While revenge movies have always been present, there's been a surge in the subgenre lately with Femme. Revenge movies tend to be on an epic scale unlike any action movie or popcorn flick, whether it's a swords and sandals flick or a World War II drama, and that's part of what makes them so great.
There's a lot of authenticity in revenge movies in of production design, as opposed to non-stop CGI, and Redditors have debated which revenge flicks do it best. Between entertaining rampant killing sprees, a surprisingly personal James Bond movie, and a dystopian 70s cult classic, Redditors have pulled out some deep cuts as well as the obvious choices.
Gladiator (2000)
Gladiator as the best revenge movie ever, as the film sees Maximus, who is forced to fight for an evil emperor's entertainment after his wife is murdered. The Redditor notes that in one of the most fearsome and hard-hitting monologues ever, Maximus claims, "I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
It seems like that might not have just been an empty threat that he could never follow through on, as even though Maximus dies at the end of the movie, there is a planned sequel that may or may not ever release.
The Northman (2022)
The Northman is the most newly released revenge flick, and while it wasn't a massive box office success, it has been praised to no end by critics, and those who have seen it love it. The movie follows a Viking who attempts to get revenge on his uncle, who killed the Viking's parents when he was just a young boy.
Though some Redditors think that The Northman is a history channel docudrama and nothing more, most others love it, and Epsdelta74 thinks that it's the best revenge movie ever. The Redditor posits, "Too fresh to get much recognition here, but yes. It was epic." The movie is full of ambition, whether it's fighting on volcanoes while it's erupting or the astonishing practical effects and set design of the villages. And even the few uses of CGI use digital techniques in a way that's never been done before.
John Wick (2014)
John Wick is the most popular answer to the best revenge movie debate. Tobyisakiller is one of many to refer to the first movie about the Baba Yaga, and they know how popular of an opinion it is, noting, "Call me a clown but John Wick." The titular character goes on a rampant killing spree when Iosef breaks into his house and kills his dog, which was the last connection Wick had to his deceased wife.
Though the sequels aren't exactly about revenge and even arguably detract from the sentimentality of the first film, there's no denying just how much of an emotional rollercoaster the 2014 movie is. The grounded, stylistic presentation of the film's action is one of the reasons 2014 was an influential year for action movies.
Mad Max (1979)
In the wake of the phenomenally successful Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015, which was a soft reboot of the franchise, few people talk of its predecessors anymore. However, the original is still a favorite of many, including KingGuy420, who thinks it's the best revenge movie.
The Redditor says, "A lot of people don't like it cause it's not enough like the other Mad Max's, and I get that, but it's still a really solid revenge movie." The 1979 release is very clearly an indie movie with a low budget, and a few rusty cars don't exactly put across the fact that it's set in a dystopian future. Viewers are very much required to suspend disbelief, but the narrative is so engaging that audiences are willing to overlook its shortcomings.
Conan The Barbarian (1982)
Conan the Barbarian is the best revenge movie, as it sees the titular character seeking vengeance for the death of his parents and attempting to kill Thulsa Doom, an undead evil wizard. The barbarian got his revenge in the first movie, but he was far from finished wreaking havoc in the Hyborian Age.
The movie has a sequel, Conan the Destroyer, and there was a third movie in the works too. The Wachowskis were working on the Conan threequel, which was tentatively titled King Conan: Crown of Iron. Unfortunately, it remains in development hell, but it would undoubtedly have been one of the best revenge-action fantasy movies ever with the Matrix directors at the helm.
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
An argument could be made that any Quentin Tarantino movie is the best revenge flick ever made. Revenge is the one common theme throughout all of the writer-director's filmography, whether it's Inglourious Basterds is the best of them all.
The Redditor claims, "One of my favorite all-time movies is Inglorious Bastards. Arrivederci!" The movie is full of multiple revenge stories that crossover with each other, whether it's the Basterds trying to kill Hitler, Hans Landa getting revenge on Bridget von Hammersmark, or Aldo Raine carving a swastika into Hans' forehead. Not to mention that the Bear Jew is one of Tarantino's most vengeful characters.
Sicario (2015)
Sicario is screenwriting at its finest and subverts expectations in one of the cleverest ways imaginable. While the whole movie is seemingly about a war with the Cartel on the Mexican border, the characters' real intentions are kept a secret until the final moments. Traws06 posits, "Man that was a great movie, and the fact that you don’t really find out that it’s about revenge 'til the end…"
It's revealed why Alejandro is really involved with the government task force in the second-to-last scene, as he was really out for revenge against the man who murdered his family. And he gets revenge by doing the exact same thing in one of the most jaw-dropping endings of the 21st century.
Nobody (2021)
John Wick might be the most influential Hollywood movie of the 2010s, as so many copycat and rip-off films have followed in its wake. However, while Nobody is one of those copycat movies, it's just as impressive as the 2014 hit. It might be on a much smaller scale, as none of Hutch's family was killed, not even his dog, but one home invader did steal his daughter's Kitty-Kat bracelet.
Jayforwork21 thinks it's even better, calling it the best revenge flick. The Redditor notes, "Loved how it starts with him as a sad regular dude and then he starts to become his old self again..." Just like Wick, Hutch is a former assassin, and hopefully, Nobody follows in Wick's footsteps and becomes a successful long-running series.
Licence To Kill (1989)
ReallyTallLeprechaun thinks Licence To Kill is the best revenge movie, explaining, "It's Timothy Dalton's second entry and is a fantastic revenge story." As Craig's James Bond series has been relatively grounded compared to the other movies, many people forget that Licence To Kill was an extremely dark entry into the series 16 years earlier.
The movie sees Bond on a much more personal adventure, as he goes rogue and attempts to get revenge on a drug lord for his attack on Felix Leiter. And with the huge action sequences in the movie, the revenge movie would make a great video game.
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Almost every Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is the best revenge movie of all time.
In fairness, the movie does have "revenge" in the title, but there isn't all that much revenge going on, just like how there aren't any ghosts in The Phantom Menace. However, interestingly, there is a revenge plot where the man seeking vengeance doesn't actually get revenge, as Anakin fails to defeat Obi-Wan and is left limbless.
