Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

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Christian M Dec 9 Stranger feelings. 'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance' is a divisive film. Park Chan-wook delivers a bold, striking visual style, but it didn’t fully captivate me despite its careful composition. The pacing feels slow and long, requiring patience. The story meticulously explores morality, human struggles, conflicting interests, and vengeance. While solid, it can be exhausting and depends on the viewer’s engagement to feel impactful. Its strength lies in conveying drama and empathy: the performances let you feel each character’s motivations and dilemmas, subtly guiding the viewer to question who is "good" or "bad." Despite this, the film leaves me largely indifferent. It’s cold, meticulous, and enjoyable only in moderation. Honestly, it gives little hope for the next installment: Oldboy. See more Dani G Aug 25 I remember it was more violent, based on the first time I watched it many years back. It is, but it feels more like a rehearsal for the filmmaker's masterpiece... Of course I'm referring to 'Oldboy' See more Slick R @SlickReviewer Jun 30 TBH it was kinda boring for me. Good original story but not as good as other classics. What is the deal with Koreans and slicing each other's Achilles tendons??? See more Rehan May 5 Very sad movie. Life is really tragic for some people... See more Kevin L @Lakeman 02/05/2025 A mixed bag for me. There are clearly some of the characteristics of Park Chan Wook's style here- the cold, distanced tone; the dark, underlining nature that human beings carry in them in desperate times; and the depth of emotion his images and actions can stir within us. It's harsh, ugly business. Things whirl out of everyone’s control as both male protagonists lose humanity in each becoming a sort of Mr. Vengeance. There's Park, who kills for understandable reasons in spite of his basic decency, and Ryu who kills for more understandable reasons but loses what empathy we may have had. The physical extremes of the violence, too, are out of control: drownings, a mentally defective spastic; knifings; drugs; aluminum bat bashings, first perfected on a batting range, electric torture, autopsies, cremation, loosened bladders. Not one you're likely to want to sit through again. The first part of the director's revenge trilogy, it may linger in your head well after the end credits. 2.8 stars See more Sams K 08/22/2024 Definitely a very good piece! A must watch. Maybe the best of the trilogy of vengeance. See more Read all reviews

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

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