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I Saw the Devil

I Saw the Devil

2010
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
2h 24m
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Avg Percentile 63.53% from 2457 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(2457)
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Rated 03 Oct 2011
9
94th
Ji-woon Kim's "I Saw the Devil" effortlessly reaches the heights of previous South Korean revenge flicks like "Oldboy" and Kim's own "A Bittersweet Life". Min-sik Choi is the yin to Byuong-hun Lee's yang, although the strength of "I Saw the Devil" is precisely the overt blurring of these distinctions. How far can you go before you become the evil you started out combating? The theme is familiar, but the ingenuity of the cat-and-mouse plot and overall stylishness elevates it to another level.
Rated 03 May 2015
76
82nd
The biggest problem with revenge movies is that the vigilante "hero" never tracks the villain down, maims him, drugs him, lets him think he's escaped, tracks him down again, maims him again, drugs him again...This movie solves that problem. It's like if Travis Bickle was a dick, or maybe I missed the message of that movie.
Rated 18 May 2011
79
57th
Well made film that shows the ultimate futility of revenge. It doesn't exactly break new ground, and is too gory for my tastes, but it is pretty effective.
Rated 27 Oct 2012
80
81st
As far as revenge films go, this one was probably the meanest and darkest I've ever seen. The violence will make you feel deeply uncomfortable, the gore effects are impressive and twisted. Contains the best car-related stabbing scene since Herbie Goes Totally Apeshit.
Rated 10 Oct 2010
80
64th
09 ekim 10, filmekimi 10, gmall2, 21:30 & uzakdogulularin delici, kesici aletler olan hayranliginin bol kanli bir sekilde servis edilmesi.. filmin ahlaksal bir boyutunun olmasini sevdim- sonuc olarak canavar ile canavar olmanin bir fayda saglamayacagini carpici bir dil ile sunuyor. bunun disinda, seyirciyi 140dk. boyunca perdeye bagli tutmak zordur- iste bu film bunu guzelce basariyor.
Rated 19 Sep 2011
50
42nd
Adds absolutely nothing to the revenge-thriller subgenre, except perhaps the most ineffective, cumbersome mode of vengeance with the largest margin of error ever concieved in the history of cinema. A sloppy, overlong, high-gloss mess with a few very well made scenes scattered throughout.
Rated 29 Aug 2012
75
74th
A special forces cop goes rogue to get revenge on the man who murdered his fiance, and ends up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the killer. This bloody and nihilistic Korean thriller seems like it wants to a part of the Vengeance trilogy, but it's not quite in the same league. What it lacks in Park Chan-wook's stylistic flourishes, it attempts to make up with brutal sadistic violence and extreme gore...so, that makes it still pretty darn good.
Rated 22 Jun 2014
86
84th
A truly chilling and dark experience. From the absolute brutality of the killer to the sadistic transformation of the person hunting him; I Saw the Devil never has a dull moment. It is a quick paced, action packed and over the top thriller that keeps you ripe with anticipation. Although there is not much of a story here, it doesn't really matter, as all you ask yourself is - "what's going to happen next?" It is purely a revenge flick, and that is exactly what you get, and in abundance.
Rated 28 Oct 2020
84
92nd
This one doesn't mess around in its unflinching depiction of violence, and as a whole it is generally grim, bleak and unpleasant. Any humour in here is so jet-black it would be easy to miss. It is utterly absorbing, however, and the acting from the two leads is top notch. The ambitious ideas succeed in no small part due to the capable direction; this keeps it apart from what may be termed "torture porn". I was pretty exhausted by the end of this one. Brutal, gripping, and fascinating.
Rated 22 Mar 2011
90
95th
That rare breed of film that combines just the right amount of brutal violence, decent action scenes, a true sense of suspence with twists and turns and is emotionally engaging too.
