Rent Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)

A challenging tale of fate - Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance review by CP Customer

I rented this purely on the strength of director 'Chan-wook Parks' superb 2003 film 'Old Boy', but where as 'Old Boy' is an intense, fast paced and stylish film, 'Sympathy for Mr Vengeance' is a far more slowly paced and bleak affair. Though the first part of 'Chan-wook Parks' revenge trilogy, (with 'Old Boy' the second, and the as yet unreleased 'Sympathy for Lady Vengeance' the last), 'Sympathy For Mr Vengance' is less about revenge and more about cruel twists of fate, with only the final 35 minutes of the film related to the films two main characters seeking revenge. In its own right this is a decent enough film with an interesting story including some clever plot twists, and if you're a fan of Asian cinema it's worth a look; but if you're expecting something as powerful and extreme as 'Old Boy' you're bound be a little disappointed.

Difficult to follow but probably worth the effort - Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance review by CP Customer

It took me quite a while to get into this film as, particularly in the beginning, it is difficult to work out what is going on and it seemed a bit weird at times but after the actual kidnap takes place it picks up pace and turns into quite an interesting story with a few twists and turns and also a few shocks. Probably worth the effort but if you happen to speak Korean so much the better.

Confused? You will be – but that's part of the film's strange attraction - Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance review by RP

I first saw the film 'Oldboy' from Korean director Park Chan-wook back in 2004, I think. But it was only a couple of months ago that I learned that it was part of a trilogy (the so-called 'Vengeance Trilogy'). The first part is 'Sympathy For Mr Vengeance' and the final part 'Sympathy For Lady Vengeance' (aka just 'Lady Vengeance').

I've now watched the complete trilogy – and I'm very impressed. There is a clear development in directing style across the films, culminating in the very stylish (even artistic) 'Lady Vengeance'. And while the first two films are more straightforward, each tells its story in a complex fashion which unfolds slowly. The films can be watched standalone.

The storyline in 'Mr Vengeance' is complex. The central character is Ryu, a deaf-mute (so not much dialogue there) who seeks revenge for his sister's death against nasty organ-dealers, and against the factory boss who sacked him. Following a disastrous kidnapping, the father of the young kidnapped girl seeks vengeance against Ryu. After the torture and death of Ryu's girlfriend, her anarchist/revolutionary friends seek revenge for her death. Confused? You will be – but that's part of the film's strange attraction. That and assorted bloodshed and grisly scenes, of course. While it's not as good as 'Oldboy' I enjoyed it. I rate 'Oldboy' as 4/5 stars – I'll give this one 3/5. Recommended - watch it if you enjoyed 'Oldboy'.