Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Graphic violence, language in terrible action movie.
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Vendetta
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In VENDETTA, William (Clive Standen) is raising his teen daughter Kat with his wife, Jen. Kat is a college-bound honors student who's also the star of her school's softball team. After winning the big game, William wants to treat Kat to food from their favorite Mexican restaurant, but while he's in the store waiting to pick up the food, a vicious gang drives by, forces Kat out of the car, and shoots her at point-blank range as part of a gang initiation. Kat dies on the sidewalk, and William and Jen's lives are devastated. When William learns that Kat's killer is going to be plea-bargained to a reduced sentence, he decides to recant his testimony so that the killer, Danny, can go free. William does this so that he can find justice on his own terms. It doesn't take long for William, a war veteran, to track down Danny Fetter, and it doesn't take long for William to start a war with the notorious Fetter Gang, led by Donnie Fetter (Bruce Willis) and his psychotic son Rory (Theo Rossi). As the police try to stop both sides from the continued escalation of violence, William is determined to stop at nothing until the Fetters and their gang are killed.
Is It Any Good?
When the most earnest and compelling performance in a movie is turned in by Sir Mike Tyson, you know you're in trouble. Vendetta, as the name strongly implies, is a revenge movie marred by phoned-in acting, overblown acting, weak character development, and clichés. Perhaps sadly, if you're a fan, Bruce Willis isn't exactly ending his career on a high note. Theo Rossi, as the psychopathic villain, seems to be trying to do an imitation of the "Come out to play-yay!" villain in the classic '70s gang movie The Warriors, only more obnoxious and not as entertaining.
In terms of the main actors, Clive Standen at least shows some range of emotion, from doting father to rage-filled vengeance-getter, even if his accent is inconsistent. His character is also the only one with any kind of development. The villains are just bad, with no sense of why they do what they do, except that they're just cartoonish bad guys like those seen in similar-themed revenge movies from the '70s and '80s. Almost all of this comes across as both rushed and phoned in.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Vendetta. How does it compare to violence in other action movies you've seen? Is it excessive, or is it necessary for the story? Why?
What's the appeal of action movies?
This movie centers on revenge. Why do you think revenge is a commonly used story theme in movies?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 19, 2022
- Cast : Bruce Willis , Clive Standen , Theo Rossi
- Director : Jared Cohn
- Inclusion Information : Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s) , Multiracial Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Redbox Entertainment
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Family Stories ( Dads , Moms )
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Violence, language throughout and some sexual material/nudity.
- Last updated : September 6, 2025
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