Review of Revenge (2017) by Filmjunk — 08 Jun 2018

Revenge is a constant barrage of absurdity, and a beautifully crafted one at that. Writer-director Coralie Fargeat holds absolutely nothing back in this thriller as she utilizes every possible tool of graphicness to thrust viewers into a state of discomforting distress that is grotesquely fitting for a story of violence and vengeance such as this.

The plot itself never moves beyond its bare-bones state: woman is assaulted and left for dead, survives, then goes on a rampage seeking retribution. That's essentially all this film is. But although it's simplistic in its story, the way it tells that story is seamless and visually spectacular. The cinematography and music shift throughout the film in such a way that every scene is tied together to articulate the harsh transition that Jen makes from sheltered socialite to hardened survivor. This is a film about survival, and the plot is advanced using very little dialogue and lots of detailed visual cues. This visual storytelling would not work without actors that are capable of such a vast array of emotion that says everything about their characters without using words. Because of the cast's talent, the plot flows seamlessly.

That being said, all disbelief must be suspended during Revenge, and this is does not work out in the film's favor. The violence is so over-the-top in its blood and gore that it removes much of the sense of tension. The characters lose such crazy amounts of blood and it they don't seem to be nearly as adversely affected by it as they should; thus it takes away much of the fear for the heroine's safety. It seems that anything can happen to her and she will be completely fine. The villains also make several careless decisions that serve only to advance the plot.

On the other hand, the rest of the non-gory aspects of the film display admirable realism: without spoiling anything, Jen fires a shotgun for the first time and the recoil actually knocks her off her feet, etc. It acknowledges the weaknesses of real people and it helps make up for the other absurd elements of the film. Revenge is a crazy thrill ride that is very much not for the faint of heart and it certainly does not make for pleasant, casual viewing.

Story: 7.5.

Acting: 10.

Script: 5.

Visuals/Sound: 10.

Entertainment Value: 6.

OVERALL SCORE: 7.