Rated 07 Apr 2011
88
87th
Grotesquely funny and operatic in only the way that South Korean movies can manage to be, apparently. Seriously, this is a movie in which -- to paraphrase Bill Chambers -- a victim's partner seeks revenge by giving his spouse's killer a terminal case of the serial-killer blue balls. Glorious Grand Guignol camp. Is there something about living next door to a mentally unstable, nuclear weapon-possessing, cult-inspiring dictator that causes one to find humorous solace in the apocalyptic?
Rated 09 Apr 2011
100
90th
Min-sik Choi is pretty much glorious in this, and shows a vast range compared to what he did in his (obviously still excellent) Oldboy performance. Really enjoyed this one. Not nearly as great as Oldboy, but it hits where it hurts and I love it. Some of the action sequences are inspired. I hereby vow to watch more South Korean cinema, as that is clearly where it's at.
Rated 23 Apr 2011
98
98th
The best movie I've seen in 2011 and I wonder if any other flick will beat "I saw the Devil" this year. Close to perfection!
Rated 19 Jul 2011
88
77th
I Saw the Devil is a very brutal revenge film. The film keeps a very quick pace, but never feels rushed. The film does a good job of making you think about the idea of revenge, other aspects of the story are lacking. I thought the villians were completely far-fetched and they kind of took me out of the movie a few times. Definitely check this out if you like revenge films, it's one of the better ones.
Rated 15 Nov 2011
78
77th
Kim Ji-woon's response to Park Chan-wook's Vengeance trilogy; a man's fiancee is murdered by a serial killer, so he decides to take revenge by visiting "a thousand... no, ten thousand times the pain" on the psycho in question. Turns out that has repercussions, both for himself and for others, expecially when the psycho realises what's going on and starts playing his own game. Beautifully done, but I find myself wishing he'd just given it one more turn of the screw.
Rated 14 Feb 2012
70
51st
This film left me feeling empty. Every single event made me feel just that much more crushed. It's a showcase of the utter nihilism created when someone is driven by revenge. It's well made, well paced, well directed, well shot, and well acted, but I can't say I enjoyed a second of this film. It's been a long time since a film has made me feel this utterly terrible.
Rated 22 May 2012
85
86th
I saw I Saw The Devil. Fart
Rated 31 Aug 2012
41
16th
(Extended edition) Gore and depravity wrapped in the bloody celophane of false pretense. There is no justification for the film's radical content outside of 1) the humor involved in blue-balling a sadist and 2) being jerkedoff yourself until the sections of violent, sadist blueballing, release. I was put off by the overwhelming anguish and cannibalistic foils until the realization that, perhaps, the film is saying we're more depraved than the sadist himself. There's more bloody cum on our part.
Rated 13 Nov 2014
51
14th
Tortuously conventional vengeance story done with overcharged gore & operatic sensibility but lame and worn out ideas. It seems like the only major innovation in the filmmaker's mind was just to ramp up the nastiness from the start & try to sustain it for 2 hours. Technically impressive but overlong, terribly paced & starts to become just numbing towards the end. I'm all for some cinematic depravity but this one isn't really that interesting filmmaking. For mature horror-fans it's barely decent.
Rated 04 Feb 2017
64
32nd
Far-fetched. The random title is like the desperate kid who etches "KoRn" on his backpack - like it's supposed to scare everyone off. I think of Woon; shuffling around his office with a long face, reminiscing on his most promising hour of despair as mom spanked him. Repressed schoolboy cocaine fantasy. You can't just rampage through a city and avoid arrest. Lol. And...The killer has a loving family? Why does his son love him? Why do his parents? Do they randomly visit his murder lab on weekends?
Rated 21 Oct 2020
75
59th
The chin on these guys. This is a nice inversion of the genre, where the protagonist begins the revenge procedural at what would usually be the climax of a typical vigilante film. It becomes about a man trying to play as a God, manifesting eternal punishment on earth. It is simply way overlong and none of the violence has much of a lasting impact, which makes the whole thing feel like parody honestly.
Rated 01 Nov 2020
70
70th
A disturbing and visceral examination of a heartless killer who hunts women. The killing scenes were unsettling. It has some clever ideas. It was almost too convenient for the serial killer to run into other serial killers. The vigilante special agent angle was good, and getting revenge over and over was a fresh idea. Full of surprises, very dark, but some of it was wacko. Worthwhile, but not for youngsters or the squeamish.
