When Hitchcock hangs out with ‘School for Young Killers’.
Since it was officially announced in July, ‘Revenge Now’ became one of the most anticipated Netflix movies of the yearand it wasn’t just because of the incredible cast that it has, (filled with the favorite faces of some of the best series in history).
The concept of the “mean girl” and the social outcast teaming up in high school to take down those who have hurt them in the past, is wildly juicy.. It reminds us of other teen dramas from previous years such as ‘Clueless (Out of wave)’ or ‘School of young murderers’, combined with a point of view Hitchcockian.
that they had ‘Stranger Things’ star Maya Hawke and ‘Riverdale’ star Camila Mendes in the lead roles, It already pointed out that we could be facing a new “teenage classic” for our list of essentials.
Unfortunately, although ‘Revancha Ya’ is entertaining and crazy at times, fails to offer us something to engage with at all: a character to bond with.
The co-writer and director, Jennifer Kaytin Robinsondo not hesitate to offer gag continued at the expense of popular characters from Rosehill College, where the plot takes place.
In traditional teen movie fashion, there are various groups or gangs at the school and Robinson decides to place the bull’s-eye on those at the top of the social. Drea (Mendes) used to be part of the “royal court” at Rosehill, along with her boyfriend Max de Ella (Austin Abrams, ‘Euphoria’). However, after the publication of an intimate video, her impeccable status completely falls apart.
When she decides to team up with Eleanor (Hawke) to take down Max, the movie doesn’t hesitate to show how horrible Drea’s former friends are. In one of the quintessential comedic moments of the film, Max founds a new society at school, following the leak of Drea’s video, and names it: “Cis Hetero men who defend the group of students who identify as women.”
There’s nothing particularly subtle about ‘Revancha Ya’, including the excellent costume design. But, this directness is part of its charm. Jargon is very present in the dialogues, almost as much as the most current musical pieces by Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo or Rosalía. Not to forget the multitude of memes throughout the film.
Everything is absolutely planned to generate a fun and entertaining teen movie, elevated even more by its great casting choices. Hawke perfectly fits the profile of the “weird but cool“, as we found out in ‘Stranger Things’. In turn, Mendes is an excellent proposal to bring to life his defiant – and potentially unhinged – partner in revenge.
As their plan of hidden identities and subterfuge unfolds, the viewer stays by their side and has almost as much fun as they do. The problem comes when he realizes that, in reality, he has been deceived and that perhaps they are not as endearing as he first believed.
The leads don’t have to be loved for a movie to be successful, of course, but ‘Revancha Ya’ gives the impression of wanting to emotionally involve the audience with them. without going into spoilersa script twist reveals a series of circumstances that completely change the tone of the final act and, what should be the triumphant passages of the film, end up being empty for the viewer.
The story ends by closing too cleanly for all the dark halo that surrounds the rest of the plot. It would have been better if the film took more chances with cynicism, despite leaving a more bitter taste, to make it more authentic for everyone.
Still, when you have a teen movie that has Sarah Michelle Gellar directing (a great choice), you can’t end up mad at her. It’s just that there are so many good things in ‘Revancha Ya’, that the deflated ending ends up standing out too much.
If you’ve ever wanted to see Hitchcock’s ‘Strangers on a Train’ mixed with a group of malevolent teenagers, ‘Revenge Now’ will give you exactly what you’re looking for.. It may not match other classics of the teen film genre, but it certainly has dark and entertaining fun.
‘Revancha Ya’ is now available for playback on streaming on Netflix.
Source: Fotogramas
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
