A young woman seeks vengeance against the three men who left her for dead in the desert. A film by Coralie Fargeat, starring Matilda Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe, and Guillaume Bouchède.

Richard (Kevin Janssens), a wealthy married man, takes his young American mistress Jennifer (Matilda Lutz) to his private vacation estate in an unnamed desert via a chartered helicopter. Before taking off, Roberto (Jean-Louis Tribes) hands Richard a bag of peyote as a welcome gift and tells him to call if he needs anything.

Peyote is a small, spineless cactus primarily found in the Chihuahuan Desert of northern Mexico and southern Texas. This cactus is notable for its psychoactive properties, primarily due to the presence of mescaline, a potent hallucinogen. The primary psychoactive compound in peyote is mescaline, which interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain, leading to various psychological effects, including hallucinations, altered perception, and emotional responses. Peyote has been used for thousands of years by indigenous peoples for spiritual and medicinal purposes. While peyote is illegal for recreational use due to its classification as a Schedule I substance, it remains legal for ceremonial use by recognized Native American tribes.

The next day, Richard’s friends arrive earlier than expected, startling Jennifer, who is not anticipating any visitors. Richard is forced to introduce her to his associates Stan (Vincent Colombe) and Dimitri (Guillaume Bouchède), claiming she is just a friend, as he intends for her to leave before they arrive for their hunting trip.

That night, while the four of them are drinking together, Jen reveals to Stan that her dream is to go to L.A., where she believes anything is possible. Dimitri spots a bag of peyote on the table, and Jen becomes curious about it. Richard explains that it’s a local, highly potent hallucinogen, claiming the contents of the bag could potentially take down a football team. Intrigued, Dimitri wants try it, but Richard refuses. He warns that peyote is too dangerous and shares a story about a Polish guy who got so high on it that he sawed off his own leg without feeling a thing. Richard then hands the bag to Jen and asks her to hide it somewhere safe. She walks back into the house and conceals the bag in the golden heart locket she is wearing.

As the night wears on, Jen gets in a party mood. She starts showing off some sexy dance moves. She glides over and tries to pull Richard onto the dance floor, but he declines her invitation. Instead, Jen asks Stan to join her and seductively dances with him to tease Richard. It doesn’t take long for her plan to work. Richard swoops in, cutting Stan off, and whisks Jen away to the bedroom.

The next morning, Jen wakes up to find Stan eating breakfast while Dimitri takes a nap on a rubber ring floating in the pool. Stan tells her that Richard left early to give their passports to the gamekeeper for their annual hunt and that he will be gone all morning. Feeling awkward and unsettled as Stan stares at her creepily, Jen makes an excuse about needing to pack her bag since she is scheduled to leave soon, and heads back to the bedroom. Stan follows her and eventually holds her down to rape her. Dimitri walks in on them but chooses not to intervene and leaves the room.

When Richard returns and learns about the incident, he becomes infuriated with Stan. However, instead of sending Jen home as she requested, he decides to cover up Stan’s crime by finding her a job in Canada and transferring money into her bank account, hoping she will leave without causing a fuss. Jen insists that he call the helicopter to pick her up and threatens to tell his wife about the affair. Suddenly losing his temper, Richard slaps Jen. Terrified, she runs off into the desert, with Richard, Stan, and Dimitri chasing after her.

Later, Jen finds herself on the edge of a cliff as the three men catch up behind her. Initially, Richard tries to stop her, as she seems about to jump. He apologizes for slapping her and shows her that he is making a call for a helicopter. However, he ultimately changes his mind when he realizes that she could send them all to jail for 15 years. In a shocking turn, he shoves Jen off the cliff, leaving Stan and Dimitri stunned. Jen appears to be instantly killed by the impact, with a dead tree branch piercing through her stomach.

After the men leave, Jen miraculously regains consciousness and uses her lighter to burn the tree trunk, freeing herself. Moments later, the men return to the cliff, each in their own vehicle. When Jen hears the sound of approaching vehicles, she gathers her strength and drags herself to lean against the cliff wall, making herself invisible from above.

The men are startled to discover that Jen’s body has disappeared. Stan believes she might still be alive and suggests they take her to the hospital, claiming it was an accident. However, Richard is determined to hunt her down.

Written and directed by French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat in her directorial debut, REVENGE, is a gripping thriller that follows a young woman’s harrowing journey after she’s sexually assaulted by her lover’s friend. Fargeat’s first film is nothing short of impressive.

The story is simple yet powerful. After the young woman is left for dead, she miraculously survives and escapes, despite severe injuries. She undergoes a tremendous transformation within a couple days and vows to kill those who tried to eliminate her.

REVENGE is entertaining to watch, filled with clever plot twists, a lot of luck, multiple close-up flesh wounds, hilarious chase scenes, and gallons of blood. It’s a fresh take on the revenge genre, showcasing Fargeat’s unique style and her willingness to push boundaries.

Matilda Lutz delivers an iconic performance as Jen, the protagonist of the story who who endures violence and trauma that ultimately reshape her into a fierce survivor determined to fight back.

REVENGE premiered at TIFF on 11 September 2017. The film was theatrically released in France on 7 February 2018, by Rezo FIlms.