Rated 31 Aug 2021
40
19th
A gory and often downright disgusting watch. Ji-woon Kim, who shows off an impressive sense of style here, does seem to know exactly what he's going for, though, and the lead performances are strong.
Rated 29 Jan 2011
80
86th
Add to list of great Korean auteur films, this revenge horror/thriller does not pull back any punches: it's unapologetic, brutal, violent, and affecting. I've never flinched, winced, and covered my eyes this much during a movie.
Rated 31 May 2011
82
76th
Like Oldboy with a worse story. Stylish, brutal and beautiful.
Rated 05 Jun 2011
70
76th
Somehow it reminded me of a gory mix of seven and man hunter. It has a rather formulaic start, and there is a point in this movie when you think is over and done with. But it takes a direction which is rather confusing at first but then becomes quite tense. If you wanna know how to fight monsters, this is what happens. Revenge is a dish served over and over. Korean cinema at its best.
Rated 20 Sep 2011
56
57th
It's like Oldboy with ten times the violence and none of the style.
Rated 04 Jan 2012
84
68th
I don't quite know what to make of it yet.
Rated 14 Feb 2012
72
51st
I Saw the Devil is one of the most brutal and starkly cold revenge films. The familiar lessons are there, but the brutality is enhanced with Choi's chilling performance. The film could be misclassified as torture porn, but it is Kim's gorgeous direction that sets it apart. Brilliant camera work highlights several very impressive set pieces to create an enthralling dark journey.
Rated 22 Jul 2012
70
54th
Thematically, it's similar to movies like Last House on the Left, but unlike that movie, this one didn't really inspire much thought in me about the morality of revenge or anything. It's just kind of a standard "man wants revenge, then wonders if he goes too far" story. It's still very well made, but I can't give it a whole lot of points for originality. Plus, some of the characters (particularly all of the serial killers) behave in really ridiculous unbelievable ways.
Rated 19 Oct 2012
85
79th
A particularly brutal and completely depraved showcase of revenge, it should be noted that Ji-woon Kim clearly did not have the median American viewer in mind when he presented this to the world. Needless to say, the level of sheer insanity and darkness that beats with every second is not meant for everyone. But I'll be damned if one cannot admit how well crafted, performed and paced this flick is... taking the extremes of violence, love, and pride to cinematic new levels.
Rated 13 Mar 2013
87
78th
Extremely graphic thriller from South Korea. A secret agent's fiancee is murdered. The rest of the movie is a cat and mouse game where the killer is found, punished violently, released and hunted again and again. The sad part is the killer keeps killing and remaining just about as evil as one can be each time he's released. The gore level on this is up there with Hostel and Saw. One of the better revenge flicks I've seen. Excellently acted I hardly noticed it was in another language.
Rated 08 Aug 2013
90
89th
Cormac McCarthy always talked about his fascination with putting a sort of "unstoppable evil" within a realistic setting in his novels, I advise he take notes from this movie. It is a very violent movie, but just as with Tarantino movies I don't mind the violence as it is not the main foucs, but instead works as an elevator for intense psychological mind games being played out among the main characters. I can see how this would not be for everyone, but I was fully entranced from start to finish.
Rated 02 Nov 2013
83
75th
There is almost an inherent hypocrisy at play in I Saw the Devil, with the themes and aesthetics of the film seemingly at odds with each other (I dare not spoil the details). Regardless, the film is adeptly made and gives cause for ponderance beyond its running time - even if the patchy ideology leaves the film a little ragged.
Rated 13 Aug 2014
80
44th
I'm not sure why this one isn't in "comedy" as well. Starts off fairly brutal as you might expect from a South Korean crime film and then turns into Wil E. Coyote being hounded and tortured by the Roadrunner.
Rated 27 Oct 2014
70
39th
It was a bit silly as lots of people died who didn't need to.
