I SAW THE DEVIL (2010)
Warning: Mentions of sexual violence.
There are some horror films that are almost too much for the average viewer. It’s safe to say that I SAW THE DEVIL (2010) is one of those, and this South Korean extreme horror film is certainly not for the faint of heart. The film follows an agent who goes on a revenge-filled mission after his fiancée is brutally killed by a serial killer. And yet the revenge that Soo-hyeon (Lee Byung-hun) desires may not be enough in the end. There are no moments of actual reprieve in this film, nor is there a happy ending in sight. And that’s part of what makes this film so spectacular.
Instead of having to sit through a struggle with morality, Soo-hyeon is hell-bent on retribution after suffering such a loss. But rather than taking his vengeance straight away, he takes his time with Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik). It makes for a satisfying revenge tale, but also a miserable one because there’s no rainbow at the end of this journey for Soo-hyeon.
The beginning of the film sets the stage with an ominous drive that leads to car trouble along a snowy road. Rather than kicking off with a random character, we meet Joo-yeon (Oh San-ha) who is the fiancée of Soo-hyeon. Their relationship is quite sweet, and they seem to genuinely love each other. Unfortunately for Joo-yeon, her night goes straight to hell when Kyung-chul knocks on her window and then violently kidnaps her.
Our introduction to Kyung-chul is immediately deranged and frightening. Instead of throwing the audience for a loop, I SAW THE DEVIL lets us know just how dangerous this man is. He’s a violent serial killer and rapist, and Joo-yeon is just another one of his victims. The revelation that she was pregnant only adds to the sting of what Soo-hyeon lost in a single night. And when her dismembered body is found by the authorities, Soo-hyeon embarks on his journey.
I SAW THE DEVIL takes you for a ride full of mayhem, blood, revenge, and disturbing scenes that won’t leave your brain. However, you won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen if you’re a lover of extreme horror and cinema as a whole. Instead of sanitizing the experience, you’re getting the whole experience as it was intended. The film is unforgiving, cruel, and brutal from start to finish.
As soon as Soo-hyeon goes through several suspects, violently beating up each one to get the information he needs, he finally finds Kyung-chul in his greenhouse. He interrupts Kyung-chul raping a schoolgirl that he kidnapped from the bus he drives, and their initial meeting features one of the best choreographed fight scenes you’ll ever watch. The violence doesn’t hold back, Soo-hyeon is a trained agent who beats Kyung-chul in the fight, but as mentioned earlier, he doesn’t kill him. And thus, the intentional cat-and-mouse begins, where the killer is the one being hunted.
Everything that Soo-hyeon does is understandable through the eyes of wanting to savor his vengeance, including the inevitable outcome. Though I SAW THE DEVIL makes it clear that the type of revenge he’s partaking in will have consequences. Instead of going through official channels to catch this man, Soo-hyeon is joining Kyung-chul down in a pit of madness that soon brings more misery for an already broken Soo-hyeon.
When Kyung-chul begins retaliating, that’s when the film really goes to places that’ll have you wishing Soo-hyeon had killed him earlier. Of course, that would’ve meant the movie would have ended much sooner. And the way he gets what’s coming to him is incredibly satisfying. The buildup to getting there is quite the journey though, and not everyone can hold on for that long.
There’s no use spoiling the rest of I SAW THE DEVIL because it’s one you need to experience for yourself. However, what can be said on the writing side is that everything flows perfectly. From the beginning of the film where we witness brutal tragedy, Soo-hyeon getting his revenge, Joo-yeon’s family members trying to get through to him, the way the violence plays out, the very final scene that’ll leave you feeling hollowed out, and so on. It’s not an understatement to say that this is the perfect type of revenge horror film.
On the visual side, the film is striking with its cinematography, action sequences, and coloring. The dread and misery come through perfectly through the screen. I SAW THE DEVIL is the type of extreme horror film that’ll stick with you for a very long time after you’ve seen it. The film could’ve gone the typical route as far as revenge goes, but it brutally depicts the occasional consequences of rage-filled revenge.
The commentary and themes in I SAW THE DEVIL are quite evident because the film hyperfocuses on what it means to get revenge, the ways in which vengeance can eat you up inside, the nature of evil, and how sometimes there’s no coming back from something that throws your world upside down.
Meanwhile, in terms of performances, both Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik knock it out of the park with their respective performances. Lee Byung-hun goes to emotionally raw places, and Choi Min-sik really hammers home how horrible and terrifyingly realistic his character is. They’ll both blow you away from start to finish, and you won’t forget about what they bring to the film.
At the end of the day, this absolutely a 5 star and one that isn’t mentioned enough as far as horror films about revenge go. It’s not an easy watch or one that can be recommended to just anyone. If you can handle what this film has to offer, though, it’s worth checking off your list.
