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I Saw the Devil
악마를 보았다
2010 144 min South Korea R 18+
★7.8
Thriller, Horror
Director: Kim Jee-woon
Trailers
EN
Teaser
Description
Kyung-chul is a dangerous psychopath who kills for pleasure. Soo-hyeon, a top-secret agent, decides to track down the murderer himself. He promises himself that he will do everything in his power to take vengeance against the killer, even if it means that he must become a monster himself.
Budget:
$6M
US Gross:
$129,210
Worldwide:
$12.97M
Starring
Lee Byung-hun
Actor
Choi Min-sik
Actor
Jeon Gook-hwan
Actor
Awards
Asian Film Academy 2011
— Best Film Editing
Asian Film Academy 2011
— Best Cinematography
San Sebastián International Film Festival 2010
— Golden Shell
Key opinion
I Saw the Devil is a visceral, masterfully directed revenge thriller that pushes the boundaries of the genre through extreme, unflinching violence. While the film is widely praised for the powerhouse performances of its leads, its relentless intensity and moral ambiguity divide viewers regarding its narrative logic and excessive runtime.
| Acting | Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik deliver stellar, anchoring performances that elevate the film's intense cat-and-mouse dynamic. | |
| Cinematography | The film features exquisite cinematography and a cohesive, vivid visual style that masterfully contrasts snowy settings with graphic brutality. | |
| Emotion | The relentless, graphic depictions of violence and gore are effective for some as a powerful, visceral experience, while others find the extreme imagery gratuitous or excessive. | |
| Runtime | The 140-minute runtime is a point of contention, with some finding it perfectly paced to build tension and others arguing it is bloated and would benefit from being shorter. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative logic is frequently criticized for making the protagonist's revenge plot feel egoistic, inconsistent, or unnecessarily reliant on the antagonist possessing implausible abilities. | |
| Ending | The final resolution successfully delivers a chilling thematic punch, effectively forcing the audience to confront the moral decay inherent in the cycle of vengeance. |