Revenge flopped on its release in 1990 despite the presence of Kevin Costner. Back in the late 80’s Costner was at the top of his game and had enjoyed successes with The Untouchables (Brian De Palma 1987), Bull Durham (Ron Shelton 1988) and Field of Dreams (Phil Alden Robinson 1989). This downbeat thriller saw Costner in a much tougher role and audiences stayed away. Critics didn’t much like Revenge either, though it remains one of Scott’s most interesting movies.
Michael ‘Jay’ Cochran (Kevin Costner) is a navy pilot retiring after 13-years service. The opening sequence recalls Tony Scott’s box-office smash Top Gun with Cochran flying a fighter jet,but anybody expecting a similar crowd-pleaser is in for a disappointment. Revenge is a low-key thriller about betrayal and retribution with only a handful of action sequences.
Cochran heads for Mexico to meet up with his old friend Tibey (Anthony Quinn). Cochran once saved Tibey’s life on a hunting trip and the two became close. Why Cochran got involved with such a dubious character is a mystery. Tibey is clearly a gangster with a hair-trigger temperament, as evidenced when he throws his pet dog in a swimming pool when it chews at the present Cochran brought him.
Anthony Quinn is frankly terrifying as Tibey. Any sensible person would have kept their distance. Cochran however is a risk taker. Revenge is based on a pulp novel written by Jim Harrison and men in pulp novels are never sensible. Especially when a woman is as beautiful as Madeline Stowe is involved.
Stowe plays Tibey’s young and beautiful wife Miryea. Cochran and Miryea are immediately attracted to each other and silly enough to think they can get away with an illicit affair in a heavily guarded mansion where Tibey has men like Cesar (cult B-movie legend Tomas Milian) to always know what is going on around him.
Cochran is warned to leave by Cesar, but ends up beaten and left for dead, while Miryea is put to work in a brothel. Saved by a poor family, Cochran is nursed back to health and sets about planning his revenge. Helped by a washed-up American singer (Sally Kirkland) and a local fixer Amador (Miguel Ferrer) Cochran goes searching for Miryea and for revenge.
Tony Scott can’t quite manage the kind of poetic fatalism a director like Sam Peckinpah could bring to a movie, but he handles proceedings well enough. Revenge avoids the cathartic release many action films offer with the hero carrying out his mission and offering the audience a violent payoff. Scott would eventually make that film with Man on Fire (2004) but Revenge is more thoughtful, knowing the damage is done and permanent.
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