Dadcore is more narrowly defined by being rip-snorting action movies—many of them hardcore and rated R—in which the plot is vaguely defined by a male character seeking revenge or vengeance or some kind of justice (spiritual or otherwise), usually outside the letter of the law. […] Most of the time, the main characters in these movies are either fathers or form some kind of surrogate father relationship with a younger character, keeping the "by dads, for dads" central message of dadcore steadily intact.