REVENGE. Directed by Tony Scott; written by Jim Harrison and Jeffrey Fiskin; produced by Hunt Lowry and Stanley Rubin for Columbia. Starring Kevin Costner, Madeleine Stowe and Anthony Quinn. Rated R.
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Revenge is interesting, but unpleasant. A moody and atmospheric picture, it shows us a lot of beautiful Mexican scenery, dimly-lit interiors, and sudden eruptions of violence.
Though it's not made with the same artistry, it reminds one of the Godfather movies. Not only because it's about a fatherly gangster, but also in its medieval view of romance, marriage, and male/female relationships in general. [I explore these aspects of The Godfather, Part II, in this paper.]
Jay (Costner) is a hot-dog Navy pilot (sounds familar, doesn't it? when you recall Scott directed Top Gun, too). After retiring from the service, he goes to Mexico to visit Godfather-figure Tibey (Quinn), an old hunting buddy.
Costner and Quinn play well together and the relationship of their characters is interesting. Usually surrounded by grim bodyguards and almost uncomfortable wealth, Tibey delights in Jay's casual approach to life. There's obvious affection between the two men.
Tibey is married, though, to the beautiful, bored and unhappy Mireya (Stowe). And what happens next isn't too hard to predict. I mean, show an unhappy woman an available Kevin Costner, and what do you expect?
Given the circumstances, the course of this true love can't possibly run smoothly. After a first half of hazy romantic images, the last part of Revenge is when the title kicks in. Literally.
Unfortunately, the action gets more and more contrived as it also gets nastier and nastier. Improbable (although interesting) characters keep popping out of the woodwork, just when our hero seems to need them.
The final problem with Revenge, though, is the ending, which cements the un-recommendation of my 2 stars rating. I won't give the end away, but I have to report that it's adolescent, sexist, and, with the final scene taking place in a mountaintop nunnery, downright medieval.
March 7, 1990