This. Is the BEST movie ever made.
[ Original date written: Dec. 9th 2020 ]You might expect it to be your typical revenge story but it isn't. Not in the slightest. It does not follow the formula you think it would at all. INSTEAD of the entire movie being about a man hunting down the man who's done him wrong and getting revenge at the very end, this film instead takes a 'cat and mouse' approach. Our (and I use this term lightly) heroine catches his target fairly early on, only to purposely let him go in order to catch him again. And again. And again.
It’s a very long movie but I found it went by quickly. I was so interested in what was happening and enjoying every single second that the runtime didn't even phase me.
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I strongly recommend watching this movies.
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This movie felt clumsy to me. I think that's the best way to describe it: clumsy. And unrealistic. There comes a point where it's difficult to suspend disbelief and just go along for the ride, and this movie managed to cross that point. What should have been a fun and wild ride was simply overdone, and at times nonsensical. It had almost everything it needed to be good, but just fell short of the mark. Wildly short.
Now, the acting is pretty darn good (for the most part), and the story starts off promising. Unfortunately the good acting can't save the mess that comes later, as the story unravels into an inconsistent mess. I've watched other movies that have similar failings and which I have enjoyed, unfortunately I Saw The Devil doesn't manage to pull it off. One or two of the coincidences are a little tongue-in-cheek (and you will either like them or groan at them), a few of the scenes display an amazing level of incompetence/idiocy, and the actions of the protagonist haven't been managed well enough to show what they were meant to show (I feel).
Honestly the film would have been better with some drastic editing. It feels repetitive at times, and I was rather bored by the time we were approaching the end. And I really shouldn't have been with all that violence going on, because there is a lot of gore to enjoy. Basically it was too long, and could easily have been parred down. It would probably have been less absurd, too. I get that this can be a tool used, but in this context it just doesn't work.
But hey, the camera work, lighting, and all that jazz is done pretty darn well. It looks good, basically. Parts of it are enjoyable to watch (like, insanely well shot) but the plot is pretty thin, and fairly unbelievable. Certainly, the ending hammers home just how far the protagonist was willing to go.
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It's not really that good.
This movie is fcked up. It's a slow burn to get to the point of the whole movie. I expected more from this movie. Personally for a few scenes that I didn't really care for. It kind of wish they weren't in the movie but it is what it is. It's not as good as it was made out to be. The acting was solid. I mean I don't have much to say about the movie. A lot of people recommend it. I'm not sure what they liked about it but everyone has their own taste in movies. I started to get a little bored with it.Was this review helpful to you?
The film has some minor flaws, perhaps not really flaws because they don't hinder the progress the film makes from the beginning. But really, a few sequences needed to be a bit shorter and a few subplots could've been avoided. But what takes over these flaws is the performance by the lead actors, Byung-hun Lee and Choi Min-Sik. These two men drive the story to an extreme and keep you interested all the time.
I SAW THE DEVIL is well adapted and executed by its director Kim Jee- Woon. I don't have problem with violence, since I have been habitual of seeing such kind of violence in many action movies and being an action film lover, I couldn't resist myself from watching the fight scenes again and again. But due to the excessive obscenity in a few scenes, I recommend it's better to watch this film alone or with someone of your age group who is interested in such films, not family. It's definitely not for kids, unless they grow up of course.
There are a lot more positives to list here. The film is well shot with good production values, due to which it's recommended to catch the film on Blu-ray instead of DVD. The visuals are excellent. The film is never hindered by any songs and the BGM is terrific, especially in the action and dramatic scenes. It has brilliant action, but it also has a riveting drama. Byung-hun Lee is very handsome and a brilliant actor who fits the role. Choi Min-Sik as the villain is a total firecracker. He gives a brilliant performance close to perfection. Other actors do their part well.
Overall, I SAW THE DEVIL is a good action thriller that nevertheless keep you riveted despite of mild editing flaws as the overall film is very gripping. It's recommended for those who like dark action thrillers and without minding the language barrier. I know it's not 100% perfect, but then who gives 100% perfection always? For movie lovers who can see a lot more than just violence and vulgarity, this film is a must watch and definitely thought-provoking. In other words, an action packed thrilling delight!
