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Characters & Themes

Avengement (2019) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 88 mins · English
Echo score 73
JustWatch #1,562 25
Directed by
Jesse V. Johnson
Starring
Teresa Mahoney, Scott Adkins, Louis Mandylor, Kierston Wareing, Ross O'Hennessy, Lee Charles
Budget
$2M

After being imprisoned, a man seeks retribution against those he believes responsible for his descent into violence. While on a temporary release, he escapes from his guards and returns to his former neighborhood, determined to exact revenge on the people who shaped his life and turned him into a ruthless killer. He is driven by a thirst for vengeance and a desire to settle old scores.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (3)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (2)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Avengement
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Avengement (2019)

Where can you watch Avengement? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Hi-YAH and Netflix: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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3 main characters · contains spoilers

Avengement Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Avengement (2019), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Cain Burgess (Scott Adkins)

    Cain is a skilled martial artist with a quick temper, shaped by his brutal prison experiences and a troubled past with crime. His character embodies vengeance and resilience, transforming into a cold-blooded fighter driven by personal loss and a desire for justice. His evolution highlights the destructive power of revenge.

    • 💥 Fighter
    • 🔥 Vengeful
    • 🧠 Complex
  • Lincoln Burgess (Craig Fairbrass)

    Lincoln is Cain's older brother and a criminal involved in money-lending and scams. His character is manipulative and ultimately reveals a lack of genuine concern, prioritizing power and status over family. His betrayal becomes a pivotal element in Cain's descent into violence.

    • 💼 Crime Boss
    • 🔫 Manipulative
    • 🧩 Antagonist
  • Bez (Kierston Wareing)

    Bez is a barmaid who becomes entangled in Cain's violent confrontation. Her character displays resilience and moral ambiguity, caught between violence and survival. She acts as a witness to Cain's fury and the chaos surrounding him.

    • 🎤 Survivor
    • ⚖️ Ambiguous
    • 💔 Empathetic

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:41

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Setting

Where and When Does Avengement Take Place?

The setting of Avengement (2019): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Contemporary (late 2010s to early 2020s)

The movie is set in modern times, depicting contemporary issues such as organized crime, police corruption, and prison violence. The timeline reflects current societal struggles, emphasizing the brutal environment and the ongoing conflict between law enforcement and criminal factions.

Location

London, England

The movie takes place primarily in London, a bustling metropolis known for its iconic architecture, cultural diversity, and vibrant criminal underworld. The setting provides a gritty backdrop that reflects the harsh realities faced by the characters, especially within its prisons and underground bars.

  • 🌆 Urban
  • 🏙️ Cityscape
  • 🏛️ Historical

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:41

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2 major themes

Avengement Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Avengement (2019) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Revenge

    Revenge is a central theme, driving Cain Burgess's actions throughout the film. His quest for vengeance culminates in a brutal showdown with his brother Lincoln and others. The film explores how revenge can lead to self-destruction and the cyclical nature of violence.

  • Imprisonment

    The theme of imprisonment extends beyond physical confinement to include emotional and moral imprisonment. Cain's time in the harsh prison system shapes his psyche, illustrating how environments of violence and control influence individuals' destinies. The film probes the cycle of incarceration and its impact on identity.

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:41

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Character & theme questions

Avengement Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Avengement (2019): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Avengement set?

The movie takes place primarily in London, England. The setting provides a gritty urban backdrop that reflects the harsh realities faced by the characters, with key scenes set within prisons and underground bars throughout the city.

  • london
  • england
  • setting
  • location
  • urban
  • city
Q2

When does the movie take place?

Avengement is set in modern times, specifically during the late 2010s to early 2020s. The timeline reflects contemporary issues such as organized crime, police corruption, and prison violence.

  • contemporary
  • modern
  • time period
  • era
  • year
  • 2019
Q3

What is the main theme of Avengement?

Revenge is the central theme driving the film. The story explores how a quest for vengeance can lead to self-destruction, depicting the cyclical nature of violence and its destructive power on the protagonist.

  • revenge
  • theme
  • central theme
  • vengeance
  • cycle of violence
Q4

What does the imprisonment theme represent in the movie?

The imprisonment theme extends beyond physical confinement to include emotional and moral imprisonment. Cain's harsh prison experiences shape his psyche, illustrating how environments of violence and control influence an individual's destiny and identity.

  • imprisonment
  • prison
  • confinement
  • cycle of incarceration
  • emotional imprisonment
Q5

Who is Cain Burgess?

