Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Revenge (2018) movie poster

Timeline

Revenge (2018) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2018 · 100 min · Chinese
Echo score 68
Loading streaming availability…
Directed by
Kjersti Steinsbø
Starring
Helene Bergsholm, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Maria Bock, Trond Espen Seim, Frode Winther, Kine Bortheim Jentoft
Budget
$3M

After being violently assaulted in a remote desert location, a resourceful young woman embarks on a relentless quest for retribution against her attackers. Driven by a burning desire for justice, she confronts each tormentor, navigating a harrowing path of vengeance and uncovering hidden truths along the way. Her actions will have far-reaching consequences, impacting everyone involved in this gripping story of survival and payback.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Revenge
  6. 6 Every angle
Loading streaming availability…

15 events in order · contains spoilers

Revenge Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Revenge (2018) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Secret Relationship

    Jen, an American socialite, is involved in a clandestine romance with French millionaire Richard. Their relationship is discreet, as they plan a weekend getaway to Richard's secluded home in the Moroccan desert.

    Where
    Morocco
  2. Arrival at the Secluded Home

    Jen and Richard arrive at his luxurious but isolated home, away from the hustle of the city. This trip is intended to be a romantic escape before Richard embarks on an annual hunting trip with his friends.

    Where
    Richard's home, Morocco
  3. Unexpected Guests

    Richard's friends, Stan and Dimitri, arrive early for the hunting trip, spoiling Richard's plans to keep Jen a secret. Despite the awkward situation, they all gather for a night of drinks and dancing.

    Where
    Richard's home, Morocco
  4. Assault in the Desert

    While Richard is away, Stan makes a pass at Jen, attempting to force her into a sexual encounter. When she rejects his advances, Stan rapes her, while Dimitri chooses to ignore the distressing event.

    Where
    Richard's home, Morocco
  5. Desperate Escape

    After the traumatic incident, Richard confronts Stan and offers Jen a sum of money to forget what happened. When Richard refuses to let her leave, Jen flees into the desert, pursued by the three men.

    Where
    Desert, Morocco
  6. Fall from the Cliff

    In a desperate bid to control Jen, Richard pretends to call the helicopter to take her home but instead pushes her off a cliff. Jen falls and becomes impaled on a tree, unconscious and left for dead.

    Where
    Cliff, desert of Morocco
  7. Fiery Escape

    Jen regains consciousness and uses her lighter to ignite the tree she is impaled on, creating a path for her escape. Despite her severe injury, she manages to free herself and begins to wander through the desert.

    Where
    Desert, Morocco
  8. Confrontation with Dimitri

    Jen comes across Dimitri while he is urinating in a river. Attempting to defend herself, she attempts to shoot him with his own gun, only to find it unloaded, leading to a violent struggle.

    Where
    River, Morocco
  9. Revenged and Armed

    During their struggle, Jen seizes Dimitri's hunting knife and brutally stabs him in both eyes. With his supplies and weaponry now in her possession, she prepares for her next moves.

    Where
    River, Morocco
  10. Healing and Planning

    Hiding in a cave, Jen uses peyote to numb her pain before removing the branch from her body. She cauterizes her wound using an aluminum beer can, branding herself in the process, and begins plotting her revenge.

    Where
    Cave, Morocco
  11. Tracking Down Stan

    The next day, as the remaining two men dispose of Dimitri's body, Richard instructs Stan to find Jen. Jen spots Stan while he is refueling their SUV and initiates a long-range gunfight.

    Where
    Mountain Road, Morocco
  12. Battle of Wits

    During the confrontation, Stan wounds Jen, but she remains determined. She tricks him into stepping on broken glass, which distracts him enough for her to gain the upper hand.

    Where
    Mountain Road, Morocco
  13. Killing Stan

    Jen finally confronts Stan as he drives the SUV toward her. In a showdown, she manages to kill him using Dimitri's shotgun, seizing the vehicle for herself.

    Where
    Mountain Road, Morocco
  14. Final Showdown with Richard

    Upon returning to the house, Richard is unaware of Jen's presence. When she finally encounters him, a tense battle ensues, culminating in Jen shooting him in the chest after a fierce struggle.

    Where
    Richard's home, Morocco
  15. Triumphant Escape

    With Richard dead, a bloodied but victorious Jen emerges from the house. As she walks away from the scene of her harrowing ordeal, she hears a helicopter approaching, signaling her possible rescue.

    Where
    Desert, Morocco

Last updated: May 12, 2025 at 07:04

Was this helpful?

Timeline questions answered

Revenge Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Revenge (2018): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Richard push Jen off the cliff after she was assaulted?