Rated 09 Apr 2016
79
64th
I can't put a joke here that doesn't imply that I'm a murderer and, quite frankly, I've probably got to many "reviews" that already do that. So, uh, I guess knock knock? "Who's there?"-you. A good joke. "A good joke who?"-you. Um, I'm JESSE VENTURA THE CIA KILLED JFK 9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB THE GOVERNMENT PUTS MIND CONTROL IN THE WATER! "That's not even really a joke, that's just a stupid jab at Jesse "The Body" Ventura."-you. Whatever, still less crazy than a South Korean revenge flick.
Rated 01 Dec 2016
65
53rd
well, the plot's execution is completely ridiculous, bordering on unintentionally hilarious. the forensic team's professional work ethic being my top pick, but basically everyone here needs to be enormously incompetent for the story to work. redeeming values certainly are the basic concept, the gratuitous violence including some great gore effects and its continuously bleak tone.
Rated 27 Mar 2017
60
47th
Good revenge thriller. It uses occasional physical and emotional violence, but it is never done unnecessarily.
Rated 09 Dec 2010
64
36th
i dont get disturbed by the gore materials, im kinda get used to it (thanks! for that korean movies!). i just want to understand whats the motion of the movie? do you know what was it? or is it just stylising the gore scenes? for example why a good guy let the bad guy to hurt other peoples (like the nurse girl) while her fionce get hurt. why does he take that risk? do you take kinda risk or you just held him somewhere and torture him (oldboy, mr and lady vangeance)? i just dont get the intention
Rated 11 Jan 2011
68
45th
Entertaining, great actors, ultimately pointless.
Rated 12 Jan 2011
83
95th
I'm really starting to love Ji-woon Kim, he doesn't seem to be able to make a bad movie. Dark, disturbing but also higly entertaining. Moar!!
Rated 15 Jan 2011
75
74th
Interesting. Oldboy-guy is very good. A little too long, tho, it felt like. Think I need to see it again because this viewing became a little disjointed due to distractions and drink. Also, taking multiple blows to the head from a hammer or blunt object is not fatal, yo - unless, presumably, you're a pussy with a soft head, in which case you might die or suffer memory loss.
Rated 02 May 2011
88
95th
Great cast, very suspenseful and at times pushing borders pretty heavily.
Rated 19 May 2011
90
83rd
Ji-woon Kim who brought us the strage and engaging Tale of Two Sisters is back with this, a revenge movie. Revenge movies? Yawn. Blood and gore? Boring. However, I can't articulate it but Kim has taken this old cliche theme and turned it into a work of art. The villain shouldn't have messed with a secret agent. Well, not this secret agent. This thing is done like no other film I can think of. It's clever, frightening, humorous, intense, suspenseful.Even better on repeated viewings. A winner!
Rated 07 Jun 2011
70
77th
Min-sik Choi, this guy is a genius. I liked him in everything I've seen him in, and this is no exception. Sure some parts didn't flow, but the chasing and fight scenes did a good job covering them up.
Rated 20 Jun 2011
75
73rd
An extremely violent movie about taking revenge. The movie is stylishly brutal. Acting of Min-sik Choi sets this movie apart. This movie isnt for all, if you dont have the stomach for gruesome scenes then its better not to watch.
Rated 26 Jun 2011
81
85th
Excellent, dark, haunting, merciless horror, great mood and scary bad asses. If they put a little bit more attention to the story I could give better score.
Rated 18 Jul 2011
85
77th
Yet another wonderfully done film from Korea, I Saw the Devil continues the revenge theme that is common place in Asian cinema but puts a gory and disturbing twist into the mix. A superbly told tale of cat-and-mouse as one character hunts down the man who murdered his beloved without any remorse, even paying no mind to the horrific lengths he goes to right the wrongs done to him. All actors are great in their roles but Min-sik deserves special mention for the insanity he brings to his character.
