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Fast & Furious

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Fast & Furious (2009)

After the murder of a loved one, street racer Dominic Toretto is on the hunt to find the man responsible and make him pay. Meanwhile Toretto’s old friend Brian O’Connor, an FBI agent, is trying to track down a drug lord and bring him to justice. The clues they follow soon lead them on the same path. Are they possibly looking for the same person? One thing is for sure, while O’Connor is just doing his job, Toretto will stop at nothing to avenge his loved one’s death.

Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 (2003)

Since they’re essentially one movie, we’ll count it as such. Quentin Tarantino’s sprawling homage to kung fu and spaghetti westerns is sure to entertain. But what’s surprising about the film is how emotional and heartfelt it gets, particularly during The Bride’s confrontation with Bill. In between stellar swordfights and witty dialogue, Tarantino manages to craft a work that by the end, despite his crimes, you are somewhat siding for Bill. But make no mistake, this is a revenge film all the way through, with The Bride’s sole purpose throughout the four-and-a-half hour runtime is to go out and, well, Kill Bill.

Death Wish (1974)

This is it. The prototypical revenge movie that has spawned such recent films like Taken. Charles Bronson stars as Paul Kersey, an everyman whose life is torn apart after his wife and daughter are murdered. In a fit of rage, Paul becomes a vigilante, taking down any street criminal he sees. With the police hot on his tail, and the criminals getting wise to his game, Paul has to decide whether to keep up his vigilante justice or skip town. The problem with Death Wish is that it’s mostly remembered for the abundant amount of sequels that sprang from it (four), but the first is a truly great film. Bronson is in fine form here, juxtaposing the loving husband and cold blooded killer perfectly. Death Wish is among the best of the revenge films, and also the most influential.