Revenge (2017)
Written By: S.P.
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Coralie Fargeat
Producers: Marc-Etienne Schwartz, Marc Stanimirovic, Jean-Yves Robin
Screenwriter: Coralie Fargeat
Date Released: 11 September 2017
Cast:
Matilda Lutz as Jen
Kevin Janssens as Richard
Vincent Colombe as Stan
Guillaume Bouchède as Dimitri
Jean-Louis Tribes as Roberto
Rating = 2.5/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
The film begins by introducing the main characters. Jen, a beautiful, insecure and naive young woman is staying with her rich, married boyfriend in his isolated mansion in the middle of a desert. Two of his friends soon arrive for a hunting trip. At first, everything seems under control and seemingly normal, but not long after, things take a turn for the worst.
Later that evening, the gang unwinds with a few drinks, some music and some dancing. Having a casual and fun evening, Jen decides to dance with one of the men that she has just met. The two share an intimate and sensual dance which leaves the man beyond elated while simultaneously fuelling Jen’s ego. Jen and her boyfriend go to bed and the night ends there.
The next day, Jen’s lover leaves to run some errands, leaving Jen alone with the two men for a couple of hours. When the man with whom she danced with the night before approaches her and makes sexual advances, Jen immediately declines. He, of course, doesn’t take no for an answer. After having raped her, Jen refuses to comply with keeping silent about the incident and the three men agree on silencing her instead. The men are pleased with having finished her off and concealing their crime, yet little do they know of what horrors are to come. Miraculously, Jen managed to escape with her life and wants nothing more than some good old fashioned, brutal revenge.
Gore Factor
One thing that this movie isn’t lacking is gore, gore and more gore! Fargeat doesn’t shy away from any of the bloody details. The gore factor of this film isn’t over-the-top and gratuitous, however, there definitely isn’t a lack of it. Especially for a film that consists of only four characters in total. With a body count of only four people and only three death scenes, the film does a great job of satisfying any gore hound’s bloodlust. Albeit abundant and satisfying, the gore is quite farfetched and unrealistic. Yet, if you enjoy gore for gore, this shouldn’t be an issue. One scene, in particular, that had me cringing involved a piece of glass stuck deep inside one of the man’s foot. Watching him desperately dig into the depths of his foot with his bare fingers had me clutching onto my own.
The Grave Review
Revenge (2017) is a French action horror film that was released in September of 2017 with a runtime of 108 minutes. As the title implies, Revenge is a rape-and-revenge themed movie. What makes this film unique from the rest of its genre is the fact that it was directed by a female. Unlike most rape-and-revenge movies, which are primarily directed by men, director, Coralie Fargeat brings forth a new and intriguing take on the genre. The advantage of having a female director is that the female protagonist is portrayed in a more realistic and relatable fashion for its female viewers.
I personally enjoyed this film. It was an easy watch that satisfied my desire to see some bloody carnage. Being a female myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that the director was also a female and that the film was portrayed through a female vision. Another aspect that I appreciated from the film was the fact that not much focus was placed on the rape scene. Often, in rape-and-revenge type films, the director places much emphasis on the heinous act itself. While this is a valid method of portraying the woman’s sentiments and pain, for many people, it is often difficult to watch a lengthy rape scene. When speaking about the rape scene, Fargeat states: “For me, that’s not what the film is about. So I didn’t feel the need to make it visually important. Rape is symbolic of the way she’s considered and treated.”
Overall, Revenge (2017) is an entertaining horror flick that can be enjoyed by everyone. Even if you aren’t particularly attracted to the rape-and-revenge theme in general, Revenge may change your perspective.
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives Revenge (2017) two and one-half graves out of five graves.
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