I Saw The Devil

(But I didn't see the Deputy, no, no.)

This is a Korean movie, but it is no laugh fest. Indeed, it is a very vicious thriller about what lengths revenge can drive you to. Also, plan some time if you are going to see this, as this movie passes the two hour mark.

The set up is that a killer kidnaps a woman, cuts her up and (by implication) eats her. Yep, within fifteen minutes bam! cannibalism! Take that American movies with your half-hour of setting up whiney teens before the slasher mindlessly takes them out one by one... Anyway, the husband of the woman is a cop, and takes time off from the force to take a break... and to hunt down and torture the murderer. In a very odd way, it has to be said, and what happens is very much at his feet as it is because of the murderer. But that is the point.

There is no supernatural horror here, the Devil here is the Devil inside us. And the Devil is incredibly seductive about getting you to do things that are all right, are perfectly justified because of the result (hmm... I think there's a saying in there).

Basically, this movie is about monsters, about becoming monsters, and about being very graphic in doing so. (Parts of it were trimmed to get its R rating, so it was supposed to be even more graphic!) Strong stomach needed here, because it's not pretty... but it is real. This movie doesn't pull punches, and you will probably not like where it takes you. It helps you understand why the characters act as they do, but you're also shouting "don't be a complete asshole!" Too late...

Damn fine acting, worth checking out if you like that sort of movie... or you could just wait for the American version, which will probably be dumbed down...

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