Kevin Costner wasn't supposed to be an anti-hero. In 1990, he was America’s golden boy, the guy who built baseball fields in cornfields and danced with wolves. Then came Revenge. It’s a movie that basically tried to set his wholesome image on fire.
If you haven’t seen it, or only remember the dusty VHS cover, you’re missing the weirdest pivot in 90s cinema. Directed by the late Tony Scott—fresh off the glossy adrenaline of Top Gun—this wasn’t a standard action flick. It was a sun-drenched, blood-soaked nightmare about three people who should have known better but just couldn't help themselves.
The Setup: A Friendship That Never Had a Chance
The plot is deceptively simple. Jay Cochran (Costner) is a Navy pilot who hangs up his flight suit and decides to visit an old friend in Mexico. That friend is Tibey Mendez, played by the legendary Anthony Quinn.
Now, Tibey isn't just a rich guy. He’s a powerful, dangerous "businessman" with a very young, very beautiful wife named Miryea (Madeleine Stowe).
Honestly, the movie spends a lot of time on the tension. It’s a slow burn. Cochran and Miryea start a torrid affair almost immediately, which is—let’s be real—a terrible idea. You’ve got a guest betraying his host, a wife betraying a powerful crime lord, and a crime lord who values loyalty above literally everything else.
It’s messy. It’s carnal. And it’s doomed.
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Why Revenge Still Matters Today
Most people think of 90s thrillers as polished and predictable. Revenge is neither. When Tibey finds out about the affair, the movie takes a sharp, violent turn that genuinely shocked audiences at the time.
The Brutality Factor
Tibey doesn’t just kick Cochran out. He has his men beat Cochran within an inch of his life and leave him for dead in the desert. But what happens to Miryea is arguably worse. She is disfigured, drugged, and forced into a brothel.
It’s grim.
It’s the kind of mid-budget adult drama that studios simply do not make anymore. Today, everything is either a $200 million superhero movie or a $5 million indie horror. This was a $15 million star vehicle that dared to be incredibly depressing.
The Tony Scott Aesthetic
You can see the Top Gun DNA here, but it’s twisted. Scott uses these gauzy, hazy filters and flickering shadows. It’s beautiful to look at, which makes the sudden bursts of violence—like Costner’s character later slashing a man's throat in a bathroom—feel even more jarring.
There are actually three different cuts of this movie. The original theatrical version was 124 minutes, but Tony Scott eventually released a "Director’s Cut" in 2007 that is twenty minutes shorter.
The shorter version is better. It’s leaner. It removes some of the 80s-style fluff and focuses on the raw, primal energy of the three leads.
The "Hero" Nobody Wanted
At the time, critics didn't know what to do with this. Roger Ebert gave it a middling review, noting the clash between its slick style and its old-school, almost "macho" values.
Costner was at his peak. 1990 was the same year Dances with Wolves swept the Oscars. Audiences wanted the noble hero. Instead, they got Jay Cochran—a guy who is, by all accounts, kind of a jerk. He betrays a man who saved his life. He ruins the life of the woman he claims to love.
By the time he actually gets his "revenge," there’s no triumph. There’s no "yippee-ki-yay" moment.
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The Ending Everyone Forgets
The finale of Revenge is what truly sets it apart. Usually, in these movies, the hero kills the villain and saves the girl.
That doesn't happen here.
Cochran finds Miryea, but she’s dying in a convent hospice, her health destroyed by the ordeal Tibey put her through. The final confrontation between Cochran and Tibey isn't a massive gunfight. It’s two broken men talking.
Tibey asks for an apology. Cochran gives it.
It’s a bizarre, quiet, and deeply sad conclusion. It acknowledges that everyone lost. Nobody won. The "revenge" was empty.
How to Revisit Revenge (The Right Way)
If you're going to watch it now, keep a few things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch the Director's Cut: Seriously. It’s 104 minutes and far more intense. The pacing in the theatrical cut drags.
- Look at the Cast: Beyond the big three, you’ve got a very young John Leguizamo and the great Miguel Ferrer. They add a gritty layer to the second half.
- Forget the "Action Movie" Label: Approach it as a neo-Western. It has more in common with Unforgiven than it does with Lethal Weapon.
- Pay Attention to the Score: Jack Nitzsche’s music is haunting and helps bridge the gap between the romance of the first half and the tragedy of the second.
Revenge remains a fascinating anomaly in Kevin Costner’s career. It’s a reminder of a time when movie stars were willing to play unlikable characters in stories that didn't have happy endings. It’s not a comfortable watch, but it’s a necessary one for anyone who wants to see the darker side of a Hollywood icon.