Directed by: Park Chanwook
Starring: Lee Yeong-ae, Choi Min-sik
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"Did you find that bastard?"
"Yeah."
"Did you kill him?"
"Not yet."
The Film-
Lee
Geum-Ja has just been released from a 13-year old prison term. She was
sent there when she was just a child- young and naive and thinking she
was in love. She decided to take the fall for her lover, you see- and
it wasn’t until it was too late that she realized that he didn’t care
for her at all.
Geu-Ja
concocts an incredibly intricate plan to trap the man who’s ruined her
life- involving other people that she meets in prison. She’s got all
the patience in the world- and as she leaves the jail, she begins to
lay out her plans for revenge, calling in old favors and help from
friends.
Along the way, her quest for personal revenge becomes something so much more, and so much greater than herself.
"What do you mean you’re Jewish?!?"
The Judgement-
This
film is a work of art. I’m not one to just throw words around- so let
me rephrase that. This film is a masterpiece. It’s one of the kind that
sticks with you long after you’ve seen it- that doesn’t ever leave your
head. All it takes is a single note of music from the incredible score
and you’re back in that mood. It does what the very best films do- it
introduces characters that will stay with you throughout your life.
Now, I’ve been a fan of Park Chanwook for a little while now- starting with the coverage of Oldboy on this very site a handful of years ago. Since then, I’ve seen everything I can of his- his Vengeance trilogy, Joint Security Area, and his 3…Extremes segment- and they’ve all been masterful works- but I really think that this is his best film.
It’s
also incredibly brutal. When you begin to realize just what this man
has really done to everyone around him, it’s a really emotional scene.
Of all of the Vengeance films, this one might possibly have the most
twisted ending- not so much because it’s a shock (like Oldboy’s
demented finisher) but because it’s so goddamn cold-blooded and
calculated. It’s scarier for that.
It’s really hard for me to
go into this film without either ruining everything or continuing to
gush, so I’ll just say this- you must see this movie.
She’s so goddamn cute.
The Sight and Sound-
Stunningly
beautiful. There’s no way to say how good this movie looks. The sound-
just as good. It’s so good that I’ll watch the trailer just to hear
that theme song. It’s mostly classical music and adds a sense of
elegance to the film. You’ve got a choice of Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS
5.1 to surround your ears with.
Even more so now…
The Extras-
Tartan
loves its films. For one thing- not many other companies bother
subtitling commentaries- which is a shame for foreign films.
The two subtitled Commentaries
include one just by Park Chanwook and one with him, the cinematographer
and the art director. Both are great looks into what it took to make
this film- although of course it helps to be familiar with the film.
That’s the only problem with subtitles on the commentary- you might not
know what dialogue is happening in the scene.
There’s also an english-language commentary
with Richard Pena, who tries to explain some of the cultural meanings
behind the film. It’s interesting, but of course it sounds more written
down than anything.
Interview with director Park Chanwook
– Chanwook talks with the aid of a translator about all sorts of
details of his film. It’s quite a long interview too at 42 minutes- but
some of that can be contributed to the fact that questions are answered
in two languages.
"The Making of Lady Vengeance" featurette
– A short (10 minute) montage of behind the scenes footage with
voiceover talking about working with the actors. Fun look at the actual
shoot.
International and U.S. trailers – I swear, I can watch these trailers over and over- they really are beautifully done.
You don’t ever want to have a woman make this face.
The Packaging-
The
cover for this is even better than the Japanese one, in my opinion…
even if it does have my biggest pet peeve for dvd packages- slipcases
with the same art as the dvd. Still, it’s simple, and works. I just
wish they would’ve left the Kill Bill blurb off of it- it’s so much
more than that.
The Lowdown-
If
you consider yourself at all interested in film, you have to see this
movie. It’s easily one of the best movies to come out in years, and
(shock) could even be greater than Oldboy. This belongs in your
collection.
The Movie- 9.5/10 The Disc- 9/10
1 shot dog
1 poisoned fatty
1 severed finger
1 tortured man