An entirely unexpected delight, Chan-Wook Park's 'Sympathy for Lady Vengeance' is a very strange film indeed. Part caper movie, part redemption story, part thriller, it switches from one visual style and filmic genre to another on the head of a pin. The comedy and there is a surprising amount of comedy given the deeply disturbing tale at the heart of the script is black as pitch, and what violence occurs sparing but brutal in the extreme.
Yeoung-ae Lee gives a stunning performance as our titular heroine, oozing enigma from every subtle pore. The supporting turns are variable in quality, but generally strong every one of them pretty much defined by their contact with our heroine or the consequences of her vengeful agenda.
In contrast with most filmic tales of revenge it also very successfully addresses the emotional consequence of revenge. This sudden switch of emphasis from a traditional eye-for-an-eye story of revenge to a cathartic emotional release addressing issues of moral culpability and redemption is what stops this being just another slick, stylish quirky action movie, and makes it something quite wonderful instead.
Yeoung-ae Lee gives a stunning performance as our titular heroine, oozing enigma from every subtle pore. The supporting turns are variable in quality, but generally strong every one of them pretty much defined by their contact with our heroine or the consequences of her vengeful agenda.
In contrast with most filmic tales of revenge it also very successfully addresses the emotional consequence of revenge. This sudden switch of emphasis from a traditional eye-for-an-eye story of revenge to a cathartic emotional release addressing issues of moral culpability and redemption is what stops this being just another slick, stylish quirky action movie, and makes it something quite wonderful instead.