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SYMPATHY
FOR MR. VENGEANCE (2002)
A.K.A.
- Sympathy For Mister Vengeance
Reviewed
by Pat King
Ryu
(Shin Ha-Kyun) is a deaf mute whose sister (Lim Ji-Eun) is in
need of a kidney transplant. Ryu steps forth to be the donor
only to discover that he has a different blood type rendering
his kidney incompatible. Ryu then loses his job. Ryu
approaches a group of black market dealers and pays them 1
million won and his own kidney in exchange for a compatible
kidney for his sister. He awakens to find his kidney removed
and the money gone with no trace of the dealers. Miraculously
a donor comes forward but Ryu has now lost all his money. With
the aid of his girlfriend Yeong-mi (Bae Du-Na), Ryu proceeds
to kidnap the daughter of Dong-Jin (Song Kang-Ho), the rich
businessman responsible for his dismissal. After Ryu
successfully acquires the ransom he returns only to find his
sister has committed suicide. While burying his sister
Dong-Jin's daughter accidentally drowns. When Dong-Jin
discovers his dead daughter he vows revenge on her captors.
'Sympathy
for Mr. Vengeance' could never be described as a film that
paints it’s characters in black and white. Director Park
Chan-Wook ('JSA - Joint Security Area') blurs the boundaries
of morality as the two leads (played by the impressive Shin
Ha-Kyun and the ever watchable Song Kang-Ho) who in other
films would be classed as hero's, are compelled to commit acts
of a violent and grotesque nature. The torture scenes carried
out by Dong-Jin are particularly nauseating. But while
'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance' may have acquired a reputation of
being excessively violent, the amount contained within the
film remains relatively minimal. Though the violence that
remains is to say the least unflinching.
The
cinematography is sublime and seldom have I seen a film that
depicts the beauty of cinema so consistently. There is also
frequent doses of black humour which tend to heighten the
impact of the film as a playful moment will expose a rather
more dramatic flip side, but can also leave the audience
feeling a tad nauseous, but then this may be the intent.
'Sympathy
for Mr. Vengeance' is however a film of two halves. The first
half focuses on Ryu's point of view and glides along at a
measured pace. The second half concentrates more on Dong-Jin's
point of view, and perhaps this is the problem with the second
half. Dong-Jin's character is introduced too late into the
feature as the second half lacks the cohesion of the first. I
also find it hard to accept that Dong-Jin would descend to the
horrific torture unleashed upon his victims.
'Sympathy
for Mr. Vengeance' certainly has a lot going for it. The
problem is that it doesn't deliver as much as it promises and
doesn't quite hit the mark as a complete unit due to a less
cohesive second half and not enough time spent establishing
Dong-Jin's character. So near yet so far.
Rating:
  
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