*Warning: Minor spoilers ahead*
Attention all streamers! Netflix just dropped a brand-new movie that’s bound to top the streaming service’s list of top-rated films.
Do Revenge stars Camila Mendes (Riverdale) and Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) as high school students who team up for a cliché revenge mission. While there are some major issues with the overall concept, the film features a shocking twist that makes it worth the watch.
Keep scrolling for an honest review of Netflix’s Do Revenge.
The film is pretty much a cross between Mean Girls and Clueless, following a popular “it” girl, Drea (Mendes), as she gives another student, Eleanor (Hawke), a makeover. But there’s another layer to the story line because they share something in common: they both want revenge on their exes.
They agree to help each other by taking down the other person’s enemy. This involves transforming Eleanor into someone who the “cool kids” want to hang out with. Of course, things don’t go according to plan. And when Drea discovers a sinister secret about her supposed partner in crime, it changes everything.
The plot of Do Revenge isn’t something to glorify because bullying is blatantly justified as “revenge.” It’s hard to get through the first 30 minutes without cringing over the characters’ lack of self-awareness and selfish actions. It’s also riddled with more than enough sex, drugs and alcohol to compare it to the likes of Euphoria.
However, the story redeems itself by the end in a way we didn’t see coming. It concludes with a full-circle lesson about kindness, empathy and friendship. And the person who actually deserves to go down in flames, does.
Plus, the star-studded cast is no joke. The ensemble cast includes people like Austin Abrams (Dash & Lily) and Alisha Boe (13 Reasons Why). Even Sarah Michelle Gellar (Cruel Intentions) and Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones) have super minor roles that don’t really contribute to the story line. But the cameos are much appreciated.
Sure, the twist makes up for the film’s cliquey depiction of high school. And by the end of the movie, you can’t help but root for both Drea and Eleanor. But perhaps there’s a way to get the same message across without idolizing a “mean girl” protagonist.
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