In 1972, Wes Craven brought to the big screen a brutal tale of rape—and the revenge it engendered—that went down in horror history. Last house on the leftbecame the clearest example of the disturbing subgenre rape and revenge. He also showed this revenge, spoken without mitigation and as a human fact, it could be as terrifying and unpleasant as the most formidable monster.
Of course, this was not a new plot twist and did not surprise the audience. Since the premiere Maiden’s fountain By Ingmar Bergman in 1960, the idea of justice in one’s own hands has become a common cliché. The Swedish director explored the most brutal, depraved and painful part of the human dimension of violence, and then analyzed the heartache. And all this with a clear message. Old proverb eye for an eye This is much more dangerous than one might think.
We leave you with seven revenge films that explore this theme from all angles. From a creature driven by hatred to the harshest version rape and revenge last decades. A journey to understand the dark side of modern man’s nature and his horrifying legacy.
Wild Nation
This film is directed by Sam Levinson (Euphoria And Idol) and released in 2018, examines the idea of revenge as a collective and detrimental event. In fact, the strength of his argument lies in delving into a simple premise. What happens when the most shameful and painful secrets become public knowledge?
More precisely, the plot takes place in the small town of Salem, in which everyone knows each other, or at least knows each other’s names. In this peaceful scenario, residents’ personal information and secrets are leaked onto the Internet. When chaos and violence erupt in the city, four girls band together to confront their attackers and fight for their survival.
The film addresses issues such as privacy in the digital age, gender-based violence, rape culture and social hypocrisy. To do this, he uses references to pop culture and provocative aesthetics. Which makes it a rarity in the revenge subgenre.
Remote
Director Levan Gabriadze and screenwriter Nelson Greaves envisioned social media as a vehicle for horror and redemption. Thus, the plot unfolds entirely on the computer screen. We also show the story through an online video conversation. But beyond the visual and narrative freedom, revenge is central to the plot.
The plot follows a group of friends in the midst of an online call who soon find themselves at the center of a supernatural event. That’s when they start receiving messages from someone claiming to be their deceased friend, Laura Barnes. Over time, everyone will be tormented by supernatural events and cruel dark secrets. Among them, everyone more or less actively participated in Laura’s death.
The script touches on topics such as online stalking, consequences of past actions, and revenge. Especially by turning harassment into social media and other platforms, in circumstances so overwhelming that they became fatal.
Mandy
Panos Cosmatos directed this work to glorify ultra-violence, but especially bloody justice. Starring Nicolas Cage. Mandy It is an exaggerated and bloody exploration of the limits of hatred and resentment.
The story takes place in 1983 and follows Red Miller (Cage), a lumberjack who lives a quiet life with his wife. Mandy (Andrea Riseborough). But when she is kidnapped by a cruel cult led by… Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache), Red will reveal everything his sullen isolation hides. Seeking revenge, he embarks on a brutal and surreal rescue mission. Mandy and kill those who hold him captive.
In this case, revenge is largely connected with an animal impulse. In fact, much of the film emphasizes the idea. Which makes the whole plot a journey through spilled entrails and grumbling, terrifying in its frontality.
Perfection
Revenge can have many faces, and this film, with its unexpected twist at the end, makes that clear right away. The story follows Charlotte (Allison Williams), a former cello prodigy who struggles to make her way back into the world of music.
There he meets Elizabeth (Logan Browning), a talented young woman who has taken his place. The two women develop a strange and confusing relationship that intensifies as they… They uncover a terrible past that unites them both in a complex, shared story.
In particular, showing the consequences that revenge can have in the midst of a series of confusing events. What begins with artistic competition, This will ultimately be an open door for an increasingly twisted type of body horror.
Last house on the left
The remake of the 1972 film of the same name, directed by Dennis Iliadis, is much more explicit in its depiction of sexual and physical violence than the first. However, unlike the script signed by Wes Craven, the plot explores good, evil and moral decisions in a critical context. This, of course, is in addition to the direct concept of the most cruel revenge.
The script sees Marie Collingwood (Sara Paxton) being kidnapped and raped along with one of her friends. Finally, presumed dead, he manages to escape and makes it to his parents’ summer home, where they find him. At the same time, the group of criminals who held him captive got lost and also arrived at the same object. It is then that the harshest, cruelest and most thorough revenge is carried out on screen.
But beyond the brutal violence, the film highlights human nature and how it can reveal its worst traits. In fiction, no one is far from committing a crime and receiving exact retribution for their actions.
irreversible
Few movie buffs can say they’ve seen this movie more than once, and there’s a reason for that. This is the most raw and realistic scene of sexual violence in decades. So much so that during its premiere it caused nausea and nervous breakdowns among moviegoers.
But it’s not just her infamous rape scene. At the same time, Gaspar Noe’s film shows the cruelty of death and desolation on a level that is quite unusual for cinema. The plot follows Marcus (Vincent Cassel) and his friend Pierre (Albert Dupontel) on their quest for revenge. But at the same time, the idea of the inevitability and predetermination of cruelty. With a certain philosophical edge, although without abandoning the urban and frontal tone, the film is a stark look at human degradation at its worst.
Violation
The film, directed by Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli, received acclaim at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Although it was not widely known, it received praise for her bold and disturbing approach to themes such as abuse, revenge and sexual violence.
The plot tells the story of Miriam (Madeleine Sims-Fewer), who, along with her husband and sister, goes to a remote house. During his stay, he undergoes a traumatic experience that triggers a series of disturbing events and, ultimately, horrific revenge. But beyond the horrific scenes (and there are some), the script focuses on the cruelty and fear that live in the subtext of any human relationship. A red flag if ever there was one.
Source: Hiper Textual
