OLLA MOKHTAR
campus editor
olla.mokhtar@my.tccd.edu

Starring actors Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke, “Do Revenge” is a two-hour film that combines the two successful actors into one masterpiece. 

The movie explored the bond between two teenagers by the names of Drea, played by Mendes and Eleanor, played by Hawke. The two of them meet at a tennis camp where Drea helps coach and Eleanor is learning about the sport. After Drea’s car breaks down, Eleanor suggests that she give her a ride and they kick off their friendship. 

Mendes’ character was beautifully executed, but she has played this kind of role for years and it is scary to think that she might be typecast.

Her character Veronica Lodge is like Drea in that she is popular, well known and feared because of her popularity. However Lodge is rich while Drea is not as her mother is a nurse that works night shifts and is not seen in the movie at all.

She has played Veronica Lodge from Riverdale since 2017 and has been featured in other movies as well. However, she’s most famous for Riverdale.  She’s a great actor, when will we get to see her in other genres more?

As for Hawke, she played a different role than usual and also performed flawlessly. Both of her parents are famous actors and I’m sure they have many connections and networks at her need so it works out for her even if she gets typecasted, which doesn’t seem to be happening. 

She has mentioned before that she is aware of her privilege and nepotism at play, however it is not a reflection of her acting, again, she performed very well and she transitioned well from her character in “Stranger Things.”

The movie starts with Drea, a 17-year-old soon-to-be senior who is celebrating her birthday hosted and paid for by her rich friend Tara. She then goes through many hardships that lead to her stumbling down to the bottom of the high school food chain where she meets Eleanor.

Eleanor is introduced as a transfer student. She is sent by her parents during the summer to attend RoseHill Country Day High School and to go to tennis camp where she meets Drea. She also has an enemy, Carissa, who told everybody that she was a lesbian when Drea thought that she could trust her. Both Drea and Eleanor bond over their situations.

On the first day of senior year, after having altercations and confrontations with people who have wronged them, they meet in the bathroom that later becomes “their spot.” After a few moments, they decide to get revenge for each other, claiming it would be the perfect plan since neither friend groups run into each other.

Mendes and Hawkes’ acting in this movie was outstanding, especially with the way their characters aligned but there could have been more done with the story.

 For instance, they could have had more bonding moments before they dived into the revenge part of the movie.

The movie was only two hours with a lot happening, but I think Drea and Eleanor could’ve had more time exploring their bond in the movie. They had the same goal, but their friendship should have been nurtured better to create more chemistry thus giving us a better movie.

The plot and drama of the movie were unusually unique. I expected a reincarnated version of “Mean Girls” but it delightfully exceeded my expectations.

With the popular clique aspect evident, it seemed to be redundant. But the revenge aspect, teaming up with the new transfer student and becoming friends with said student is new.

With many plot-twists, stories and personalities, it succeeded in creating Generation Z characters, something many films now fail to do. It also captured the essence of adolescence and how vulnerable and tiring school and thinking about the future can be. 

Almost instantly, the outfits throughout the entire movie caught my eye and had me what my generation calls “shook.” 

Most of the time school outfits in other movies are very bland with the typical red, white and blue color scheme with their blazers, pants and skirts. But this movie’s designer did something different.

The school uniforms are the literal manifestation of what I would want to wear everyday. They were pastel green and purple, and the aesthetic matched that of the students who attended there – rich and pretty. 

The movie’s costume designer Alana Morshead beautifully executed her vision and shined over all of the movie and series wardrobes in my opinion.

The best one would have to be Drea’s outfit when Eleanor gave her a ride. The hot pink top and vintage accessories were beautiful, it gave a 1960’s inspired look that subtly etched on Generation Z’s style choices. Many of us like to dress up in vintage clothing and the designer did a wonderful job incorporating that aspect.  

With many shows and movies, I feel like directors try to include Generation Z humor and sayings but they fail hideously. Tiktok trending sounds and mannerisms are too integrated and it lacks the feel of what we actually act like.

For instance, the series “Resident Evil” had a scene where they had someone lip sync Dua Lipa’s song “Don’t Start Now.” It is a very popular song among my generation so when some people heard it it was plain cringe.

When people hear Tik tok trends or see them in today’s media it seems out of place. This is because many people look to movies and series as an escape from reality. When directors put popular trends in film, they seem like the relative that is constantly trying to adhere to the younger generation. It gets very awkward.

“Do Revenge” avoided that by plotting only some characteristics that were not too flashy, and all directors should follow in the director Jennifer Robinson’s footsteps.

Despite being a chick-flick, it wasn’t generic or tacky. This movie is definitely worth a rewatch.

With “Do Revenge,” the good aspects of the movie outweigh the bad. It combined them and produced a movie that related to what it meant to be a struggling teen in today’s age. The director made it look, as Gretchen Wieners from “Mean Girls” put it, “fetch.”