The rape and revenge subgenre is one of the most controversial and harsh film genres ever. These films often follow a woman who is brutally attacked but later takes bloody revenge on her perpetrators. Although the genre is often seen as exploitative, there are also films that contain strong social messages about sexual violence, power, and justice.
Here are the 10 most powerful, shocking, and influential rape and revenge films ever made.
1. I Spit on Your Grave (1978) – The most notorious of all
No film defined this genre better or more controversially than I Spit on Your Grave.
A young writer is brutally raped by a group of men but survives and takes revenge with extreme precision and sadism. This film is so explicit and brutal that it was censored or banned in many countries. Still, it is seen by some as feminist because the woman creates her own justice. There is a modern remake (2010) that makes the revenge scenes even more extreme.
2. The Last House on the Left (1972) – Wes Craven’s shocking debut
Before Wes Craven made A Nightmare on Elm Street, he created the most shocking horror film of his time. Two teenage girls are kidnapped, abused, and murdered by a group of psychopaths, but later, the parents of one of them get merciless revenge.
This film was censored worldwide due to its brutal scenes, but it is also a powerful horror film that shows how ordinary people can turn into monsters when their loved ones are harmed. The 2009 remake is also particularly brutal and worth a watch.
3. Ms. 45 (1981) – Feminist revenge on the streets
This underground classic by Abel Ferrara is one of the most stylish and intense revenge films ever. A mute woman is raped twice in one day, after which she finds a gun and travels through New York like an angel of death, shooting every man who crosses her. With a great lead role by Zoë Tamerlis and a dark atmosphere reminiscent of Taxi Driver, this is a must-see within the genre.
4. Thriller – A Cruel Picture (1973) – The Swedish revenge cult film
This Swedish film, also known as They Call Her One Eye, is pure exploitation cinema, but simultaneously intense and powerful. A young woman is kidnapped and forced into prostitution, but trains in martial arts and weapons to take brutal revenge on her oppressors.
Known for its slow, artistic shots and intense bloody revenge actions, this film inspired Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.
5. Revenge (2017) – The modern masterpiece
This French thriller gave a fresh, feminist twist to the genre and kept viewers on the edge of their seats. A young woman is attacked by three wealthy men during a hunting trip but survives and returns as a deadly force, taking them out one by one.
With beautiful cinematography, stylish bloodshed, and a powerful female protagonist, this is an absolute standout within the genre.
6. Death Wish (1974) – The male version of revenge
While the genre usually features female leads, Death Wish is a male variant in which Charles Bronson plays a tough vigilante. When his wife is murdered and his daughter is raped, he decides to clean the streets of New York of criminals. The film created a wave of vigilante movies and led to several sequels and a remake starring Bruce Willis.
7. Irreversible (2002) – The most shocking of all
Gaspar Noé’s Irreversible is perhaps the most shocking film on this list. The film follows a woman (Monica Bellucci) who is hideously raped, while her boyfriend and ex try to take revenge on the perpetrator. What makes the film so intense is the 10-minute long, continuous rape scene, which is almost unbearable to watch. This is not entertainment, but a raw, painful film about violence and its destructive consequences.
8. Deliverance (1972) – Survival in the wilderness
A group of city men goes canoeing in the wilderness but encounters sadistic rednecks who brutally abuse them. Featuring the notorious ‘squeal like a pig’ scene and a chilling atmosphere, this is one of the first mainstream films to tackle this theme. The film is as much a survival thriller as a revenge story and remains one of the most intense films of all time.
9. The Nightingale (2018) – Historical horror and revenge
Jennifer Kent (The Babadook) made an unforgettable, brutal film about colonialism and sexual violence with The Nightingale. In 1825, an Irish woman in Tasmania is raped and her family murdered by British soldiers. She begins a bloody revenge journey through the wilderness. The film is visually stunning but mentally draining, and one of the most raw and emotionally powerful revenge films ever.
10. Red, White & Blue (2010) – A psychologically raw revenge film
This underground indie film is less known but incredibly powerful.
A woman with a destructive sex life comes into contact with a group of men who abuse her, but when a mysterious ex-soldier enters her life, an unpredictable spiral of revenge and violence begins. The film weaves realism with shocking bursts of violence and is a hidden gem within the genre.
These films put viewers under extreme tension and are often uncomfortable and shocking, but they also carry strong messages about power, trauma, and justice.
Which of these intense films have you already dared to watch? 🎬🔥
