악마를 보았다 (I saw the devil) : South Korean movie review
What is revenge? What is the definition of revenge? What does it mean to avenge the cold - blooded murder of a loved one, a part of your life? This movie answers all these questions and more. I watched this masterpiece for a second time as I had missed writing about it the first time. Well, I originally watched it in the Korean movie phase and I was too disturbed to write anything about the movie after watching it. The movie is surely not for the faint - hearted. The movie is seeped, infused, drenched and is dripping with one thing : REVENGE. It has cannibalism, the most violent gore , blood, a sleeper cell of some cult, slavery, serial killing and much more. It takes us to the world of the twisted underbelly, the scum of the earth. If you're new to the world of South Korean movies, then this one will be an overdose. I would recommend graduating from other South Korean movies just to get used to the raw, primal feelings that these movies incite.
Twisted, fucked - up personalities exist in our midst. They inhabit the world that you and I walk in. Every now and then we're shaken by those with zero empathy. The ones so beyond repair that their rationale and way of life pose a basic question to you - what the hell has gone wrong with humanity? You might have felt the basic instincts of anger, disgust, hatred, unbearable rage and your blood boiling on some occasions. These instances occur when the world doesn't behave the way you imagined it would. One example I can give is the horrific Nirbhaya case in India. There is the scum of the earth, and then there is the next level, who will get a special place in hell, curated by 666. Are they even human? When those animals pleaded for mercy and bail in the court, did they even have a shred of repentance, of remorse for what they had done?
When you are wronged beyond redemption, not everyone might follow the path of "ahimsa". When you believe in a singular cause, all else fades into nothingness. This movie channels such a situation and treats it in it's own way. It might give definition to what a vigilante operates on. I'm completely stunned again by the level of gore and violence in the movie, and the recurring pattern of green houses, cold - blooded murders, serial killings and psychopaths in these movies. What is the connection to the history of the country? Movies mirror society. I know a bit of the turbulent past of the country, but I am intrigued by the pattern. I saw flashes of "Memories of murder" in the fields and the policemen.
This is a dark movie. Kim Soo- hyeon (Byung- hun Lee) delivers a phenomenal performance as the wronged detective. You can see the single - minded focus and pain in his eyes. Jang Kyung- Chul (the mercurial Min-sik Choi from Oldboy) is absolutely terrifying. He is the face of pure evil, and is limitless in his soulless pursuit. I was on the edge of my seat whenever he was on, scared about what would happen next. These are the primary characters in the movie. This is a cat and mouse game. Harm the perpetrator, let him go, and hunt him down again.
The dialogues are heavy hitting:
Some of the most crazy camerawork is seen in this movie. Circling around the inside of a car (check this out). The slow, menacing camera zooming out through the crack of a building had left me gasping, the first time I experienced it. The camera moves fluidly, allowing us to completely immerse in the movie's atmosphere. The conclusion scenes are a symphony of pain, and a bittersweet taste of "justice" for the protagonist. The movie is visually stunning, something for you to soak up and experience.
I can go on and on, but I don't want to deprive you the pleasure of experiencing this gem first - hand. I think these movies may be a preparation for me to finally get "Oldboy". I've watched it once, when I didn't know what the hell was going on. Now that I've erased it from memory, these movies might be the building blocks for the experience that "Oldboy" will reveal to be. I'm bracing up.
You should watch this masterpiece to understand the interpretation of revenge, and for it's cinematic richness.
(Thanks, Krips, for the insights and for proofreading ;) )
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| Image courtesy imdb |
Twisted, fucked - up personalities exist in our midst. They inhabit the world that you and I walk in. Every now and then we're shaken by those with zero empathy. The ones so beyond repair that their rationale and way of life pose a basic question to you - what the hell has gone wrong with humanity? You might have felt the basic instincts of anger, disgust, hatred, unbearable rage and your blood boiling on some occasions. These instances occur when the world doesn't behave the way you imagined it would. One example I can give is the horrific Nirbhaya case in India. There is the scum of the earth, and then there is the next level, who will get a special place in hell, curated by 666. Are they even human? When those animals pleaded for mercy and bail in the court, did they even have a shred of repentance, of remorse for what they had done?
When you are wronged beyond redemption, not everyone might follow the path of "ahimsa". When you believe in a singular cause, all else fades into nothingness. This movie channels such a situation and treats it in it's own way. It might give definition to what a vigilante operates on. I'm completely stunned again by the level of gore and violence in the movie, and the recurring pattern of green houses, cold - blooded murders, serial killings and psychopaths in these movies. What is the connection to the history of the country? Movies mirror society. I know a bit of the turbulent past of the country, but I am intrigued by the pattern. I saw flashes of "Memories of murder" in the fields and the policemen.
 |
| image courtesy imdb |
This is a dark movie. Kim Soo- hyeon (Byung- hun Lee) delivers a phenomenal performance as the wronged detective. You can see the single - minded focus and pain in his eyes. Jang Kyung- Chul (the mercurial Min-sik Choi from Oldboy) is absolutely terrifying. He is the face of pure evil, and is limitless in his soulless pursuit. I was on the edge of my seat whenever he was on, scared about what would happen next. These are the primary characters in the movie. This is a cat and mouse game. Harm the perpetrator, let him go, and hunt him down again.
The dialogues are heavy hitting:
" Don't act so weak. This is just the beginning. Remember, you nightmare's getting only worse"
"I'll kill you at your most painful moment. When you most tremble in pain and fear, I'll kill you then. Because only that'll be true revenge"
 |
| image courtesy imdb |
I can go on and on, but I don't want to deprive you the pleasure of experiencing this gem first - hand. I think these movies may be a preparation for me to finally get "Oldboy". I've watched it once, when I didn't know what the hell was going on. Now that I've erased it from memory, these movies might be the building blocks for the experience that "Oldboy" will reveal to be. I'm bracing up.
You should watch this masterpiece to understand the interpretation of revenge, and for it's cinematic richness.
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