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But it's definitely not a movie for the weak hearted cause it has too much of sexual violence and gore. I had to skip a few mature scenes myself..it was too disgusting to watch. *pukes* Those scenes very graphic and gruesome but necessary for the story, that's why I think the story deserves a 10/10.
Acting - 10/10. I think it takes a lot of skill to play the roles of the main characters. Choi Min Shik and Lee Byung Hun played their roles perfectly!
Music - I just gave it an 8/10 but actually I didn't really pay attention to the music lol. But so assume it's good cause if it was terrible it would have distracted me.
I like this movie much more than Old Boy.. but like Old Boy, I don't think I can re-watch this again. It's just too disturbing..
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I never expected that it would turn into a cat and mouse game but since that was so unexpected, I loved the movie even more. I’ve never seen a revenge film take that approach before. Following the killer around I felt engrossed, waiting to see what would happen next and I never felt bored as there were many twists to keep me entertained.
It was a little gorey but nothing in the gore porn film genre, like it’s not a Saw movie. It was just enough to fascinate and disgust me simultaneously. You saw how psychotic the killer was so it was satisfying watching him suffer. Which I think is the mark of not only a good actor playing his role to perfection but a well told story, that I’m rooting for pain.
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This review may contain spoilers
Why I hated this kind of great movie.
There are many positive comments about how this is such an amazing piece of cinema. Yes, it is graphic and not for the faint of heart. I think the two male leads were pretty great. Lee Byung Hun as Kim Soo Hyun was good as the "good" guy, and Choi Min Shik was awesome at making Jang Gyung Chul one of the most despicable, disgusting, terrible characters ever.That said, there is one facet of this movie that just turned me off to the whole thing. SPOILER AHEAD:
Soo Hyun puts a tracking device in Gyung Chul and lets him go. Oh, is he going to track him through the woods or some deserted area and just keep messing with him? No. He lets him go right where he is, to go and offend on a bunch more people. I believe he killed at least 3 people after Soo Hyun let him go. Those are the most egregious. But that poor nurse will also never be the same. Soo Hyun could have done many different things to torture that a$$h0l3. But letting him go like he did just ruined the movie for me. Soo Hyun turns out to be a terrible character as well. I know he didn't want that, or intend for that to happen, but the fact is that the baddie ruined a bunch more lives because of the way Soo Hyun decided to handle it. Sooooooo lame.
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Could feel my heart beating so fast and couldn't stop feeling for the victims. It also gives a very strong message, not to trust everyone willing to offer help. The hero of this movie is a damn fantastic actor. I had watched this movie a long time ago, but can still remember his rage and hurt. The ending was very satisfying, felt so much for each and every victim and for the loved ones they left behind.
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What I liked so much about this movie was the fact that Soo-Hyun gave up everything to revenge his fiancé and to make the killer suffer as much as he could. While you watch the movie you will notice how Kyung-chul's eyes can make you turn on the lights again once you see how he doesn't feel anything after killing a person. The cast is very well chosen, achou Min Shik did a very good job as a psychopath, like I said before, just by looking at his eyes I wanted to turn off the screen because it's really scary, that only shows how good his act was.
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A Great One Time Watch
I went into this movie knowing little about it. But I was intrigued the whole way through. I think that the horror paired with the detailed plot is what makes this worth the watch.I don’t know that I would watch it again because it is disturbing and all felt very real. But I would definitely recommend fans of this particular genre to try.
I’ve seen negative reviews based on the main character’s choices. My two cents: He was never meant to be the hero. It was clear from the beginning that the story would show his transition into becoming a monster himself. The title makes perfect sense, especially by the end of the movie.
Do I agree with the main character’s choices? Absolutely not. But that literally isn’t the purpose of the movie.
This story has a lasting impression partially because it is supposed to make you think, but also because it is incredibly artistic. I enjoyed the way it was shot and scored. And the acting was amazing from main to minor characters.
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