Highly Overrated But Still Good

Good start, but then it gets ruined

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Revenge (2017) *** (out of 4)Rather insane French film has Richard (Kevin Janssens) taking his mistress Jen (Matilda Lutz) to a house that is used by him and his hunting buddies. The hunting buddies Stan (Vincent Colombe) and Dimitri (Guillaume Bouchede) arrive and the next morning Jen is raped by one of them. Fearing what might happen Richard tries to kill Jen but after a horrendous injury she survives to get revenge.I guess the only word that comes to my mind after watching this film is "wow." I mean, really? To say that I'm a bit shocked would be an understatement and I say that for a number of reasons. This film was released to all sorts of controversy with some people walking out on it and others calling it a masterpiece. Well, I didn't walk out on it and I don't think it's a masterpiece. REVENGE is certainly an entertaining movie but the more I think about it the more logical issues I have with it.For starters, I'm going to avoid spoilers but how in the Hell did Jen survive what happened to her? With that out of the way, the first portion of this film is exceptionally good with director Coralie Fargeat doing a terrific job with the introduction of the characters and she also handles the pre-rape sequence very well. These rape/revenge movies have been done to death but I thought the director did a great job building up the tension leading up to the rape.What didn't work with the film was a few logical issues that kept creeping up throughout the movie including it appearing that all of the characters turned into superheroes. Another problem with the film is that at times I think all of the style gets in the way of the story but this here was just a minor issue. Even with these issues you can't help but love the performances from the entire cast and especially those of Lutz and Janssens. Both of them were wonderful in their parts and especially Lutz since she doesn't get much dialogue and instead must act with her eyes to let us know what's going on with the character.The music score, the cinematography and editing are all wonderful and there's no doubt that this is an extremely well-made film. As I said, I thought there were certainly some flaws but even with them I couldn't help but enjoy the film as a pure exploitation picture. I mean, there's a lot of really graphic violence and a ton of blood throughout the movie so gore hounds are going to be happy. The film is pretty darn sleazy throughout and for the most part I enjoyed it.

Essentially, "Revenge" is nothing more than "I Spit On Your Grave IV." A bunch of bad guys get their comeuppance from a young lady seeking revenge. This film, though, had more blood in it than a Midwest slaughter house at Chrismastime. Boy, was it gory.And unbelievable. There are some things you'll see that just wouldn't pan out in real life, but this is the movies, right? Where the unbelievable happens? Like the SONY logo says: Make. Believe.I believe I saw the unrated version. If it wasn't then I guess the R rated one left all the nasty bits intact, which is surprising because censor boards have been known to blacklist films with this much violence. If you're a fan of L'Intereur, I Spit On Your Grave, Ichi The Killer, Martyrs, Irreversible, etc., you won't be disappointed.

This film should be titled "Colonoscopy" because it's so far up its own arse.While the cinematography and the film's lead are both gorgeous, this film is so pretentious, full of genre cliches and unnecessarily slow that I lost interest and had to come back twice in order to finish it.I saw the reviews and thought that perhaps I was missing something and that it gets really good in the last act. Nope. Perhaps our heroine goes about dispatching these nasty guys in really creative ways. Nope. Maybe it will be a very realistic take on the genre. HELL NO. The setup for the antagonists is ham-fisted and clumsy and our lead is not overly smart or capable, which means she should have just died. She's barefoot in the wilderness and doesn't even think to take a dead man's shoes, or his belt or his coat.If you're weak and stupid, why should I root for you at all? Because you're beautiful? She doesn't deserve the circumstances she's put in, but she was sleeping with a married man. If she was smart, the whole thing was completely avoidable.I love horror. I love thrillers. I love revenge films. I'm not crazy about rape in films because it really upsets me but I understand it as a plot device. I'm able to suspend my disbelief in the service of an interesting film but when a 105lb woman is impaled through the abdomen by a tree branch, "seals" the wound with a red-hot beer can and then is running around barefoot in the desert with barely a scar to show for it.... it's pushing the limits even if the film were grossly entertaining, which it isn't.If not for the practical gore effects and stunning camera work, this would be a total snore-fest. Yes, she's a very attractive woman but everything else is way too over-the-top for me and doesn't have anything new to say or take any real risks.

Revenge is a modern French exploitation of many films that came before. I Spit On Your Grave, Ms. 45, and Martyrs are on full display here as we get an ever explosive rape/revenge film with hemoglobin to spare.The pros here are the locales, cinematography, and score. Visually, this film is a sight to behold. Gritty and picturesque in the same measure makes for a breathtaking experience. While a French venture, this film feels more akin to an Australian exploitation film. The rocky, golden landscape appears straight from a 70's ozploitation cannon. The score is retrograde in the ways of John Carpenter and Tangerine Dream. Synth driven melancholic themes that drive each scene and character. Paired with the lighting and camera work, it makes for a nostalgic experience.The cons: The cast did the best they could ever achieve with the script. At the end of the day, there's not a likeable character in the bunch. Sure, we rally for the raped and abused heroine in the end, but even she isn't a ray of sunshine. A mistress at best, we're forced to identity with the "other woman." Not to say she isn't sympathetic and strong, but it takes a complete suspension of disbelief and prolonged development of "revenge," that by the time we back her up to end the nightmare, it's so over the top that it doesn't matter anymore. The runtime is a factor. A lean hour and twenty minutes would suffice. However, we're treated to extended nightmare sequences, hunting/cover up scenes, and an over the top ending with lots of gore, but no logic. Overall, Revenge is a modern take on classic rape/revenge films of the 70's and early 80's. While bloody and well photographed, the long runtime and the lack of a relatable lead and subsequent characters makes for a familiar road that's been traveled better, long before.