Revenge (2018)

"Very French"

Oh yes. In fact so French is REVENGE they could have called it 'Je Crache Sur Votre Tombe' if Meir Zarchi's 1978 classic hadn't already been given the English version of that title by Jerry Gross. How French is it? Well there's plenty of over the top violence, some impressive artistic imagery and (of course) a scene of someone having a wee. And yes, it's very much like I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, except really rather more ludicrous.

Rich, naughty (and for quite a bit of this, naked) Richard (Kevin Janssens) brings girlfriend Jen (Matilda Lutz) to an isolated Moroccan desert retreat for a bit of 'I Promise I'm Going To Leave My Wife & Kids Honest' bottom fondling and general all-round adulterousness. 

But then his two rich friends turn up.

They're there a day early for a planned hunting trip, for which Jen was supposed to be gone. But she isn't. Richard goes off to do something and Jen ends up being raped by Stan (Vincent Columbe). Richard offers to pay Jen off but she's having none of it and runs off into the desert. Things take a turn for the worse and Jen becomes a hate-fuelled revenge machine who remorselessly tracks the three men down.

I don't want to give too much away about what actually happens, but while the opening act of REVENGE is absolutely fine, once our heroine becomes imperilled things move swiftly from unbelievable to frankly daft. As long as you're okay with her surviving injuries that would kill The Rock never mind a twenty-something supermodel, that the catastrophic internal bleeding from said injuries can be sorted out by cauterising with a tin can, and with the idea that Jen can suddenly acquire a working knowledge of the firearms the men have brought with them (and be a very good shot) then you won't spend too much of REVENGE scratching your head. Like the movie gun that has never-ending bullets you'll also marvel at how certain characters seem to be able to bleed at least twice their own blood volume and still live.

Stylistically the film looks beautiful, with landscapes, close-ups and interiors all rendered in glowing colours. Composer Rob (best known for the MANIAC remake) gives us a pounding electronic score, and the performances are all suitable intense. REVENGE is gory, intense, but ultimately a bit silly. Je Crache Sur Votre Tombe? Not really. Maybe more of a melodramatic sneeze. 

REVENGE is out from Vertigo Releasing on Digital HD from 

Friday 7th September 2018