Top 10 movies: Avenger Theme

As the previous article with quest theme, this article is about the hero avenging to who wronged to him/her. To remind the reader this top 10 was chosen by Rob Hill in his book and I will just give my opinion and take on each movie. Hope you have liked the series and tried the top 10 movies in the previous two articles.

10. As readers, you are definitely surprised why Rob Hill chose this classic movie in this position. I'm surprised as you and disagree with the ranking. At the end, his choice, am here to state my opinion and Gladiator is one of my favorite movies and the Russell Crowe one of my favorite actors. The story is old as history, a roman turned gladiator literally goes through hell to defeat who killed his family. The brilliant story has been told here, brilliant cast and director. A must watch a movie especially if you love history stories and the engineering masterpiece the colosseum. 
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Rating on IMDB: 8.5/10
Rating on Rotten tomatoes : 76 % from 186 reviews  

9. I Spit on your grave in 1978, his choice of such movie very surprising especially when you check IMDB & rotten tomatoes rating which 5.7/10 & 55 % respectively. Me personally I definitely do not recommend, but to have an idea about it, the story about a writer who gets raped by a group and accordingly she follows them one by one to get her revenge. Sounds an interesting story but not greatly executed.

Rating on IMDB: 5.7/10
Rating on Rotten tomatoes: 55 % from 31 reviews    

8. Batman in 1989 featuring Michael Keaton who is the second actor to take on the role and first in a feature movie. Before the emergence of Christian Bale, Keaton is my opinion was the best to take on such a role. In that year he was directed by a brilliant director Tim Burton but for such a hero with dark history & personality, it needed someone with the capacity of Christopher Nolan. Like all Batman movies, his ultimate goal is to get revenge for the killing of his parents through defeating villains. To whom never had the chance to watch this movie especially youngster and comic fans I highly recommend.  

Rating on IMDB: 7.6/10
​Rating on Rotten Tomatoes: 72 % from 6 reviews 

7. Rolling thunder of 1977, a story of a war hero returning home and having to avenge the death of his family who was killed by some thieves. The movie starring William Devane (Photo below) who is most known for young generation and 24 series fans as James Heller U.S. president in later episodes, and Tommy Lee Jones as his sidekick who is famous for being the antagonist ( the villain of the movie). For typical stereotype American action movies, I would recommend. 
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Rating on IMDB: 7/10
Rating on Rotten Tomatoes: 85 % from 13 reviews 

6. Coffy a 1973 movie starring Pam Grier as a tough character Coffy in series of vengeance spree against who caused the death of her sister. A movie full of violence directed by Jack Hill who collaborated with Pam Grier with at least another three movies with the same style of violence.

Rating of IMDB: 6.9/10
Rating on Rotten tomatoes: 78 % from 23 reviews  

5. Fist of Fury in 1972 featuring one of the icons of the martial arts universe Bruce Lee and like the movies that were influenced by Burce Lee and his films, this follows the student who witnesses the death of his master and goes after the killers to avenge.

Rating on IMDB: 7.4/10
Rating on Rotten tomatoes : 92 % from11 reviews 

4. True Grit in 1969 featuring the iconic western films star John Wayne along Glen Campbell & Kim Darby whom the story revolves around her and her vengeance against who murdered her father. To the audience unfamiliar with this version, it's been remade in 2010 with Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon & Hailee Steinfeld and this movie is as good as the first one which a rarity these days.

1969 movie 
Rating on IMDB : 7.4/10
Rating on Rotten tomatoes: 90 % from 50 reviews 

2010  movie
Rating on IMDB: 7.6/10
Rating on Rotten tomatoes: 96 % from 262 reviews 

3. Lady Vengeance in 2005 a South Korean movie talk about a lady who has been framed for murder and imprisoned. After her release, she starts a journey to find who framed her and avenge.

Rating on IMDB: 7.6/10
Rating on Rotten tomatoes : 74 % from 85 reveiws

2. Death Wish in 1974 featuring Charles Bronson with a less than average movie with an actor is personally used to see in many exciting roles and movies like Harmonica in Once upon a Time in the West. It's definitely not best of his roles but for the fans of Bronson, it's a nice movie to watch nevertheless.


Rating on IMDB: 7/10
Rating on Rotten tomatoes: 67 % from 24 reviews 

1. Kill Bill Vol. I & II in 2003 & 2004 respectively both starring Uma Thurman & directed by one of my favorite filmmakers Quentin Tarantino. This double showdown is the ultimate of vengeance with having a kickass protagonist with an all-star villain cast and one classic actor as the antagonist with David Carradine. I suppose this is the only ranking suggested by Rob Hill that I strongly agree with.


Rating on IMDB for two vols. : 8.1 & 8 out 10 respectively
Rating on Rotten tomatoes: 85 % from 226 reviews for vol. I & 84 % from 232 reviews for vol.II          

In Conclusion, there are a couple of movies I would not include in this starting with " I spit on your grave", and maybe Coffy & Death Wish but this is debatable and considered an acquired taste of art. For example, I would raise Gladiator from being in 10th  to at least 2nd in place. Movies I would include Unforgiven featuring Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman & Morgan Freeman. Another addition would be Man on Fire with Denzel Washington or even Once upon a time in the west with Henry Fonda & Charles Bronson.
At the end, all written is my opinion and am here to give you my take on cinema.