Ok. If you've never heard of the South Korean director, Chan-Wook Park, your in for a real treat. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (친절한 금자씨) is the third installment in his trilogy of award-winning vengeance themed films, following Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and Old Boy (2003).Lady Vengeance refers to the main character, Lee Geum-Ja, who we meet for the first time on her release from prison. She embarks on a mission to track down the man responsible for her imprisonment, which also resulted in her being forced to give up her daughter for adoption. Hardened by years in prison and endlessly fantasizing about the right way to exact revenge, she enlists the help of former cellmates to accomplish her goal, but what she uncovers is a secret so horrifying that no revenge seems fitting.
I must say, Lady Vengeance is an excellent film: Like Old Boy and Mr. Vengeance before it, the film has a very dark, sinister edge to it, interspersed with moments of real emotion and raises interesting questions about how we deal with fear, resentment and anger. The narrative progresses well and as a drama, the film's poetic quality is largely undeniable. A bit noir at times, it is ultimately a rewarding experience.
Final Score: 8.5/10
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