Rated 12 Aug 2011
100
84th
Cracking Korean horror flick from Jee woon Kim. Not an easy watch by any stretch of the imagination, it's brutal in places and drags a little toward the end but its a beautiful film to look at and is directed with a huge amount of style. Catch it before the inevitable remake which I'm predicting will star Mark Wahlberg and Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Rated 11 Sep 2011
90
88th
This movie is frantically paced, with practically no breaks of dialogue between the tremendously violent displays of gore and torture. The combat scenes are well choreographed and rather realistic (the bodies act like bodies should - you'd be surprised at how long a head can last before caving under a fire extinguisher). The ending, a bittersweet finale, is a welcome catharsis. 4.5/5
Rated 17 Sep 2011
86
97th
Yet another astounding film from the best Korean director of recent times: Kim Ji-woon. "Akmareul Boattda" takes the cat and mouse formula and flips it on its head, with the "hero" doing the chasing/torturing. Very extreme, it's not exactly for everyone and the casual viewer might find some scenes a bit too stomach churning but it really is an essential watch, if for nothing else than the performances of Min-Sik Choi (which rivals his role in Oldboy) and Byung-hun Lee.
Rated 12 Oct 2011
95
94th
Fuck awesome. I am now in serious dilemma that which one is better, A Tale of Two Sisters or this one. This is more of a visceral, gut-wrenching movie. The former one is more bigger on the atmospheric side which gets on your nerves. Here we get a character who is stubborn as hell to take the revenge of killing his pregnant fiancee and turns on to kill the psychopath with his own weapon of merciless brutally violent crime.
Rated 15 Nov 2011
65
40th
incredibly suspenseful and awesomely done first 45 minutes or so...but then there was that scene, you know, when the movie had to explain its own subtext and then kind of wandered off beneath the point, just to get more and more off it and to start so suck. :(
Rated 21 Nov 2011
84
75th
Despite being influenced by other films, this had a freshness to it that kept it unpredictable and entertaining. Overly violent, but well directed and well acted.
Rated 29 Nov 2011
79
77th
This movie is so f*cked up that i refuse rating it higher. I just cant enjoy the worst of gore. That being said, cut the gore and it might loose some edge, but I wouldnt have to turn my face away every 10 minute. Hollywood remake would definetly be interesting as the story itself is engaging indeed
Rated 19 Jan 2012
75
81st
It's quite violent and gory in a raw and brutal way which had me wincing a couple of times. My only major complaint is that it was a bit long and could've easily been shortened without losing any of its effect. I didn't completely love it, but it was well-made and if it sounds interesting at all to you, give it a go.
Rated 29 Jan 2012
80
71st
Gripping movie. Graphic violence. Conveys the message that revenge is good but better not let it go too far!
Rated 06 Feb 2012
7
68th
Definitely not for the squeamish, but those with iron constitutions might find themselves readily rewarded, if not necessarily entertained.
Rated 06 Mar 2012
90
93rd
Brutal revenge thriller. Definately one of the best Korean films I've ever seen. One of the best shots in the film includes the protagonist kicking a shotgun out of his way seconds before it blasts a hole in the ceiling, and then proceeds to beat that guy within an inch of his life with a lead pipe. Brilliant.
Rated 08 Mar 2012
70
54th
I thought there would be a bigger twist like in Oldboy.. the movie was all about violence/gore and manipulation, which is not that different from most thrillers/horrors. Min-sik Choi's acting saved the movie from being average.
Rated 19 Mar 2012
100
85th
My favorite movie of 2010, gripping, intense, and so precise and perfectly metered in it's application of brutality that it is nearly impossible to recommend to anyone who has anything less than a wrought-iron constitution. Proved that the Korean Renaissance of the mid 2000s is not only still kicking, but stronger than ever.
Rated 01 Apr 2012
70
34th
Your enjoyment level of this is largely going to depend on your threshold for grisly violence, and mine is waning in my old age, but either way, when the film is over, you feel like you've been through an ordeal.
Rated 30 Apr 2012
73
75th
Some plot wholes here and there but overall a solid movie. Not or usual A4 horror/thriller movie. Would have expected a bit more gore since it is an asian movie tough!
