I Saw the Devil

Kim Ji-Woon's I Saw The Devil is a brutal revenge thriller from South Korea. The story follows secret agent Soo-hyun path to revenge after his fiancee is murdered by the notorious serial killer Kyung-chul. Soo-Hyun is played brilliantly by Lee Byung-Hun; he is one of the best actors today, the revenge sequences are uncompromising as he shows his dark side, and his emotional scenes are powerful when he realizes his fiancee is dead and what he has turned into. On the other hand, Choi Min-Sik plays Kyung-chul; his performance is stunning as he plays a sinister serial killer, up to the very end when you realize he is the definition of evil. As you can see, I thought the acting was amazing. The story was dark and powerful, although a bit on the long side. It's not the most violent film ever, but it's not for the weak-hearted either; for example, Soo-Hyun vividly cuts Kyung-chul's Achilles tendon and continuously tortures him in unbelievable ways. This film does not follow a generic formula, so expect the unexpected. The ending was shocking and can leave you with mixed emotions; how far would you go for revenge?Overall, I Saw The Devil has brilliant acting, an uncompromising story, great direction, and amazing music. Some of the action-revenge sequences are also shot beautifully, by the way. As of 9/21/12, this film is available on Amazon Prime Instant Video and Netflix Streaming, but a purchase is also highly recommended.I Saw The Devil has extreme violence and blood, and sex and nudity (including attempted rape scenes, one on a young girl.)

This beautifully made film is also very intentionally difficult to watch. A bloody and violent tale that plumbs the depths of a story of revenge and that ultimately returns us to a resolution - but in the most haunting way imaginable. I recommend it highly - if you're willing to stomach it, the rewards are quite profound.

It has been a long time since I've watched a film that has totally captivated me. No other film can compare to the intense and graphic suspense. And I've never even heard or seen movie trailers so it was an amazing surprise when I watched it. I will look for more films by Kim Jee-Woon. Absolutely worth buying!

This is a excellent movie that deals with serial killers in Korea. It seemsthat all countries have them andKorea is no exception. The movie is very graphic in what the serial killer does to his victims and as it turns out there is more than one of them. Allwomen should watch this movie to learn what not to do in order to notbe at the mercy of these sadistic killers. Extremely well made movie.

This is the absolute best revenge movie without equal. Quite a few bash the protagonist as a fool for his actions, but I think that's exactly what the writer and director were trying to drive home, the consequences and unfortunate chain of events when a person thinks they have nothing left to lose and become a vicious predator and play the most diabolical cat and mouse I've seen. Content warnings, not for easily offended or squeamish. Contains attempted sexual assaults, lots of blood gore, some canabalism, and dismemberment. It's a very moving heart wrenching journey and well worth a watch as for me had to be in my collection. If you can handle the content I hope you enjoy this moving journey of loss, psychotic maniacs, and one vicious protagonist who will not and cannot be stopped as he delivers his brutal vengance upon a disgustingly twisted and sick maniac and some other diabolic freaks he encounters.

If you want a scary Halloween movie, then this is the ticket. One of the best serial killer movies in several years. It's a good revenge story.

"I Saw the Devil" is, in my opinion, one of the best films to come from Korea. Perfect balance in all fields create an emotionally charged mise en scene. For example, both leads (Lee Byung-hoon and Choi Min-sik) play their own versions of psychotic in different, masterful ways. These opposite, yet equally convincing interpretations of insanity, one being an obsessive psychotic and the other being an apathetic psychotic, actually interact intensely. Who is the "I" in the movie's title? It could be either of the leads.As for the writing, the film reworks a typical revenge premise and turns it on its head. Sometimes a person who is angry is more dangerous than a person who is inherently violent. Sometimes the villain is the one being pursued and terrorized. This adds originality to a typical premise, making the film unique. With themes of futility, apathy, and revenge, this movie will give a thinking an observant viewer plenty to reflect on. Highly recommended for anyone with a strong enough stomach and analytic mind.

It's hard to write reviews about the movie itself when you have IMDb and a dozen other film review websites.This is film is a hybrid of action, horror and drama. There are amazing fight sequences for the action fan. The bodily harm in those scenes coupled with a couple torture scenes will grab any horror fans attention (especially my favorite scene in a car) and enough drama to keep you on the edge of your seat between the scenes of violence.The DVD comes with a making-of feature which I love. For me a movie isn't worth buying without special features, because I can see all there is on Netflix or Amazon Prime (but of course!). I wish there were commentary, but unfortunately there is none.Still a very worthwhile film for any fan of Korean cinema, and those into action/horror. It's also beautifully shot, beautifully acted and beautifully scored. But it's an involved film with a longer running time than most horror films. Still - it's excellent and worth you time!