Vengeance (Chinese: 復仇) is a 2009 action thriller film co-produced and directed by Johnnie To, and written by Wai Ka-Fai.

The film tells the story of Francis Costello, a French chef and former assassin whose daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren are attacked by a gang of Triads.

The idea of To directing an English-language film originated with ARP co-founders Michèle and Laurent Pétin, who had Alain Delon in mind for the lead role.

Vengeance was met with positive reviews, with several critics praising To's direction, Hallyday's performance, the cinematography and editing.

In Macau, three men break into a house, shoot Irene Costello (Sylvie Testud) and kill her husband and two children.

Costello later tracks down Kwai's syndicate, hands them a stack of euros and his watch, and asks them to help him avenge his daughter's family's deaths.

Tony tells them that he "sawed off" a matching weapon for a Hong Kong hitman who works on Seafood Street.

The three attackers flee, while Costello and Kwai's syndicate take refuge at a run-down apartment in Hong Kong to treat their wounds.

Shortly after they have tended to their wounds, Kwai receives a phone call from triad boss Fung, who informs him that three of his men need help, and are with an underground non-registered doctor known as "Old Five".

As they escape, Kwai's syndicate lose track of Costello, who is walking through a crowded street, seemingly lost in the night rain.

The three men give up in despair, and take him to a beach where they meet Kwai's friend, Big Mama (Michelle Ye), a pregnant woman with a group of children.

Later that night Costello has a vision of the 3 Hitman and Irene in the afterlife, implying his daughter died of her injures and also reminding him of his mission for revenge against Fung.

Other cast members include Sylvie Testud as Irene Costello-Thompson, Costello's daughter;[5] Michelle Ye as Big Mama, a pregnant woman who aids Costello in his fight for revenge; and Vincent Sze as Mr. Thompson Cheung Chi-shun, Irene's husband and the father of her two children.

[5] Eddie Cheung, Berg Ng, Felix Wong appear as Python, Wolf and Crow, a trio of hitmen hired to kill Irene and her family.

The film was produced by Milkyway Image, the Hong Kong independent production company founded by Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai.

To returned to France in March 2007, where he handed the Pétins a step outline of what he and screenwriter Wai Ka-Fai had envisioned.

[7] In July 2007, the Pétins met with French musician and actor Johnny Hallyday, who was interested in making a new film.

[8] Production plans were nearly put to a halt when To was hired to remake the 1970 French crime film Le Cercle rouge, meaning that Vengeance would not be made until 2010.

[7] With a budget of $11.5 million, principal photography for Vengeance took place in Hong Kong and Macau from 15 November 2008 to 31 January 2009.

The cast and crew of the film began with a celebration on the rooftop of the Milkyway Image studio in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong.

While he is used to improvising his scenes as a director, Vengeance marked the first time that To had to work with a complete shooting script since the producers demanded that the story and dialogue already be written.

Vengeance was also released in other Asian countries, including Malaysia on 27 August 2009; Taiwan on 31 October 2009; and Singapore on 5 November 2009.

[16] In the United States, the film was released as a video on demand option on pay television formats, beginning on 4 August 2010.

[21] In his initial review, Ebert awarded Vengeance 3½ stars out of four, describing it as "a formula thriller done as an elegant genre exercise.

"[22] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times wrote that was film a "highlight" of Cannes, writing, "With his ruined face and pale snake eyes Mr. Hallyday holds the screen while Mr. To shakes it up.

"[24] Mike Hale of The New York Times wrote, "Vengeance is not top-flight Johnnie To...But the To poetry keeps breaking through: a gun battle in a city park stops and starts as clouds pass before the moon.

Lee Marshall of Screen International wrote, "What's really lacking in Vengeance is the narrative inventiveness which lifted films like Breaking News or PTU out of the Hong Kong crime genre box and turned them into arthouse crossover items.

"[25] Perry Lam of Muse Magazine wrote, "Overall, the movie lacks the flashes of life and brilliance that mark the best works in the genre.

"[26] In France, Vengeance was released to 280 theatres and in its first week, opened at eleventh place in the box office, grossing only US$539,809, and selling 63,240 tickets.

[33] Israeli directors Nevot Papushdo and Aaron Kashels were hired by Sony Pictures to direct an American version of the film.