Rated 16 Sep 2012
40
37th
looking for a fucked up revenge movie? cool, go for it. the bad guys' scenes are way better than the good guy's shitty emotional quest
Rated 29 Sep 2012
90
85th
One of the most chilling and brutal crime stories I've ever seen.
Rated 21 Mar 2013
67
74th
Fun, gory thriller with a comic edge: People absorb so much punishment it feels like Silence of the Lambs crossed with a Looney Tunes cartoon. The direction is inventive and stylish, but the comedy doesn't quite mesh with the horror.
Rated 25 May 2013
88
57th
the first time our main character meets the serial killer I thought the movie was at an end. I check the progress and there was still over and hour left and at that point I just had to say "wow, whats going to happen?" and I was not disappointed, what a crazy thrill ride. give it a chance.
Rated 28 May 2013
61
71st
A bit of the old Korean ultraviolence
Rated 06 Aug 2013
99
99th
This is a violent film; but the physical aspect easily plays second fiddle to the twisted psychological game going on between the two lead characters. A crime drama gone completely off the rails, this film is so packed with content, from the start to absolute finish, that you are never bored; never. And just when you think it is over it turns another leaf. Not only are Choi and Lee absolutely fantastic in this film, but the directing and the script is among some of the best I have ever seen.
Rated 14 Aug 2013
35
19th
Well, it's a thriller, and for almost two and a half hours, it does thrill. And it isn't the first time the protagonist of a revenge flick has thrown innocents in harm's way just to get his guy - but this really takes the cake. The "cop" protagonist is essentially the bad guy's voluntary accomplice. Whether directly or indirectly, the wretched imbecile is guilty of most of the film's atrocities, and I found myself half-hoping that he'd get his comeuppance as well.
Rated 14 Oct 2013
55
26th
Violence just for the sake of violence. Meaningless, purposeless. Not clever nor any deep. Kinda works as a horror/action film though...
Rated 22 Jan 2014
20
2nd
Boring.
Rated 19 May 2014
94
97th
Not only is this one of the darkest yet also most compelling thrillers I think I have ever seen, but it serves as one of the most potent cases of the bleakness of vengeance put to film. It's impossible to not be mesmerized by how evil the antagonist is, but also how ruthless the protagonist is. "He's our kind." is a line that will always stick with me. Sometimes tough to watch but also impossible to ignore, I'd say it's my favorite revenge thriller, particularly with that powerful ending!
Rated 26 Oct 2014
67
65th
Often brilliant, sometimes tedious, always a step ahead of you.
Rated 19 Nov 2014
78
71st
It's incedible how Min-sik Choi so thoroughly inhabits his character. One of the most entertaining actors out there, not just South Korea. The film does become silly as Asian films are known to do, but overall it's a unique, affecting experience.
Rated 09 May 2015
80
70th
Good early twist with the whole letting him live a bit longer concept. Incredibly pulpy, with little content up for discussion here. Sit back and enjoy some Korean super-violence.
Rated 29 Jan 2016
95
96th
One of the best horror films of this decade. An absolutely chilling film.
Rated 22 Feb 2016
80
73rd
Intense and absolutely disturbing, this is a solid revenge flick. I was sadistically drawn in by the creative takes on pain and torture. The antagonist is a very compelling examination of a true psycho killer, and the protagonist is a relentless force of violent motivation. There are scenes in this movie that genuinely made me cringe at the harsh depictions of violent brutally on human beings. Ultimately, I quite enjoyed this movie but I doubt I will ever willingly watch it again.
Rated 03 Aug 2017
90
77th
Measures up admirably amongst other Korean revenge thrillers.
Rated 10 Dec 2017
82
91st
Best final scene 👍
Rated 06 Oct 2018
65
72nd
Gruesome and brutal. The visuals certainly help, as well as the chilling performances by the two main leads. In Kim's words, by the end the viewer wonders who devil that the title alludes to actually is - the villain, the perceived protagonist or the audience? My main criticism is that, albeit the great presentation, the film lacked any emotional or intellectual substance, hence the impact some of the dramatic scenes had was diminished greatly. I much prefer the likes of Deathproof or Kill Bill.
