GOOD: Do Revenge
Released: 16 September 2022
Generally speaking, straight-to-streaming releases lack the same cinematic punch as big theatrical movies. It’s rare that a movie comes along that makes a huge splash after appearing on Netflix, Prime, Disney+, or any of the less-successful streaming platforms, if only because it usually means that the studio in question didn’t feel a theatrical release would prove financially viable. There are of course exceptions to this broad generalization, though, and Do Revenge is one of them.
Taking Hitchcock and adding in modern teen drama might sound like a recipe for hot garbage, but it worked surprisingly well. Borrowing the general thrust of Strangers on a Train and factoring in the quirky drama of an elite American high school made for the best teen movie of the year. Do Revenge not only features an excellent and talented young cast but is positively packed with all the twists and turns that one could want from a dark Hitchcock-inspired teen comedy.
Maybe it’s only surprising because it was released directly to Netflix with little to no fanfare whatsoever, but Do Revenge was one of 2022’s most underrated movies. It’s certainly easy to dismiss straight-to-streaming content as inferior to theatrically-released movies, but in Do Revenge‘s case, you’d be missing out. It’s an unexpectedly sound and enjoyable teen comedy-drama that hits all the right notes thanks to solid performances from leads Maya Hawke and Camila Mendes.