Home and Away: Revenge
| Company type | Television movie |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | December 19, 2016 |
Key people | Dan Bennett (co-writer), Brooke Wilson (co-writer), Arnie Custo (director) |
| Products | Television movie |
| Website | www |
Home and Away: Revenge is a television movie and a derivative work of the Australian soap opera Home and Away. Co-written by Dan Bennett and Brooke Wilson and directed by Arnie Custo, it debuted on 19 December 2016 via Foxtel on Demand, Foxtel Play, and Presto, shortly after the conclusion of the Home and Away season on Seven Network. Following the success of the 2015 telefilm Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye, which set new streaming records on Presto, Revenge was commissioned alongside Home and Away: All or Nothing. Serving as a continuation of An Eye for an Eye, it features both current and returning cast members.
The storyline follows Bianca Scott (Lisa Gormley) and Heath Braxton (Dan Ewing) as they embark on a postponed honeymoon in the Northern Territory. Their plans are disrupted when Bianca is abducted by Trevor "Gunno" Gunson (Diarmid Heidenreich), complicating Heath's efforts to locate her amid skepticism from Sergeant Amy Peters (Lisa Flanagan). Principal filming took place in Alice Springs and Darwin, with significant scenes shot at Ooraminna Homestead and Ormiston Gorge. The film garnered mixed critical responses, with some reviewers describing it as an "underwhelming endeavour."
Plot
Heath Braxton and Bianca Scott journey to the Northern Territory for a belated honeymoon, unaware that Trevor "Gunno" Gunson—previously believed dead after an earlier confrontation—is tracking them. Meanwhile, in Summer Bay, Irene looks after Heath’s daughter Darcy, who voices worries about Bianca and Heath’s recent marital struggles. During a helicopter excursion to a gorge, Bianca is kidnapped by Gunno after their pilot Barry is incapacitated.
Heath contacts law enforcement, where detective sergeant Amy Peters interrogates him under suspicion. Bianca regains consciousness bound in an abandoned town while Gunno reveals his scheme to frame Heath for her murder. Although Heath is released on bail, he faces charges when evidence connects him to Bianca’s disappearance. Ash and Nate Cooper join the search after Gunno sends Ash a photo indicating Bianca’s whereabouts.
The situation intensifies as Gunno holds both Ash and Bianca captive, forcing life-threatening decisions. Nate intervenes, allowing police to apprehend Gunno. Back in Sydney, Bianca takes a pregnancy test while Gunno arrives at prison, noticing Heath’s brother Kyle Braxton.
Cast
(In order of appearance)
- Dan Ewing as Heath Braxton
- Lisa Gormley as Bianca Scott
- Diarmid Heidenreich as Trevor Gunson
- Kyle Pryor as Nate Cooper
- Lynne McGranger as Irene Roberts
- Alea O'Shea as Darcy Callahan
- Scott Fraser as Barry
- George Mason as Martin Ashford
- Lisa Flanagan as Amy Peters
- Ben Wood as Grant Purcell
- Alexander Bertrand as Constable Dave
- Nic Westaway as Kyle Braxton
Conception and development
Following the record-breaking streaming success of Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye on Presto in 2015, additional spin-offs were commissioned. Announced in May 2016 alongside All or Nothing, scriptwriting proceeded with production commencing later that year. Positioned as a sequel to An Eye for an Eye, Revenge retains the series’ PG rating to appeal to its established audience.
Dan Ewing and Lisa Gormley reprised their roles as Heath Braxton and Bianca Scott, with their characters’ narratives leading directly into Revenge. Ewing highlighted the special’s cinematic quality compared to standard episodes, likening it more to a feature-length film.
The storyline focuses on Heath and Bianca’s postponed honeymoon in the Northern Territory, which is interrupted by their enemy Trevor "Gunno" Gunson’s abduction of Bianca, implicating Heath in the process.
Casting
Revenge includes a mix of returning and current actors. Dan Ewing and Lisa Gormley reprised their characters, with Gormley being the sole female cast member to travel to the Northern Territory, where she developed a strong emotional connection to her role. Ewing commented on Heath’s evolution since An Eye for an Eye, emphasizing a more mature interpretation of the character.
The regular ensemble, including George Mason (Martin Ashford), Kyle Pryor (Nate Cooper), and Lynne McGranger (Irene Roberts), also appeared. Ewing noted that the addition of Ash and Nate was intended to enhance Heath’s storyline, praising Pryor’s contribution to the action sequences due to his experience with stunts. Diarmid Heidenreich returned as Trevor Gunson, now marked by a prominent scar on his head; Ewing applauded his powerful portrayal. Alea O'Shea also resumed her role as Darcy Callahan.
Lisa Flanagan joined the cast as Sergeant Amy Peters without undergoing an audition process; her character represents the show’s first indigenous female role. Flanagan expressed hope that this would pave the way for increased Aboriginal representation in the series. She reprised this role again in 2021.
Filming
Under the banner of Seven Productions, principal filming took place primarily in Alice Springs and Darwin over a ten-day period during winter. The Northern Territory environment presented distinct challenges compared to Sydney’s usual locations, necessitating inventive solutions during rain delays. Filming sites included a cattle station, Ooraminna Homestead near Alice Springs, Ormiston Gorge, as well as Sydney for scenes set in Summer Bay.
The production utilized guerrilla-style filming techniques with a minimal crew; additionally, Ewing and Gormley captured some footage using mobile phones and GoPro cameras. To deepen his portrayal during interrogation scenes, Ewing employed method acting methods involving sleep deprivation and caffeine consumption.
Broadcast
Home and Away: Revenge debuted on Foxtel Play and Foxtel on Demand on 19 December 2016, immediately following the main series’ season finale broadcast on Channel Seven. It was also accessible via Presto. In the United Kingdom, it premiered on 5Star on 13 March in a single 95-minute segment and was divided into three half-hour episodes for Irish broadcaster RTÉ2.
Reception
In the UK market, Revenge drew an audience of 260,000 viewers on 5Star, securing the eighth position in weekly ratings.
Brad Newsome from The Sydney Morning Herald offered a largely unfavorable critique, describing it as an "underwhelming endeavour" despite acknowledging Heidenreich’s compelling depiction of Gunno. In contrast, Stephen Downie of TV Week praised the narrative focus on Heath and Bianca, commended Ewing’s acting skills, and recognized strong performances by Mason and Pryor. He also emphasized Gunno’s menacing character presence.
Rachael Gavin from TV Soap remarked that Revenge delivered rapid-paced action sequences and stunts set against the distinctive backdrop of the Northern Territory, setting it apart from standard episodes.