Rated 13 Nov 2018
60
68th
Too long but interesting.
Rated 22 Nov 2018
90
87th
At first, you can't help but feel excitement when our hero starts brutalizing this really evil man, but by the time the film has ended (and it's a long film), you really get a full sense of just how little difference this has made ... and it really starts to sink in how much collateral damage this has caused. A great film that really really really is not for everyone.
Rated 28 Apr 2019
55
18th
Pretentious torture porn that drags on for far too long. It's as repetitive as it is monotonous. The theme it tries to go for is not fleshed out, these are just flat characters doing the same thing over and over again. Most of the kills are not tense either.
Rated 06 Nov 2021
70
63rd
The acting is superb. There are enough plot points that don't make sense and questionable choices from characters to bring down my score as this really is just a vehicle to showcase extreme sociopathic gore.
Rated 18 Jan 2011
90
91st
The best movie I saw in 2010 - depraved, exploitative, thoughtful, thrilling, surprising, well-acted, and relentlessly paced. If you're ready for characters that make Hannibal Lechter look like a Disney character, then seek this out and see it TODAY. 100/100
Rated 07 Mar 2011
62
27th
Watch "The Chaser" if you want to see a great south korean serial killer movie. Way too long...
Rated 15 Mar 2011
27
17th
i guess i don't get kim ji-woon. seemed like just another gory revenge flick to me.
Rated 28 Mar 2011
60
41st
Kim is obviously hugely talented - some of the suspense scenes here are truly breathtaking - but the film doesn't have anything close to a unified tone. It moves between winking Grand Guignol, sincere high tragedy and action film spectacle; this isn't impossible to make work but here the transitions seem haphazard and nonconstructive. The power of individual scenes are undeniable, whether they ultimately cohere into something truly successful is another matter.
Rated 05 Apr 2011
89
82nd
Another great quality film out of Korea, on all levels.
Rated 18 Apr 2011
82
71st
81.750
Rated 30 May 2011
54
46th
_I Saw the Devil_ lacks the story or suspense to make the excessive gore and violence anything more or less than a main idea behind this film. It is very disappointing, because Ji-woon Kim is a very talented director with his own distinct style, and yet he wastes his time on something so pointless. Acting and technical side varies from good to great, and that is about the only thing that elevates this film above Saw franchise.
Rated 15 Jun 2011
80
82nd
Very disturbing but a very fresh take on "revenge" movies. After Oldboy another great achievement by the Korean cinema.
Rated 26 Jul 2011
86
96th
Very nice movie
Rated 11 Aug 2011
20
2nd
I am writing this with about 30 minutes left in the film. It is unbearably stupid. 15 minutes. I think I need to turn this off. It is so stupid, so cliched, so BORING. There are no interesting characters in this film! There are no interesting ideas in this film! The acting is actually decent, but the dialog and plot are so retarded it does not matter. The only thing that stands out is the grotesque violence. Good job on that, I suppose. STUPID. wow, what a fucking stupid ending lol.
Rated 24 Aug 2011
88
84th
Some definite holes but very good. Reminiscent of Oldboy.
Rated 24 Sep 2011
61
34th
Fascinating concept, but the execution is intensely flawed and strained, as if the writer had one good idea but didn't know how to come up with a story for it. I'm not one to harp about plausibility, but it's hard to take anything seriously when the supposedly clever characters make mindbogglingly idiotic decisions left and right and the whole plot revolves around those decisions. Beautiful cinematography and flawless performances, but still one of the biggest disappointments of the year.
Rated 26 Oct 2011
15
21st
"Another Korean revenge fantasy that negates its moralizing by wallowing in the ghastliness it nominally asserts is unfulfilling and destructive." - Nick Schager
Rated 14 Nov 2011
94
99th
How can Kim Ji-woon, Choi Min-sik and Lee Byung-hun ever top this? Only beaten by Oldboy beeing the best revengefilm ever made.

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