Revenge is often associated with the bad guy. Think about cartoons! A mustache-twirling villain is eager to exact his evil vengeance on the hero for foiling their plans! Colorful, animated children's shows are full of that, but there is another sort of revenge story – righteous vengeance.

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There is something both exciting and cathartic about stories where the legal system has failed, and someone is willing to take justice into their own hands. It may not be realistic, but it is fun to watch. Whether the revenge is to teach someone a lifelong lesson, protect a loved one, or heal a personal hurt, there are plenty of movies out there to choose from for movie night.

American Mary (60%)

american mary

Mary Mason (Katherine Isabelle) is a medical student full of potential until she is drugged and assaulted by a former professor (David Lovgren). Dropping out of her residency program, she takes her skills to the world of underground surgeries and extreme body modifications.

Thrilling, empowering, and delightfully gory, the Soska Sisters' American Mary is a twisted tale that highlights who the real "freaks" are in a world...and it's not the ones into body mods.

Hard Candy (67%)

Hayley ties up Jeff in Hard Candy

The predator becomes the prey in this riveting thriller. Jeff (Patrick Wilson) thinks that he hit the jackpot when he scores a date with a teenager (Elliot Page) that he met online, but the smooth-talking photographer gets far more than he expected.

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Dark, surprising, and highly intelligent, the twists and turns will keep viewers squirming on the edges of their seats as Hayley ensures that Jeff will never prey on an innocent minor ever again.

Lady Vengeance (76%)

Who better to tell a revenge tale than Park Chan-wook? Famous for writing and directing Oldboy, the talented Korean director takes another brutal stab at the genre with Lady Vengeance.

Wrongfully imprisoned and separated from her child for thirteen years, Lee Geum-ja is determined to find and punish the man who is truly to blame for the vicious crimes that got her locked away.

Monster (81%)

Charlize Theron smoking a cigarette in Monster

Years before Wonder Woman, Patty Jenkins wrote and directed the impressive biopic that covered the tragic life of famed serial killer Aileen Wuornos.

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Aileen (Charlize Theron) is a sex worker determined to turn her life around for the better for herself and her girlfriend (Christina Ricci). When she kills an abusive client in self-defense, it leads to a wild downward spiral of anger, theft, and murder.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (85%)

Kill Bill Uma Thurman

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 follows an ex-assassin known as The Bride (Uma Thurman) on her journey of bloody retribution against the people that killed her fiancé and took her child.

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Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, with a cast starring Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, and the late David Carradine, it is a must-see for any action fan.

The Villainess (85%)

a woman in leather jacket pointing a gun at a man

Assassins are a common thread in the revenge genre and The Villainess is no different. Trained as an assassin from early childhood, Sook-hee (Kim Ok-vin) longs for a new life free from violence.

She finally gets her chance, but after becoming involved with two, mysterious men, the secrets about who they are unravel and Sook-hee realizes she may not be as free as she thought that she was.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (87%)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) poster art

Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) is a talented but antisocial hacker, hired by a failed reporter (Daniel Craig) looking to redeem himself and restore his reputation by solving a 40-year-old case.

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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a story that has been told on many platforms in many languages. Based on a series of novels, the psychological crime thriller was originally made in Swedish in 2009. David Fincher helmed the project in 2011 to remake the film in English.

Promising Young Woman (92%)

cassie in nurse outfit and colorful wig

Cassie Thomas is a brilliant medical school student with a bright future, but when her friend is assaulted, her life veers off course forever.

Written and directed by Emerald Fennell, and recently released in theaters and for rent through Video On Demand, Promising Young Woman is a powerful revenge story about the psychological damage of sexual abuse, toxic masculinity, and the woman who wants it all to change.

Carrie (93%)

A shy high schooler with telekinetic powers is ruthlessly bullied at school and abused by a fanatically religious mother at home until she finally breaks on one fateful Prom Night. Based on a novel by horror guru Stephen King, Carrie is a terrifying look into the damage that verbal and emotional abuse can do to a person.

The 1976 film starred Sissy Spacek as the abused and withdrawn teenager. It was eventually remade in 2013, with Chloë Grace Moretz in the titular role.

Revenge (93%)

A woman aims a gun in Revenge

What begins as a getaway with her married boyfriend and his toxic friends, turns into tragedy, when Jen (Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz) is assaulted and left for dead in this shocking, French revenge-thriller.

The hunting trip with the boys turns into a manhunt when Jen decides to take things into her own hands and take care of the horrible men who didn't care whether she lived or if she died.

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