Achyut Prashast Singh
India
This review may contain spoilers
Revenge movies have always been my taste. South Korean filmmakers have a great skill in churning out excellent revenge films, with OLDBOY and I SAW THE DEVIL being the best examples. While these films have grown into being classics ever since they released, Park Chan-wook, the director of the former film, gave another solid revenge film even before it came out. The film, SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE, is to say simply one of the best revenge films to come out from South Korea. Well-written and well- timed, there's a lot one can take home after watching this film.
SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE, as the title itself says, is a film about revenge and thus it's no spoiler. In its overall duration, there wasn't even a single dull moment and the film was livened up by a solid execution along with some top notch performances and the screenplay.
Song Kang-ho is one of my favourite South Korean actors, and he proves why. He portrays every emotion with perfection. He breathes and rather, lives the role of Park Dong-jin. Shin Ha-kyun is excellent as Ryu, and his performance will definitely have you rooting for him in certain scenes. Doona Bae as Cha Yeong-mi has a lot to do, but delivers only occasionally. Other actors, including Han Bo-bae and Lim Ji-Eun are excellent too.
The film's editing is commendable, along with the cinematography being another major plus. The action is brutally intense and well executed on screen. There are some gruesome scenes as well, but they aren't too extreme to be very difficult to watch. This must indicate that this film isn't for kids or even, the faint-hearted. The emotional scenes are quite effective and manage to make you feel for the characters. The screenplay is excellent with no major hindrances to storytelling, eventually leading to a powerful and effective climax.
The only flaw is that the story is a little convoluted in a few scenes due to which many might not be able to understand what happened.
Apart from it, there is no such flaws you'll find. Just start watching it. You won't even wish to find any.
To sum up, SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE is a powerful and intense action thriller which raises the bar for South Korean revenge movies, eventually finding its top position in the list of the best movies of the World Cinema. You may definitely watch it, and it would be better if you watch it as soon as possible. Better catch it on a Blu-ray, to experience the depth with which the cinematography captures the fine visuals in this dark yet entertaining film.
SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE, as the title itself says, is a film about revenge and thus it's no spoiler. In its overall duration, there wasn't even a single dull moment and the film was livened up by a solid execution along with some top notch performances and the screenplay.
Song Kang-ho is one of my favourite South Korean actors, and he proves why. He portrays every emotion with perfection. He breathes and rather, lives the role of Park Dong-jin. Shin Ha-kyun is excellent as Ryu, and his performance will definitely have you rooting for him in certain scenes. Doona Bae as Cha Yeong-mi has a lot to do, but delivers only occasionally. Other actors, including Han Bo-bae and Lim Ji-Eun are excellent too.
The film's editing is commendable, along with the cinematography being another major plus. The action is brutally intense and well executed on screen. There are some gruesome scenes as well, but they aren't too extreme to be very difficult to watch. This must indicate that this film isn't for kids or even, the faint-hearted. The emotional scenes are quite effective and manage to make you feel for the characters. The screenplay is excellent with no major hindrances to storytelling, eventually leading to a powerful and effective climax.
The only flaw is that the story is a little convoluted in a few scenes due to which many might not be able to understand what happened.
Apart from it, there is no such flaws you'll find. Just start watching it. You won't even wish to find any.
To sum up, SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE is a powerful and intense action thriller which raises the bar for South Korean revenge movies, eventually finding its top position in the list of the best movies of the World Cinema. You may definitely watch it, and it would be better if you watch it as soon as possible. Better catch it on a Blu-ray, to experience the depth with which the cinematography captures the fine visuals in this dark yet entertaining film.
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