Review of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) by Kellen V — 02 Aug 2010

Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance is South Korean Director Park Chan-Wook's fifth film. It also is the beginning of his acclaimed 'Vengeance' trilogy. Mr. Vengeance tells the story of Ryu a deaf/dumb man who works at a local factory in order to support his sister who is slowly dying and in need of a kidney transplant.

Ryu is rejected when he tries to donate his own kidney because the blood types won't match. Ryu then decides to go through the black market to get a kidney for 10, 000, 000 'Korean won' as well as one of his own kidneys.

He takes his money he saved and gives it to the dealers, who then take his kidney/money and disappear. He then finds out his sister has a match but cannot pay for the operation because he has no more money.

From that point on Ryu is in a race against time to find a way to save his sister's life. What struck me first about the film is how much slower it was than I anticipated. Park Chan-Wook does a wonderful job the first half of the film in showing us Ryu this tortured man who has the best intentions for his sister but takes some really awful advice.

The second half is just as tense only this time it is from the perspective of the ailing father who lost his daughter at the hands of some kidnappers demanding a lucrative ransom. The camera work is quite good featuring some nice shots of downtown Korea as well as the countryside.

Their are some indelible moments in the film, for instance: When President Park visits the home of a man who had attacked him earlier trying to get money because his family is dirty poor and starving; We're left with an overhead shot of the family in filth a great scene that will stick with you for a while.

Ryu is wonderfully played by Shin Ha-Kyun, who actually learned sign language at a deaf school in Korea so that he could better understand what life is like when your deaf. Song Kang-Ho plays President Park and like usual comes through with flying colors.

Song Kang-Ho on the commentary actually cites how having a 2 year old daughter helped him prepare for the role, because he would envision what his life would be like if he were ever to lose her. The film really doesn't have much a score at all and relies upon the tension that is built up with in these characters lives.

Mr. Vengeance might not get the hype that Oldboy gets but it is certainly worth checking out if you get the chance.