together a top ten list of what I think is the greatest revenge movies ever made. Some might agree while others may have other suggestions. And so the list begins……

10.

Film: Lucky Number Slevin

Cast: Josh Hartnett, Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis and Sir Ben Kingsley

Director: Paul McGuigan

This is a great film about mistaken identity that actually unfolds into a plot for revenge. This movie has a great cast, with a few twists and is a good mafia style film set in the mob world of present day New York. With some humor, good mob violence and a great plot for revenge, Lucky Number Slevin deserves to be on this list.

9.

Film: V for Vendetta

Cast: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman and Rupert Graves

Director: James McTeigue

Fighting for freedom using a terrorist like approach, a mysterious freedom fighter takes on his nemesis which is a society that has fallen into a political dominance. Set in Great Britain, in the near future, the freedom fighter known as “V,” takes on the fascist’s society and rescues a girl who just may be his only ally throughout his battle for freedom.

8.

Film: Law Abiding Citizen

Cast: Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler

Director: F. Gary Gray

A man who loses his family decides that justice can only be served through his revenge. After a plea bargain sets the criminal free for murder, an angry man decides to set up a plan of revenge like no other. Not only is the killer his target, but he goes after the justice system. The best thing about this film is he is acting out his vengeance in the cell of a prison. This movie is full of action and suspense with a great plot twist towards the end.

7.

Film: Taken

Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen

Director: Pierre Morel

When the daughter of a retired C.I.A. agent is kidnapped in Europe, the father (Neeson) sets out using what sources he can to find the kidnappers, get revenge and get his daughter back. As the trail of finding his daughter becomes more and more complicated, he uses his skills and techniques to stop an under criminal unit who is selling these kidnapped girls as prostitutes.

6.

Film: 8MM (Eight Millimeters)

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Joaquin Phoenix and James Gandolfini

Director: Joel Schumacher

The dark and edgy scene of the “snuff” film underground porn scene is the setting of this next film. When a P.I. is hired on a case evolving a “snuff” film that has been found on an eight millimeter film, Cage must uses his skills to see if the film is indeed real or fake. As the investigation goes on, Cage discovers the truth and decides that the ones responsible for murdering a girl in the film. This movie is a daring film which takes you into a world you never want to wonder alone in.

5.

Film: Gladiator

Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix and Connie Nielsen

Director: Ridley Scott

When a former General’s family is murdered and his loyalty is betrayed by the son of Roman emperor, a man seeks out his revenge by going to Rome as a gladiator. As the Roman people gather to these gladiator battles, Crowe fights his way through these competitions seeking to get his revenge upon the one man responsible for slaying his family and destroying his village. Epic fight scenes’, and intense action, Gladiator is a recipe for success of revenge movies.

4.

Film: The Crow

Cast: the late Brandon Lee and Ernie Hudson

Director: Alex Proyas

A man and his lovely fiancée are murdered in their home in a city that is full of crime and criminals seem to have control. Lee comes back from the dead to avenge his and his fiancée’s murder. He begins to attack each gang member one by one through terror and violence getting his revenge one criminal at a time.

3.

Film: Inglorious Bastards

Cast: Brad Pitt, Tom Hardy, Colin Firth and Eli Roth

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Set in France during World War II, a group of selected men called the “basterds” are on a mission to kill Nazi’s. Like many other films by Tarantino, Inglorious Bastards is about a few revenge stories that seem to all come together towards the end of the film. Brad Pitt delivers a memorable performance and the way this film brings the plot of killing Hitler and his Nazi is a sure success of revenge and they way many people wished the war would have ended.

2.

Film: Leon: The Professional

Cast: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman and Natalie Portman

Director: Luc Besson

A professional assassin named Leon decides to take in a young girl whose family is murdered. He decides to teach her the ways and skills of becoming an assassin. The young girl is caught living a rough life because her father is a drug criminal dealing with crooked cops who ultimately murder her entire family and she is forced to survive under the help of Leon.

1.

Film: Man on Fire

Cast: Denzel Washington, Christopher Walken and Dakota Fanning

Director: Tony Scott

Set in Mexico and based on true events, Washington plays an ex assassin who takes a job as a bodyguard for a wealthy family. His job is to protect a young girl played by Fanning. As he begins to turn away from his alcoholic nature, and builds a bond with the young girl, Washington’s world is turned upside down real quick. After the girl is kidnapped and presumed dead, Washington decides to act out vengeance upon the criminals responsible for the kidnapping. This movie is a great revenge movie with deep character development. Man on Fire delivers on every aspect of a great film.

There are some other great films based on revenge that where almost on this list. These are the films that I consider great revenge films. We all love when the bad guys get the revenge that they deserve. Especially when it is a cool original way. I love these types of movies. Revenge is a meal served best cold, and these movies do just that.