Have you ever wished to utterly destroy someone who has wronged you? A former boyfriend? A bully? Have you considered ways of ruining their lives completely but refrained from really carrying them out because, well, you gotta be the bigger person and karma take care of the rest? Well Netflix’s latest Dark Comedy flick thrashes being “goody-two-shoes” and asks you to Do Revenge.
Do Revenge is inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train and packed with nods to the 1990s. Featuring Drea (Camila Mendes), the queen bee at an elite high school, who falls from favor after her “I-rule-the-school” lover Max (Austin Abrams) releases a nude video of her to the whole school. The satire is presented in a way that is ridiculous enough to be funny but realistic enough for you to remember the Max equivalent(a misogynistic, narcissistic manipulator) in your life. Drea’s reaction, a quick punch across his face, lands her in trouble, while Max not only avoids consequences but is praised by his peers for being so brave.
At a tennis camp, Drea meets Eleanor (Maya Hawke), and the two instantly click over their intense hatred for the individuals who destroyed their lives: Max for Drea, and Carissa, another student, for Eleanor, whom she accuses of outing her and portraying as a predator when they were younger. The two devise a plot to eliminate each other’s arch enemy. Eleanor quickly infiltrates Max’s gang after getting a Clueless-style makeover, while Drea masterfully identifies Carissa’s weakness and ultimately brings her down in a hallucinogenic sequence involving drugging the whole senior class.
However, as Max is “patriarchy embodied,” eliminating him is not as simple. His classmates’ admiration simply highlights how vile he is and serves as a powerful statement on how easily guys can get away with anything. Eleanor must fully integrate herself into Max’s gang in order to expose his several sex affairs to his fiancée. The incident seems significant, and Drea is dancing about with a pleasure akin to Regina George, but it’s evident that the tale is leading up to something bigger. This needless plot turn destroys the wonder of Drea and Eleanor’s chaos-driven friendship.
Mendes is one of the most talented actresses I’ve ever seen, capturing both Drea’s vicious and frightening sides. The connection between her and Hawke is amazing, and Do Revenge truly lets Hawke shine as the fragile yet menacing Eleanor.
Do Revenge, with its preppy, pastel look and the darker edge some of these films possessed, is a stark reminder of Clueless, Heathers, and Jawbreaker, which are considered chick flicks ahead of their times. As Drea and Eleanor explore how to bring down Max and Carissa, the film delves into the challenges of being a teenage girl and a woman. It’s simple to discredit a woman, as Drea says, but harder for a male, especially when the individual in question masks his sexist tendencies with faux woke sentiments. In this film, Abrams absolutely steals the show, as he portrays wildly diverse personalities in movies like Chemical Hearts and series like Dash and Lily on Netflix.
The movie is also depictive of the ruthless leverages patriarchy awards to certain parties, without having any on-the-face feminist dialogues; it’s an interesting approach, leaving the events for the audience to interpret. For instance, Tara misses being friends with Drea, but she must frost her out to maintain her standing in the group; although Max is the one who wronged Drea, he was the one who got to feature his side of the narrative to the school magazine. It demonstrates how people misuse their popularity and social standing to sway the media to their advantage by posing as the victim.
Although Drea and Eleanor both have side romances, this movie element is not as captivating as the other parts. Mendes and Rish Shah, who portrays her romantic interest Russ, had little chemistry. While Eleanor’s romance with Gabbi (Talia Ryder) fared better, the growth of these relationships wasn’t portrayed effectively enough to pique the audience’s attention.
What makes the film appealing is the camaraderie between Drea and Eleanor and the depiction of female identity. Do Revenge lets these adolescent females be dirty and unruly, because why shouldn’t they? While Drea can be a complete tyrant and a loyal friend at the same time, Eleanor may betray in a devastating way while yet being compassionate. The film also delves into the societal systems that seek to separate rather than unify women.
The film also has some creative casting choices, such as Sophie Turner’s scene-stealing cameo as an entitled affluent girl who has a quarrel with Drea and Sarah Michelle Gellar playing the principal of Rosehill.
The stunning costumes created by costume designer Alana Morshead add character to the movie in a way that is both visually and symbolically pleasing. Clothes for Drea are a reflection of her desperation to fit in, and also stand out, whereas Eleanor’s makeover and re-styling serves as the main pawn for their revenge.The picture-perfect attire only adds to the “all is not as it appears” plot while also being so entertaining to see, from vivid flashes of fuchsia, blue, and gold to picture-perfect mint and lavender pastels utilized in the high school’s uniform.
So, while some may argue that the third act fails in some manner because we go from destruction to something more heartfelt, I disagree. Do Revenge is plainly about women wanting to lift each other up and encourage one another rather than condemn and denigrate one another. It’s a sophisticated adolescent film, capable of capturing the spirit of previous teen masterpieces while allowing itself to create its own plot. Do Revenge discusses themes and concepts relevant to the gen z experience in a refreshing manner, reminding us that depending on fate to change our surroundings is a meek expectation. Sometimes matters should be taken into our own hands, yanked out of the bubble of miseries, and revenge must be done to set the record straight.