Cain Burgess is the protagonist, a skilled martial artist with a quick temper shaped by brutal prison experiences. He is driven by vengeance and a desire for justice following personal loss, transforming into a cold-blooded fighter as the story unfolds.

  • cain burgess
  • protagonist
  • main character
  • scott adkins
  • martial artist
Q6

Who is Lincoln Burgess and what is his relationship to Cain?

Lincoln Burgess is Cain's older brother, a criminal involved in money-lending and scams. He is manipulative and prioritizes power and status over family. His betrayal of Cain becomes a pivotal element in Cain's descent into violence.

  • lincoln burgess
  • brother
  • criminal
  • craig fairbrass
  • betrayal
Q7

Who is Bez and what is her role in the story?

Bez is a barmaid who becomes entangled in Cain's violent confrontation. She displays resilience and moral ambiguity, caught between violence and survival. She serves as a witness to Cain's fury and the chaos surrounding him.

  • bez
  • kierston wareing
  • barmaid
  • character
  • supporting role
  • witness
Q8

What motivates Cain Burgess throughout the movie?

Cain is motivated by a thirst for vengeance and a desire to settle old scores. He seeks retribution against those he holds responsible for his descent into violence, particularly driven by personal loss and betrayal by his brother Lincoln.

  • motivation
  • vengeance
  • revenge
  • personal loss
  • betrayal
  • desire for justice
Q9

How does the London setting affect the story's tone?

London's gritty urban environment creates a brutal, lawless atmosphere that mirrors the characters' violent lives. The contrast between the city's iconic landmarks and its underground criminal elements emphasizes the story's themes of corruption and moral decay.

  • london
  • urban setting
  • tone
  • atmosphere
  • gritty
  • crime underworld
Q10

Does the movie depict a cycle of violence?

Yes, the film depicts revenge as a cyclical pattern where violence begets more violence. Cain's quest for vengeance ultimately leads to his own destruction, demonstrating how the pursuit of revenge corrupts and transforms individuals into the very monsters they sought to destroy.

  • cycle of violence
  • revenge cycle
  • destruction
  • self-destruction
  • corruption
Q11

How does Cain transform throughout the movie?

Cain evolves from a vengeful individual seeking justice into a cold-blooded killer. His experiences in prison and the betrayals he suffers corrupt him fundamentally, leaving him physically broken and emotionally hollow by the end.

  • transformation
  • evolution
  • character change
  • corruption
  • dark character arc

Movie threads

More Movies Like Avengement, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Avengement tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Brutal revenge quests like Avengement

A lone protagonist descends into violence to settle a personal score. If you liked the raw, personal vengeance in Avengement, you'll find more movies like it here. These stories feature protagonists pushed to their limits, exacting violent retribution in the criminal underworld with fast pacing and bleak outcomes.

  • vengeful
  • brutal
  • angry
  • desperate
  • oppressive
  • chaotic
  • Tone: dark, vengeful
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a clear, direct path: a grave injustice against the protagonist triggers a violent descent, leading to a relentless, focused campaign of revenge against a defined set of antagonists. The story structure is often linear, emphasizing action and confrontation over complex plotting.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here by their shared focus on a single-minded revenge plot, high intensity action, a dark tone exploring moral collapse, and a protagonist who becomes consumed by their quest, often leading to a somber or tragic conclusion.

Movies about a descent into violence like Avengement

Stories charting a character's irreversible corruption within a brutal underworld. For viewers who appreciated Avengement's portrayal of Cain's brutal transformation, this section lists similar movies about characters spiraling into violence. These films share a heavy emotional weight, themes of survival and betrayal, and a bleak view of the criminal world.

  • desperate
  • claustrophobic
  • brutal
  • oppressive
  • corrupt
  • violent
  • Tone: bleak, oppressive
  • Pacing: steady, with violent peaks
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often use flashbacks or a chronological structure to show the protagonist's fall from grace. Key beats include manipulation by corrupt figures, brutal initiation rites, the loss of innocence, and the protagonist's eventual embrace of the violence they once feared, resulting in a hollow victory or tragic end.

Why they belong together: This group is defined by the shared theme of a protagonist's moral and violent decline. They feature heavy emotional weight, explore disturbing themes like betrayal and corruption, and create a claustrophobic, oppressive atmosphere within the settings of prisons and criminal organizations.

If you liked this

Movies Like Avengement

Similar movies to Avengement: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

Avengement (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Avengement in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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