Shubhabrata Dutta
Revenge is one of the basest and purest forms of human expression. Whenever something wrong is done to us, we tend to take revenge to balance the equation. Even the system of justice in which society operates is nothing but a formal way of exacting revenge for something done wrong. Turn this concept towards the fairer sex, and “hell hath no fury” comes to mind. Netflix offers many great movies that invite you to dive into a world where fierce femmes reign supreme, grudges are lethal, and payback is a dish best served by the ladies. Get ready for a thrilling ride through the realm of female revenge movies – where vengeance has never looked this fabulous!
14. Colombiana (2011)
Zoe Saldana stars as Cataleya, a highly-trained contract killer, in Olivier Megaton’s action thriller ‘Colombiana.’ As a kid, she saw her parents being killed in Colombo and has since been waiting for the perfect moment to take revenge. Her target? Druglord Don Luis Sandoval, whose men were the ones who gunned down her mom and dad. Trained by her uncle Emilio after arriving in Chicago, US, Cataleya became an accomplished assassin, steadily planning how to get to Sandoval and exact vengeance. While the execution makes ‘Colombiana’ look more like a B-movie, Saldana is a treat to watch and provides the means for us to binge the female revenge drama. You can watch it here.
13. The Mother (2023)
Niki Caro’s action thriller ‘The Mother’ features Jennifer Lopez as an operative, codenamed “the Mother,” who is forced to let go of her daughter. The baby having taken to safety by a special agent, Mother goes into hiding. More than a decade later, upon finding out that her daughter has been kidnaped by her enemies who are seemingly trying to force her out of her hole, she puts her skills to the test, bent not only on rescuing her daughter but exacting revenge from those who made the mistake of testing Mother’s wrath. Lopez does a good job pulling off her part, and the film itself feels cohesive and bingeworthy, despite being predictable. Co-starring Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, and Joseph Fiennes, ‘The Mother’ can be streamed here.
12. Trigger Warning (2024)
Directed by Mouly Surya, ‘Trigger Warning’ is an action thriller starring Jessica Alba as CIA combatant Parker, who returns to her hometown after her father’s tragic death in a mine collapse. However, she soon discovers that her father’s death is the result of a conspiracy that involves her ex, Jesse, and a weapons dealer who uses her father’s caves for weapon trafficking. Parker thus decides to avenge her father’s death by bringing the criminals to justice, teaming up with her father’s bar manager, Mike. The film co-stars Mark Webber, Tone Bell, and Jake Weary. You can watch the movie here.
11. Ballerina (2023)
Directed by Lee Chung-hyeon, this South Korean action thriller follows Jang Ok-ju (Jeon Jong-seo), who embarks on a killing spree after her best friend Choi Min-hee (Park Yu-rim), a ballerina, dies but leaves Ok-ju a note asking her to take revenge for her death. A former bodyguard trained in combat, Ok-ju frantically searches for Choi Pro (Kim Ji-hoon), who victimizes Min-hee to the point of no return. To find out how and know whether Ok-ju keeps her best friend’s request, you can watch this fast-paced flick right here.
10. I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)
A dysfunctional duo in a dysfunctional world tracking down dysfunctional degenerates. This summarizes ‘I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore.’ We have Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood as nursing assistants, Ruth and her neighbor, Tony, respectively, who set off on a mission to find the person(s) who robbed Ruth’s house and took away her grandmother’s silverware. This lands them in the middle of a group of dangerous, unhinged criminals. A dark comedy thriller, ‘I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore’ addresses Ruth’s commentary of the world around her, which just doesn’t let her be the way she wants to be. You can stream this Macon Blair directorial here.
9. Maria (2019)
In the 2019 action-thriller ‘Maria,’ director Pedring A. Lopez crafts a high-octane tale of vengeance and redemption. Cristine Reyes stars as Maria, a former cartel assassin seeking refuge from her violent past. However, when her idyllic life is shattered, Maria unleashes her lethal skills to avenge the brutal assault on her family. The film seamlessly blends intense martial arts sequences with a gripping narrative, propelling viewers into a world of relentless action and suspense. Reyes delivers a compelling performance as the titular character, navigating the treacherous terrain of crime and retribution in this adrenaline-fueled cinematic experience. You can watch it here.
8. Mother’s Day (2023)
‘Mother’s Day’ is a Polish action thriller directed by Mateusz Rakowicz. It follows Nina (Grochowska), a former NATO Special Operations agent who lives in hiding while watching over her teenage son, whom she gave up for adoption. When the boy is kidnapped by drug-dealing thugs, Nina sets out to rescue him and rain down hellfire on those who have made the mistake. A stylized action flick that mixes a loner narrative with new-age martial arts, ‘Mother’s Day’ is a binge-worthy entertainer for action-craving cinephiles. It can be streamed here.
7. Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021)
‘Kingdom: Ashin of the North’ is a feature-length spin-off of the South Korean zombie historical fiction series ‘Kingdom’ and follows Ashin, the mysterious woman Crown Prince Lee Chang’s party encounters while trying to find the source of the infection. In the film, Ashin is the daughter of the head of the Northern village of Seongjeoyain. After her mother is killed along with the rest of the villagers and her father is taken by the Pajeowi, Ashin grows up in a Joseon garrison, performing odd jobs and often being sexually assaulted by the soldiers in the garrison.
When she is instructed to spy on the Pajeowi camp, she finds her father, now amputated. She grants his request to kill him before setting fire to the camp. Upon returning to the garrison, she finds evidence connecting the Joseon captain to the massacre in her village, prompting her to turn her desire for revenge against the people of Joseon. You can watch the movie here.
6. Sweet Girl (2021)
Directed by Brian Andrew Mendoza, Netflix’s ‘Sweet Girl’ is a rare example of a film that blends smart narrative with high-octane action. The plot follows Ray Cooper (Jason Momoa), a working-class man with a loving wife, Amanda (Adria Arjona), and daughter, Rachel (Isabela Merced). Their happy life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is shattered after Amanda is diagnosed with cancer. The family spends their entire savings on her treatment. When everything else fails, the doctors suggest an experimental treatment developed by a company named BioPrime. But before the drug can be administered to Amanda, BioPrime stops its release to hike up the price. After Amanda’s death, Ray seeks justice and eventually revenge. The film makes it to this list because of a massive twist toward the end of the story, which turns the entire narrative on its head. You may watch the film here.
5. Sentinelle (2021)
A Julien Leclercq directorial venture, the French action film ‘Sentinelle’ revolves around Klara (Olga Kurylenko), who, while serving as an interpreter in the French Army, is traumatized after watching a young boy blow himself up during Opération Chammal. After returning home, she goes out with her sister Tania one evening. They are separated, and the following morning, the authorities inform Klara that someone has brutally beaten up and raped Tania. The investigation soon links what happened to Tania to the son of a Russian tycoon, both of whom are protected by diplomatic immunity.
Seeking justice for her sister, Klara tracks the son, Yvan Kadnikov, down, who adamantly claims that he didn’t rape anyone. When Klara secretly gets into the Kadnikov home to locate Yvan, the security captures her, and the father, Leonid Kadnikov, casually admits that he was responsible for what happened to Tania. Feel free to check out the movie here.
4. Do Revenge (2022)
‘Do Revenge,’ a teen black comedy helmed by director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and co-written with Celeste Ballard, features a star-studded cast including Camila Mendes, Maya Hawke, Austin Abrams, Rish Shah, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock‘s classic ‘Strangers on a Train’ (1951), the plot revolves around Drea, a popular teenager seeking retribution against her boyfriend for sharing her intimate video, and Eleanor, an exchange student haunted by a disturbing rumor. The two adolescents join forces, embarking on a darkly comedic journey as they unite against their tormentors, weaving a tale of vengeance and camaraderie in this gripping teen thriller. You can check out the film here.
3. Girl’s Revenge (2020)
Starring Wang Yu Ping, Yuri Chen, Shiny Yao, Edison Song, and Pii Liu, ‘Girl’s Revenge’ is a mystery drama movie that recounts a harrowing story of bullying and revenge. The Weica Wang directorial centers upon a controversial mockery and bullying of a school student whose sex video is filmed during a party without her consent. While Ren Li-cha is isolated, her video is widely circulated, and with each passing day, the bullying gets even more intense and relentless. Most students ignore Ren’s abuse or just take part in it, but a transfer student named Wu Yun-heng vows to do something about it. However, as she investigates the case and gets closer to the truth, it becomes evident that Yu-heng’s findings will change the school forever. You can watch ‘Girl’s Revenge’ here.
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2. Kate (2021)
Directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, ‘Kate’ is a high-octane action thriller that revolves around the eponymous character (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), an elite assassin-for-hire. Raised by her handler, Varrick (Woody Harrelson), Kate breaks one of the few codes she has in her work: Killing someone in the presence of a child. She subsequently tells Varrick that she will quit her volatile job after one more assignment. But after she is poisoned with Polonium-204 by a man she sleeps with, she learns that she has acute radiation poisoning and a day to live. This prompts Kate to embark on a path of vengeance against those responsible. She eventually finds the man who did the actual poisoning but discovers that he was forced to do so by a yakuza affiliate. Her journey of blood and violence leads her to Ani, the very girl who saw Kate kill her father. You may watch the movie here to find out what eventually happens.
1. Mom (2017)
This Bollywood crime thriller follows Devki Sabarwal (Sridevi), a teacher, who goes on a killing spree propelled by revenge after her stepdaughter Arya (Sajal Aly) is strangled and gang-raped by her classmates. Arya survives and names the culprits, after which a case is filed, but the boys are allowed to walk free due to lack of evidence and the fact that Arya was drunk at the time. What follows is how Devki goes after each of the boys, punishing them for what they did to her daughter. Directed by Ravi Udyawar, ‘Mom’ can be streamed here.
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