Revanche

Revanche

Year: 2009

Runtime: 121 min

Language: German

Director: Götz Spielmann

DramaThrillerRomanceCrime

A former convict seeking a fresh start becomes entangled with a Ukrainian prostitute in Vienna, leading to a desperate and dangerous escape. Their lives intersect with a rural police officer and his wife, setting in motion a tense thriller that explores themes of vengeance, redemption, and the complexities of human nature. The film delves into the darker aspects of existence as the characters navigate a web of violence and unexpected beauty.

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Timeline & Setting – Revanche (2009)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Revanche (2009). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Vienna, Hausner's farm, a small countryside village

The action begins in Vienna, a bustling city that contrasts with the quiet countryside. The pursuit then moves to a small village where a bank robbery unfolds and to Hausner's farm, a rural refuge that anchors the story. The settings shift between urban vice and rural isolation, underscoring the film's themes of crime, loyalty, and consequence.

🌆 Urban Vienna 🌄 Rural village 🏠 Farm setting

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:03

Main Characters – Revanche (2009)

Meet the key characters of Revanche (2009), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Alex

An ex-convict who works as muscle at a Vienna brothel. He orchestrates a bank robbery to start a new life with Tamara, and his actions are driven by a mix of desperation and loyalty to his grandfather. He is capable of cold calculation, yet his choices reveal a deeply conflicted desire for redemption.

🎭 Character arc 🔎 Crime 🧭 Loyalty

Tamara

A Ukrainian prostitute at the brothel who becomes entangled with Alex. She is anxious and clingy, joins the heist, and dies during the escape, becoming a catalyst for the subsequent guilt and paranoia. Her presence exposes the vulnerability of victims in the film's moral landscape.

💔 Vulnerability 🎭 Tragedy 💃 Prostitution

Robert

A police officer whose shooting of the fleeing car haunts him and strains his marriage. He wrestles with guilt and self-loathing, trying to maintain control while his past actions catch up with him. His steely veneer cracks under the weight of what he did and what it means for his family.

⚖️ Guilt 🧭 Duty 🧱 Pressure

Susanne

Robert's wife, whose infertility strains their marriage. She has an affair with Alex and becomes pregnant, later passing the child off as Robert's. Her actions complicate loyalties and power dynamics, showing how vulnerability can drive dangerous decisions.

💔 Affair 🍼 Deception 🧭 Secrets

Hausner

Alex's grandfather who owns the farm. As his health declines, Alex chooses to stay and look after the farm, making the act of care a quiet form of redemption. The farm serves as a grounding point amid crime, guilt, and shifting relationships.

🏡 Family 🌿 Rural Life 🛖 Responsibility

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:03

Major Themes – Revanche (2009)

Explore the central themes of Revanche (2009), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Guilt

Guilt permeates the narrative as characters confront the consequences of violence. Robert grapples with remorse for the shooting and its ripple effects on his life and marriage. Alex's uneasy reactions to the aftermath reveal how crime stains his chances at starting anew. Tamara's death becomes the moral hinge that darkens all futures connected to the act.

💘 Forbidden Love

A hunter of a relationship emerges as Alex and Tamara develop a fragile bond that is both practical and emotionally loaded. Susanne's affair with Alex intensifies the sense of betrayal and blurred loyalties within two couples. The pregnancy deception compounds the emotional stakes, turning intimate acts into a political move. The film uses romance to reveal desperation and moral compromise.

🗝️ Secrecy

Secrets drive the plot and complicate trust among the characters. Alex withholds his true intent from Tamara and Susanne, while Susanne hides the truth about her pregnancy. Robert keeps the gun and guilt hidden as he tries to maintain a facade of normalcy. The revelation at the end reconfigures relationships and reveals how much is concealed beneath ordinary life.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:03

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Movies about moral crossroads after tragedy like Revanche

Characters face heavy consequences and ethical dilemmas in a bleak, unforgiving world.If you liked the complex ethical dilemmas and heavy consequences in Revanche, explore these other films. This collection features morally gray thrillers and dramas where characters face life-altering choices after a devastating event, blending suspense with deep thematic exploration.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives typically begin with or are triggered by a single, often violent, tragedy that shatters the characters' lives. The plot then focuses on the fallout, as protagonists grapple with guilt, a desire for revenge, and the possibility of redemption. The journey is less about external action and more about an internal moral struggle, often leading to a bittersweet or ambiguous resolution.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the ethical and emotional fallout of a single event. They share a dark, gritty tone, high emotional weight, and a narrative structure that prioritizes character psychology and moral complexity over clear-cut heroes and villains.

Slow burn rural thrillers with tense atmospheres like Revanche

Quiet, atmospheric thrillers where isolation and simmering dread lead to explosive confrontations.Fans of the quiet, simmering tension and rural setting of Revanche will appreciate these selections. This list features atmospheric thrillers and dramas where a slow pace and isolated locations build a palpable sense of dread, leading to morally complex and emotionally charged conclusions.

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Narrative Summary

Stories unfold at a deliberate pace, using the isolation and quiet of a rural environment to amplify internal conflicts and simmering resentments. The tension builds gradually through quiet moments and lingering shots, rather than fast-paced action, often culminating in a violent or emotionally devastating climax that feels both shocking and inevitable.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their distinctive pacing and atmosphere. They share a slow-burn approach to suspense, a heavy, often melancholic mood, and a setting that becomes a character in itself, reflecting the internal turmoil of the protagonists.

Unlock the Full Story of Revanche

Don't stop at just watching — explore Revanche in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Revanche is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Revanche Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Revanche, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Revanche Summary

Revanche Timeline

Track the full timeline of Revanche with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Revanche Timeline

Revanche Spoiler-Free Summary

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Revanche Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Revanche

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