Richard pushed Jen off the cliff to silence her and cover up the assault. After Stan attacked Jen, Richard offered her money to keep quiet, but when she tried to escape, he realized she might expose what happened to his friends and the authorities. Rather than risk his reputation and relationships being destroyed, he pretended to call for help and shoved her off the cliff, leaving her for dead.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Richard insists on keeping Jen's presence a secret from Stan and Dimitri, revealing his priority is protecting his public image.

  • richard
  • cliff
  • betrayal
  • cover-up
  • silence
Q2

Why did Dimitri do nothing when Stan assaulted Jen?

Dimitri chose not to intervene because he was either afraid of Stan or didn't consider Jen worth risking his friendship with Stan and Richard. His passive complicity made him equally responsible for the crime, which later motivated Jen to kill him as part of her revenge.

Foreshadowing: Dimitri arrives with Stan and immediately aligns with him during the trip, showing their close bond.

  • dimitri
  • stan
  • assault
  • bystander
  • complicity
Q3

How did Jen survive being impaled on the tree after falling off the cliff?

Jen regained consciousness while still impaled on the tree branch. Using her lighter, she set fire to the tree, which caused the branch to break free from the trunk. She endured severe pain and had a branch still lodged in her body, but she managed to walk away from the burning tree and continued surviving in the desert.

Foreshadowing: The traumatic fall sets up her fiery and painful escape, emphasizing her extreme resilience.

  • tree
  • fall
  • survival
  • fire
  • injury
Q4

Why did Jen choose to seek revenge instead of just trying to escape?

After surviving the assault, betrayal, and being left for dead, Jen's psychology shifted from survival to vengeance. The trauma, combined with the realization that Richard, Stan, and Dimitri would never stop hunting her, made seeking revenge both a means of self-defense and a way to reclaim her power. She branding herself with a phoenix symbol reflects her transformation from victim to aggressor.

Foreshadowing: Jen etches a phoenix into her skin, symbolizing her rebirth as someone capable of extreme violence.

  • revenge
  • motivation
  • transformation
  • phoenix
  • survival
Q5

Why did Richard offer Jen money after Stan attacked her instead of helping her?

Richard's priority was maintaining his social standing and protecting his friendships with Stan and Dimitri. Offering money was his attempt to quietly resolve the situation without confronting his friends or involving authorities. He valued his reputation and relationships more than seeking justice for Jen, which ultimately revealed his true character.

Foreshadowing: Richard's insistence on keeping Jen hidden from his friends from the start shows he prioritizes his image over her safety.

  • richard
  • money
  • cover-up
  • reputation
  • stan
Q6

What was the purpose of the peyote in the story?

Peyote appeared twice in the narrative. Initially, Richard received it as a gift from his helicopter pilot, and Jen concealed it in her necklace for him. Later, Jen used the peyote she found among Dimitri's supplies to numb her extreme pain while treating her severe wound in the cave. It represented both the recreational luxury of the men's lifestyle and Jen's desperate survival tactics.

Foreshadowing: The peyote was introduced early as part of the men's hunting trip preparations, linking their recreational activities to Jen's later survival.

  • peyote
  • pain relief
  • survival
  • numb
  • drugs
Q7

How did Jen manage to track down and kill Stan?

After killing Dimitri and taking his supplies and weapon, Jen waited and watched for an opportunity. When Stan's SUV ran out of gas while searching for her, she used the downtime to ambush him. During their confrontation, she tricked him into stepping on broken glass, then used Dimitri's shotgun to kill him and take his vehicle.

Foreshadowing: Jen observes the men disposing of Dimitri's body, giving her insight into their movements.

  • stan
  • ambush
  • tracking
  • shotgun
  • revenge
Q8

Why did Jen brand herself with a phoenix symbol?

After cauterizing her wound with an aluminum beer can, Jen used the hot metal to etch a phoenix into her skin. This act served as a permanent reminder of her survival and transformation. The phoenix represents rising from ashes, mirroring her journey from a nearly fatal fall to becoming a vengeful survivor willing to kill her attackers.

Foreshadowing: The phoenix branding occurs right after her fiery escape from the tree, connecting the two moments of literal and symbolic rebirth.

  • phoenix
  • branding
  • wound
  • transformation
  • survival
Q9

Why did Stan attack Jen despite knowing she was Richard's guest?

Stan believed Jen had shown interest in him during the previous night's drinking and dancing. When she rejected his advances the next morning, he forcibly assaulted her, disregarding her relationship with Richard and any consent she might have given. His entitlement and alcohol-fueled behavior led to the brutal attack.

Foreshadowing: The night of drinking and dancing includes scenes of Stan interacting with Jen, establishing his interest.

  • stan
  • assault
  • alcohol
  • rejection
  • attack
Q10

What happened to Roberto, the helicopter pilot who gave Richard the peyote?

Roberto is never seen again after delivering the peyote to Richard at the beginning of the film. He was not involved in the assault or the subsequent cover-up, so Jen had no reason to target him. His disappearance is simply not addressed in the narrative.

Foreshadowing: Roberto appears briefly at the start but is never mentioned by the main characters after that.

  • roberto
  • helicopter
  • peyote
  • missing
Q11

How did Jen kill Dimitri at the river?

Jen encountered Dimitri while he was urinating at the river and tried to use his own shotgun against him. When she discovered it was unloaded, a violent struggle ensued. During the fight, Jen grabbed Dimitri's hunting knife and stabbed him in both eyes, blinding and killing him. She then took his weapon and supplies.

Foreshadowing: The river confrontation follows directly after Jen's escape, showing her immediate transition from survivor to attacker.

  • dimitri
  • river
  • knife
  • eyes
  • killed
Q12

Why did Richard keep his relationship with Jen secret from Stan and Dimitri?

Richard wanted to hide Jen because she was an American socialite and their relationship was likely transient or purely physical. He was embarrassed to introduce her to his close friends or perhaps wanted to maintain his image as a single man among his hunting companions. Keeping her secret was more important to him than her feelings or safety.

Foreshadowing: Richard's panic when Stan and Dimitri arrive early shows his urgency to hide Jen from his friends.

  • secret
  • relationship
  • richard
  • friends
  • image
Q13

Why did Jen shoot Richard in the stomach instead of killing him immediately?

When Jen first confronts Richard at his home, she shoots him in the stomach, but he survives and they engage in an extended cat-and-mouse fight inside the house. This initial shot likely reflects either her不完全な revenge satisfaction or an attempt to make him suffer before delivering the fatal blow. Only after a brutal struggle does she finish him with a final shot.

Foreshadowing: Jen's methodical approach to killing each attacker suggests she wanted Richard to experience fear and pain before death.

  • richard
  • shooting
  • revenge
  • house
  • final
Q14

Why did Jen turn toward the helicopter sound at the end of the movie?

At the end, after killing all three men, Jen hears an approaching helicopter and turns toward the sound. This suggests rescue is coming, likely the same pilot Roberto who originally brought Richard the peyote. The helicopter represents her escape from the desert and a return to civilization after her ordeal, offering a bittersweet conclusion to her nightmare.

Foreshadowing: Roberto's helicopter was the only means of transportation in and out of the remote location, making its return logical.

  • helicopter
  • rescue
  • ending
  • escape
  • roberto

Movie threads

More Movies Like Revenge, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about female vengeance like Revenge

Stories of women pushed to the edge, transforming trauma into relentless action. If you liked the raw, transformative fury in Revenge, explore more movies like it. These films feature women who, after suffering extreme violence or betrayal, embark on a brutal and cathartic quest for justice, blurring the lines between victim and avenger.

  • vengeful
  • brutal
  • survivalist
  • cathartic
  • gritty
  • unflinching
  • Tone: dark, vengeful
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically begin with a heinous act of violence or betrayal against a female protagonist, shattering her world. The story then follows her grueling physical and emotional journey from victimhood to becoming a skilled, determined force of retribution, often set in harsh or isolated environments that amplify the struggle.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared focus on a specific, intense character arc: the female revenge journey. They deliver a potent mix of visceral thrills and heavy emotional weight, exploring themes of trauma, survival, and the high cost of justice through a lens of unflinching violence.

Harsh survival thrillers in the desert like Revenge

Desperate characters fighting for their lives against both people and an unforgiving environment. For viewers who enjoyed the oppressive desert setting and relentless survival chase in Revenge, this collection features similar movies. Discover other tense stories where characters are pushed to their absolute limits in brutal, isolated environments, fighting for every breath.

  • tense
  • survivalist
  • oppressive
  • relentless
  • gritty
  • desolate
  • Tone: gritty, oppressive
  • Pacing: fast, tense
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a character or small group becoming stranded or pursued in an extreme environment. The plot is a linear, high-stakes battle for survival, where the conflict is as much against the elements and terrain as it is against a human adversary, leading to a physically and emotionally exhausting journey.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their use of a hostile setting to amplify tension and reflect the protagonist's internal desolation. They share a visceral, often brutal tone, fast pacing driven by immediate danger, and a focus on the raw, physical mechanics of survival under extreme duress.

If you liked this

Movies Like Revenge

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

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Revenge (2018) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

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

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app