#30 - I Saw the Devil (2010)
Posted: June 23rd, 2012, 6:13 pm
I Saw the Devil (2010)
Director:
Jee-woon Kim
Writer:
Hoon-jung Park
Cast:
Byung-hun Lee
Min-sik Choi
As the credits rolled on this movie, I instantly despised it. I was completely unsatisfied with the resolution. That shouldn't have been a huge surprise, as modern Asian cinema rarely gives a shit about proper closure. But, despite my disdain, the movie stayed with me. Some discussion with Chien on these boards prompted me to re-watch it. It's still hard to say exactly how I feel about it--but I can't deny that it's a powerful film. And, in a way, the fact that the ending doesn't go where you want it to makes it all the more compelling.
I daresay that this is the most brutal revenge movie I have ever seen. That includes Thriller: A Cruel Picture, Old Boy, and the original versions of I Spit On Your Grave, Straw Dogs, Ichi the Killer, and The Last House on the Left. That isn't to say it's the goriest or the most violent (that said, there's still a lot of gore and violence)... it simply has the most impact on the viewer.
I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying that it is, ultimately, a very unsatisfying story. But, whereas the other movies I listed could be described as "Revenge Fantasy," Jee-woon Kim's difficult film is a much more realistic portrayal of revenge taken to its most extreme.
In terms of a recommended double-feature (or a "movie club sandwich"), I'm not sure what to pick. My advice would be to go with a revenge movie that has a particularly satisfying ending: such as Kill Bill I & II ... just compare how shockingly different it is from I Saw the Devil.
PS. Is it just me, or does this film contain a pretty major nod to Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation??