10 Most Memorable Horror Movies About Revenge

They all had it coming.
Horror Movies About Revenge

5. Freaks (1932)

Cleopatra, the Human Duck. Once witnessed, the climactic image forever sticks. It’s horrifying, sure. It’s humiliating, uh-hu. Mostly, it’s satisfying. Throughout the film, Olga Baclanova‘s trapeze artist teases and torments Harry Earles‘ Hans. We’re hip to her manipulation, and so are the friends surrounding Hans, but he’s blind by the possibility of her love. When the emotion finally shatters, and the circus performers come out into the rain for their revenge against her, the final result of their skill is this mangled, feathered abomination. She will live the life she once mocked, doomed to soak in the revulsion and curiosity of tourists. It’s karma from the edge of a knife. (Brad Gullickson)


4. Carrie (1976)

Let me be the first — and by that, I mean definitely not the first — to say this: Carrie, innocent. Those high schoolers were monsters, and they deserved her wrath. Well, most of them. There are a handful of prom attendees who weren’t actually her victimizers, but you know what, the bystanders shouldn’t get off too easy. And there was not a person in that school who couldn’t have done better by her. So when Carrie and her psychic powers finally snap after years of cruelty and suffering, we can’t help but root for her. Burn it down, Carrie, burn it all down. (Anna Swanson)


3. Revenge (2017)

Look, it’s in the title, so obviously, Coralie Fargeat’s action/horror movie has a certain responsibility to deliver a good revenge flick, but this movie still manages to exceed expectations. After being raped by her boyfriend’s buddies, Jen (Matilda Lutz) is left for dead. But she’s got one hell of a fighting spirit and a damn good reason to get even. In this vibrant, sun-soaked, and extremely bloody tale of vengeance, Jen tracks them down with some creativity and a fighting spirit. As she leaves a trail of carnage in her wake, it’s a treat to watch these men get exactly what they deserve. Hell, if anything, they deserved worse. (Anna Swanson)


2. I Saw the Devil (2010)

Revenge horror is a tricky category to narrow down as a high percentage of the genre pretty much fits the bill. Numerous slashers are built on the idea of someone being wronged and someone seeking vengeance. Kim Jee-woon’s I Saw the Devil is a rarity for the genre in that not only is it an absolute masterpiece, but it also takes a somewhat unique approach to the revenge in question. Lee Byung-hun plays a man whose wife has been viciously murdered, but rather than simply catch and kill the bastard responsible (a terrifying Choi Min-sik), he instead captures, hurts, and releases only to capture again. The plan is ridiculously flawed as others pay the price along the way, but grief is a peculiar kind of madness and one that leaves little room for common sense and those around you. Fair warning, this one is vicious stuff that satisfies and appeals to the darker parts of your soul. (Rob Hunter)


1. The Virgin Spring (1960)

Imagine if Ingmar Bergman made The Last House on the Left. Well, really, the proper comparison is if Wes Craven made The Virgin Spring, but you get the idea. Set in medieval Sweden, the film follows a devoutly religious family led by a patriarch played by Max Von Sydow. While on her way to church, his daughter Karin is ambushed by goat herders, raped, and murdered. When the herders unwittingly take refuge at the family farm, it’s only a matter of time before Karin’s parents clue into who they are and seek vengeance. With a thoughtful consideration of themes including religious devotion, justice, and forgiveness, The Virgin Spring has Bergman’s signature intellectual rigor with the gut punch of a revenge-packed horror flick. Best of both worlds if you ask us. (Anna Swanson)


These tales of vengeance should keep you satiated for a while, but for more bloody goodness, check out more 31 Days of Horror Lists

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Anna Swanson: Anna Swanson is a Senior Contributor who hails from Toronto. She can usually be found at the nearest rep screening of a Brian De Palma film.