Revenge for Revenge
“Do Revenge” Review
Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash
If there is one thing that mean girls do in high school movies, it is revenge. Another movie about revengeful girls “Do Revenge” was released on Netflix Sept. 16. When the release of the movie was first announced, fans were excited to see the cast including famous Gen-Z actors like Camila Mendes, who plays Drea, and Maya Hawke, who plays Eleanor. As soon as it was released, the film ranked in the top ten movies on Netflix. The movie showcases the revenge of two teenage girls, Drea and Eleanor, on people that tormented them by destroying their social status. While Drea seeks revenge on her ex-boyfriend for leaking an intimate video, Eleanor wants to completely ruin the life of a person who started a rumor about her. Although the title makes the film sound like a stereotypical high school drama, the film presents a unique story with unexpected plot twists.
Just like the title implies, the movie puts great emphasis on revenge. Although the main theme is very unoriginal, the film adds a unique setting and storyline where the two main characters are helping each other “do revenge” on their haters. In addition, the story involves several unpredictable events that keep the viewers entertained. The tension increases as Eleanor starts hanging out with Drea’s enemies and hits its climax when one of the characters’ true identity is revealed. Sudden shifts in Drea and Eleanor’s relationship, especially when Drea finds out about Eleanor’s past and turns against her, gives a sense of distinction to the drama.
Another component of “Do Revenge” that earned great applause from the public is the costumes. Since the movie takes place in a prestigious high school for wealthy kids and includes several partying scenes, the viewers get to see a number of too-cool-for-school uniforms, eye-catching party dresses and even unusual daily outfits. The school in the show, Rosehill Country Day, displays colorful uniforms, such as pastel skirts with plaid patterns, metallic jackets and additional accessories that grab viewers attention. Drea’s glimmering chain strap dress and Eleanor’s orange zipper top and glossy bottom in the final party scene also leave a strong impression. These costumes serve as another element of high school movies and remind the audience of legendary teen movies and shows like “Clueless,” “Mean Girls” and “Gossip Girl.”
Despite many special components of the film, a significant lack in description of the characters’ feelings keep the viewers from understanding what the characters are thinking and going through. Moreover, both Drea and Eleanor are guilty throughout the film and barely change. The movie puts more focus on the major plot line instead of the character development, making it harder for the viewers to catch the changing moment of the characters. For this reason, the viewers are less likely to get truly engaged with the characters. Even the main protagonist, Cady Heron in “Mean Girls,” is depicted as mean in the film, but because the film directly demonstrates how Cady changes from “plastic” to a normal girl, the viewers still support her. That process of change is not quite obvious in “Do Revenge.”
Although none of the characters display enough qualities to make the viewers’ favorite due to the absence of character development, the movie presents great plot, costumes and decent acting. It is not the best teen movie out there, but still worth a watch, particularly for teen movie lovers or even Mendes and Hawke fans.
<Star Rating>
plot: ★★★★★
costume: ★★★★★
character development: ★★★★★
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