Film & TV on DVD - John Doe Film News & Reviews

Greetings Film Fiends and welcome to John Doe's Film Blog. 30 years of dedicated celluloid obsession has meant that I have seen a few films. Drawing attention to some of the lesser discussed gems that I love. Cult classics, obscure curios and quality genre pictures. This blogs purpose is to translate some of my passion for these films and with luck, inspire you the reader to go check em out.

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Sympathy for Lady Vengeance – Another FilmInk Review

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance – Another FilmInk Review

This is a review that was published in FilmInk I did awhile ago. Figured with Cib’s review of the confronting thrillride Old Boy igniting interest in the second part, it would be a good time to focus on the final chapter.

Available on DVD in Australia

Title: Sympathy For Lady Vengeance
Year:2005
Rating:TBC
Genre:Thriller
Director:Chan-wook Park
Cast:Yeong-ae Lee, Min-sik Choi, Tony Barry, Anne Cordiner,
Distributor: Madman
Available: September 2006
The Film: 4 out of 5

Cult Korean Director Chan-wook Park continues his emotional and psychological examination of revenge and retribution.

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance aka Chinjeolhan Geumjassi is the final installment in this profound trilogy that began with Sympathy for Mr Vengeance (2002) then Old Boy (2003).

This time around time it is a female trapped in the maelstrom of violence and guilt. Geum Ja Lee (Yeoung-ae Lee) has been in prison 13 years for the brutal abduction and slaughter of an 8 year old school boy. The film opens on the day of her release to a tidal wave of media coverage and public outrage.

Physically she is beautiful with a soft appearance, inside rages an inner turmoil of incomprehensible proportions. Once free she immediately begins implementing a mysterious plan she has been obsessing over in prison that appear to revolve around Mr Baek, (Min-sik Choi) an ex teacher of hers.

As we have come to expect the film delves deeply into how violence destroys the soul. How brutality can be cathartic and the ugly beauty of atonement. The ambiguity of evil and the effect sin has on the human psyche.

The fractured narrative and bold precise editing suck you in like a vacuum, the surreal cinematography and enthralling character performances keep you on edge. The textured dialogue laced with pitch black comedy is entertaining and thoughtful.

Extras include a Directors commentary, behind the scenes feature and trailers, unpreviewed.

See the Sympathy for Lady vengeance Trailer