Sympathy For Lady Vengeance

Running Time: 112 mins
Release Year: 2005
Director: Park Chan-wook

Cast: Lee Young-ae
Choi Min-sik

Synopsis:

South Korean maestro Park Chan-wook concludes his Revenge Trilogy with the operatic, mesmerizing Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. Unlike the first two films in the trilogy - Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Old Boy - this time around, the hero is a heroine. On the heels of her release from prison, Lee Geum-ja (Lee Yeong-ae) embarks on a mission to track down the man responsible for her imprisonment, which also resulted in her being forced to give up her daughter for adoption. Hardened by years in the penitentiary and endlessly fantasizing about the right way to exact revenge, she enlists the help of former cellmates to accomplish her goal. But what she uncovers is a secret so horrifying that no revenge seems fitting. Employing the same techniques (symphonic music, electrifying cinematography, sharp editing) that made Old Boy such a thrilling cinematic experience, Park Chan-wook concludes his trilogy on a somber note. Beginning as a flashy, almost lighthearted spectacle, the film gradually reveals itself to be a poignant commentary on the futility of revenge. Fortunately, the director's sheer audacity and technical virtuosity keeps it from succumbing to total darkness.