Review of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) by Mic R — 26 Feb 2011

While the story follows some of the same beats as other stories of this ilk, much praise has to be given to Park Chan-Wook. He finds ways, both visually and otherwise, to keep you interested in a fairly straightforward kidnapping story.

While not as good or memorable as his follow-up "Oldboy", Park defines himself here as a director to watch in the future. Although some may have issues with his use of violence in his films (hint: stay away if you're squeamish), there's a strong case to be made that he is only using it as a tool in telling stories that require violence.