"Vengeance" competed for the "Palme D'Or" award at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, and was released theatrically in France on 20 May 2009. The film was later released in Hong Kong on 20 August 2009. It premiered in North America at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. "Vengeance" was met with positive reviews, with several critics praising To's direction, Hallyday's performance, the cinematography and editing. During its theatrical run, the film grossed over US$1.3 million worldwide, having been released in Asia and parts of Europe. In the United States, the film was distributed by IFC Films, which made it available as a video-on-demand selection on pay television formats.