The Best Movies About Getting Revenge

Ranker Film
Updated October 2, 2023 52.7K votes 6.0K voters 392.1K views
Over 6.0K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Movies About Getting Revenge
Voting Rules
Movies must contain a revenge plot.
Latest additions: Saw X, Athena, The Good Mother
Most divisive: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

A list of the best revenge movies. These are the best revenge films ever made. If you believe we missed something that should be on the list of the best revenge movies of all time. Revenge is a dish best served cold... it also can be one of the most satisfying events to witness first hand in these good revenge thrillers. This makes "vengeance" a fantastic theme for movies about revenge and some of them are even particularly violent. This list of revenge films includes all genres, even revenge horror movies, although most of them are going to be action or dramas.

If a suspenseful revenge plot is on your agenda for the day, be sure to check out these top revenge films. We're not saying vengeance or payback is always the answer, but if you're into films that make you grin with schadenfreude then these are the movies for you! A few are even available on Netflix. This revenge movies list is ranked in order of votes, so vote for the best revenge thrillers so they rise to the top.

What is your top revenge movie? Take a look at this revenge movies list and vote for the movie you think is the best. Then check back as new revent movies are added to the list.

Ranked by
  • John Wick Franchise
    1

    John Wick Franchise

    Keanu Reeves
    510 votes
    • Directed by: Chad Stahelski
    John Wick is an American media franchise which consists of action thriller films created by Derek Kolstad and directed by Chad Stahelski. Keanu Reeves stars as the eponymous character, a retired but deadly hitman seeking vengeance. In the first film (2014), when a gangster’s son steals his car and kills his dog, John Wick comes out of retirement, taking on his entire mob to get his revenge. In the 2017 sequel, forced to honor a debt from his past life, Wick assassinates a target he has no wish to kill, then faces betrayal at the hands of his sponsor.
  • Gladiator
    2

    Gladiator

    Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen
    1,880 votes
    • Released: 2000
    • Directed by: Ridley Scott
    In the spellbinding epic Gladiator, Russell Crowe embodies Maximus, a Roman general betrayed and reduced to slavery. Joaquin Phoenix plays Commodus, the treacherous emperor who orchestrates Maximus's downfall. Ridley Scott's masterful direction brings ancient Rome to life in this historical drama that brims with breathtaking battle sequences and political intrigue. The movie, a critical darling, won five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe. Gladiator is an intense journey of vengeance and redemption set against a backdrop of imperial decadence.

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  • The Count of Monte Cristo
    3

    The Count of Monte Cristo

    Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Dagmara Dominczyk
    1,173 votes
    • Released: 2002
    • Directed by: Kevin Reynolds
    The Count of Monte Cristo is a captivating drama-adventure, based on Alexandre Dumas's timeless novel. In this tale of betrayal and revenge, the film follows Edmond Dantès (Jim Caviezel), a young sailor who is falsely accused of treason by his best friend Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce). Following years of imprisonment in the dreaded Château d'If, Dantèsescapes with an elaborate plan for retribution. The movie is a thrilling exploration of justice, friendship, and the human spirit. It won the BMI Film Music Award in 2002, testament to its gripping score that enhances the plot's intensity.

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  • Unforgiven
    4

    Unforgiven

    Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman
    861 votes
    • Released: 1992
    • Directed by: Clint Eastwood
    Unforgiven, a multi-Oscar winning Western drama, showcases the final days of aging outlaw William Munny (Clint Eastwood). Once a notorious killer and robber, Munny is now a widowed pig farmer, living quietly with his two children. Persuaded by young gunslinger The Schofield Kid (Jaimz Woolvett) to claim a bounty on two cowboys who disfigured a prostitute, he teams up with his old partner Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman). As they embark on their mission, Munny grapples with the violence of his past and the harsh realities of frontier justice. This film explores themes of morality, redemption, and the brutal nature of violence.

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  • Tombstone
    5

    Tombstone

    Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Michael Biehn
    747 votes
    • Released: 1993
    • Directed by: George P. Cosmatos
    Tombstone, a captivating Western drama, unravels the story of an infamous lawman, Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell), who retires to Tombstone, Arizona. He's accompanied by his brothers and Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer), a volatile gambler. As they strive for a peaceful life, their tranquility is shattered by the ruthless Cowboy gang. The ensuing conflict leads to the legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The movie brims with high-stakes confrontations and historic characters, offering an intense exploration of brotherhood and justice in the dangerous Wild West.

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  • Equalizer
    6

    Equalizer

    Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz
    856 votes
    • Released: 2014
    • Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
    Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), a man of mysterious origin who believes he has put the past behind him, dedicates himself to creating a quiet new life. However, when he meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a teenager who has been manhandled by violent Russian mobsters, he simply cannot walk away. With his set of formidable skills, McCall comes out of self-imposed retirement and emerges as an avenging angel, ready to take down anyone who brutalizes the helpless.

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