Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

Title: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Starring: Du-Na Bae (The Host), Kang-Ho Song (The Host), Ha-Kyun Shin
Language: Korean
Director: Chan-Wook Park

Starting my mini-special on Chan-Wook Park’s ‘Vengeance’ trilogy, three films exploring the notion of retribution from the perspective of those delivering it, this is the first of three, and probably the most adventurous endeavour of them all. Whilst vengeance plays a strong role in the manner it unfolds, this is more tragedy than unruly bloodshed, with each character driven by doing what they feel is deserved, performing their own form of vigilante justice that inevitably leads to nothing by a cycle of pain and torment.

Following Ryu, a deaf mute desperate to find a kidney donor for his dying sister, he works hard in the factory to try and accumulate the funds required, but he soon realises that it won’t be enough. Persuaded by his young revolutionary girlfriend to take more drastic action, they decide to kidnap the young daughter of a wealthy company, demanding enough money to pay for his sister’s operation, but just as things are going well things take a drastic turn for the worse when his sister discovers their plot. Thus continues his desperate struggle of vengeance against those running the black market, and from the wealthy businessman against those responsible for his daughter’s abduction; a tragic cycle of hatred that won’t relent until they have retribution.

Most startling about this are the smaller aspects; the cinematography often taking a wider focus, carefully chosen angles using the well utilised backdrops to accent the atmosphere, playing their own role in the scene. The use of well-performed sign language showing anger and frustration in addition to fear and a whole range of emotions, far more effectively than simple speech could (at least for a foreign audience). In fact, there is a distinct lack of speech at all in this film, perhaps making it more attractive to those who hate reading subtitles. Even the subtle use of humour (have you ever tried to take a Polaroid of a crying girl as she screams and runs about the house?), in particular at the films start lightening the mood initially, slowly drying up until the climactic tension where no joy can be found.

There has clearly been a lot of time dedicated to ‘perfecting’ the small details, but I wish the same could be said for the main story. At times becoming confusing, it is not the simplest of plots to follow to begin with but the lack of speech explaining the situation, whilst not convoluted it nonetheless feels as though a few more lines could have been added to assist the unfolding of the story. The acting, too, felt unfortunately mediocre, with a strong performance from Kang-Ho Song (the businessman), the emotions that should be felt deep within the relationship felt decidedly absent; the love between the characters feeling more factual than anything deeper.

Despite this issue the result is one worth watching, if for nothing else but its unconventionality. Dealing with revenge in a manner that truly does find you sympathetic towards those seeking it, it results in a seamless supply of tragic events, each driven not by some dark or evil emotion, but by a realistic feeling of loss. Despite being the weakest of all of the films I have seen by this director, his worst still remains better than many directors best.