The eye for an eye adage governs logical characters seeking a measure of revenge. However, when emotions are involved, the crime rarely fits the punishment.
When unbalanced characters seek reciprocal justice, they surprise the victims and the audience. The level of disproportionate vengeance carried by characters in the John Wick or Saw franchises fall within the parameters of cruel and unusual punishment.
10 New Jack City
In New Jack City, Nino Brown is the subject of a police investigation for racketeering, murder, and being the largest distributor of drugs in Harlem. Thin patience is a popular trait in his line of work, but Wesley Snipes’ character goes overboard by lighting a kid on fire who shorted the drug dealer $5.
At a meeting with Nino Brown’s affiliates, the crime boss announces his drug operations amass a million dollars a week. With figures like that, it’s reasonable to extend a line of credit for $5 for workers who are short on payments. Brown’s cold heart and vengeful tactics make him one of the most ruthless villains in the crime genre.
9 Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers
Disney+’s Chip ’N Dale: Rescue Rangers tracks a resentful former Hollywood child star who aged out of his typecast role as Peter Pan. The mature lost boy exacts revenge on Tinseltown by mutilating animations and shipping them off to perform in bootleg productions.
Peter Pan’s Peter Pan syndrome takes him down a dark path, and he’s blinded by his disorder. Without a face to blame for his misfortune, Pan tortures former animation stars and becomes the very thing he despises about Hollywood. His actions don’t hold Hollywood accountable but instead feeds the system by typecasting his victims in their dreaded childhood roles.
8 Goodfellas
In Goodfellas, Joe Pesci’s character Tommy DeVito understands the deadly consequences of an unsanctioned murder against a made man of the mafia. DeVito’s emotions get the best of him, and he murders an arrogant gangster after a heated exchange with the made man who insults DeVito about his history as a shoe shiner.
It’s clear at the beginning of the scene that Pesci’s character has some built-up anger towards the old acquaintance. Tommy gives a first and final warning in the war of words and the second chapter of insults ends up being the made man’s final words.
7 Man of Steel
Smallville’s vigilante runs to the rescue to help a waitress being harassed in Man of Steel. Clark loses his temper and hands in his two weeks notice two weeks early after the drunk patron douses him with beer. For revenge, Kent pins logs through the truck driver’s vehicle for retribution.
The unbalanced retaliation for Clark’s wet t-shirt leaves the truck damaged beyond repair. The immature response takes place before Superman is trained to turn the other cheek by Jor-El in his fortress of solitude.
6 Iron Man III
In Iron Man III, Tony Stark is approached by Killian in an elevator at a New Year’s party minutes before the ball drops. After Tony rejects Killian’s business proposal, the scientist devotes his life work to getting revenge on the billionaire.
Killian kidnaps Pepper and rolls the dice on her survival after exposing her to the Extremis serum. The irony is that Tony’s research is what lead to the scientific breakthrough for Killian’s think tank. Killian ignores Tony’s contribution and fails to forgive the Avenger for his drunk demeanor the night of the offense.
5 Spider-Man 3
Eddie Brock and Peter Parker’s seesaw rivalry is on display on Spider-Man 3. Brock is on the losing end of the contest after Parker outs the camera guy for doctoring photos of the wall-crawler for the newspaper.
Brock has a legitimate beef with Jameson for the embarrassment associated with the public firing. However, Eddie’s tunnel-visioned hatred towards Spider-Man seems misplaced. His literal prayers in the film are answered when he’s compromised by the symbiote and becomes Venom. The pain of Brock’s unemployment is eased while he hunts down Spider-Man to death.
4 John Wick
In John Wick, Wick is a target in a home invasion and beaten senseless by the intruders. Before losing consciousness, he witnesses the death of his dog. He wakes up to an empty garage as the crooks took off with his car. The former assassin pledges revenge against the culprits.
Wick manages to get his car back, but the priceless dog holds sentimental value. The cost of retribution is paid when he murders the intruders, the dog killer, the dog killer’s father, their army and burns their reserve funds to the ground. Sane dog lovers would agree that John Wick goes overboard with his path of vengeance.
3 The Usual Suspects
A con man tries to convince the authorities about the existence of a fabled criminal mastermind. The farfetched story is hard to believe, especially because of the inclusion of a sadistic revenge tactic of familicide.
When Keyser Söze’s family is taken hostage and his son is murdered, the drug lord pursues revenge with overkill. An overreaction leads to Söze going on a rampage and killing his own family, the gunmen, the families of the gunmen and their business acquaintances. The overwhelming blood in his ledger prompts a smirk from a detective that’s in disbelief.
2 The Incredibles
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
After Mr. Incredible saves IncrediBoy from an explosive that’s stuck to his cape during a duel with Bomb Voyage in The Incredibles, the hero believes he’s more effective as a solo act. The wannabe sidekick is irate by his hero’s rejection and dedicates his life toward superhero genocide for revenge.
IncrediBoy’s villain origin story peaks when the serial killer murders a majority of the superheroes. Mr. Incredible tries to apologize after he and his family are targeted, but the maniac follows through with his lopsided vengeance and tries to kill them.
1 The Saw Franchise
After being diagnosed with a deadly disease, Jigsaw devotes the remainder of his life to inspiring the living. The sadist throws his victims into deadly mazes and if they survive, the hope is that they’ll appreciate their lives after the ordeal.
Saw's elects an absurd method to drive home a lesson in carpe diem. Jigsaw’s tactics seem more unfair because even if you survive, there’s no guarantee the finish line won’t be adjusted. There’s been a handful of victims who have been tested more than once by Jigsaw or his protégés.