By Kane Edmonds
Violent. Beautiful. Classic Korean Revenge Cinema.
3 STARS DIRECTOR: KIM JEE-WOON DOP: LEE MO-GAE RUNTIME: 141 MINUTES RELEASE DATE: AUGUST, 2010
Ten years ago, Kim Jee-woon, gave Korean revenge cinema fans something truly wonderful, I Saw the Devil. It’s gone down as a bit of a cult classic in a similar way to Oldboy, 2003. His stylized approach to films resulted in a truly distinctive revenge thriller and has no doubt been an attribute to his increasing success. Most recently it was announced that a project, Kim Jee-woon was directing will be picked up by Apple TV+. I Saw The Devil won multiple awards at multiple international film festivals such as best director and best film at Fantasporto in Portugal and critics’ choice at Geradmer Film Festival in France.
I Saw The Devil is a classic cat and mouse story but within the context of a hyper-gore Korean revenge story. The wife of government secret agent Kim Soo-hyun is brutally murdered (in a misleadingly gorgeous opening scene) by serial killer Jang Kyung-chul (played by seasoned actor Choi Min-Sik) ; what ensues is a series of painful and violent tit-for-tats which make up the main premise of the film. Soo-hyun is the ‘particular set of skills’ type protagonist that allows him to track down, beat down and inflict a certain degree of damage that keeps Kyung-chul significantly battered and injured but alive enough to continue this extended form of torture. Whereas, Kyung-chul has an instinctive evil inside him that grants him a degree of skill and elusiveness and a tendency to retaliate in a way that causes more trouble than Soo-hyun had intended to solve. The pairing of these two characters makes for a compelling story gushing with gore that leaves you eagerly waiting for what’s next.
We have Lee Mo-gae to thank for one of the films greatest assets, its cinematography. A frequent collaborator with director Kim Jee-woon, shots can feel almost poetic and ooze a welcome sense of beauty in otherwise horrific and brutal sequences. In other words, the cinematography can, at times, divert your awareness away from the stark reality of what is happening on screen and instead leave you enamored. Choi Min-sik is another vital asset, whose astounding capabilities as an actor can also subvert your disgust. In a triumphant return to the revenge genre, Choi’s Jang Kyung-chul is just as twisted and evil as Oh Dae-su is weird and enraged in Oldboy, 2003. Whilst, obviously, you don’t sympathise or side with him, there is something cynically delightful about Choi’s depiction of this deranged and disgusting psycho that when he is off the screen you impatiently await his return; perhaps this is due to an affliction that stems from his unforgettable performance Oldboy.
The film doesn’t overextend itself too much in general, and this definitely works in places -if it aint broke don’t fix it - but it has to be said that the script doesn’t live up to the direction and the cinematography. It could be said that a film like this which is, ultimately, torture porn, doesn’t need a mind-blowing script to accompany it. But then why have the stunning cinematography of Lee Mo-gae or have Kim Jee-woon to direct. Consequently, the film feels starved of any good dialogue and deeper character understanding or growth, which perhaps we wouldn’t expect in any normal hyperviolent torture flick, but because of the greatness of the films other assets, it felt expected.
That being said, I Saw the Devil does exactly what is says on the tin and more. A classic Korean revenge story, charismatic performances, strong fight scenes, blood and gore and some gorgeous shots. Who knew extreme violence could look so pretty?
I Saw The Devil is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime and VUDU
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