This film follows with the tradition of many Korean films, pushing the limits of decency in certain parts while really making you think about what is important in life. Minus a few of the very disturbing and in my mind, unnecessary scenes (if you watch it, you'll know what i'm referring to - I don't want to talk about it) the movie is absolutely brilliant. It is directed by Kim Ki-duk, a person that is well-known for pushing the limits in film.
The story follows Lee Kang-do, a brutal debt collector for loan sharks whose organization preys on the most vulnerable members of society. The interest charged on the loans is absurd and while it isn't directly stated in the film, it is designed so that the people wont be able to pay it back. Instead, the loan sharks are concurrently running an insurance scam where the debtors sign a policy that pays money in the event of their disfigurement. Lee Kang-do facilitates the mutilation of these people in order to collect the money from turning them into cripples for life. He performs a series of terrible events that it is difficult for any of us to imagine doing to anyone else... the one that impacted me most was when he confronts an old woman who was the mother of one of his victims and she has no money to pay him. She lives in a horrible poverty with her only comfort in life being her pet rabbit: He takes the rabbit.
Lee Kang-do feels no remorse for these actions until one day a woman claiming to be his mother who abandoned him shows up and refuses to go away. He eventually learns of the compassion and love that can only be brought upon themselves by family. He begins to feel remorse for what it is that he has done in his life because he now knows what empathy feels like and what it means to care about someone other than yourself.
he kicks her out initially but she keeps turning up with wonderful gifts, like live eels to eat
I don't want to spoil the film, but unless you have lived a very closely-knit life with your family, there are going to be moments where the movie makes you question what you truly consider to be important in life. One quote I had to pause the movie and write it down
This movie, like many other Korean films is quite shocking, so be prepared for that. It won a bunch of awards including the treasured Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival.
This movie made me think, made me angry, and made me sad - plus you don't really know which direction it is going and I love that in a film.
8 / 10
Drama , Revenge , Love , Hate , Mercilessness ,Despair , Loneliness , Change ,Hope ,Tragedy ,Sorrow , Remorse ... etc e . Kim Ki-Duk's masterpiece is epic. Not visually but substantially. It covers so many aspect of the human nature I haven't seen before in film . The twisted and tragic plot reminded me of a saga by the ancient Greek and took me on a roller-coaster of emotions. I hadn't such mixed feelings towards the characters for a long time. First hate , then compassion , then pity then this then that. Ki-Duk truly grew as an artist , moreover ,I dare to mention the word ,genius . This film is his most humane work : No graphic cruelty , no irrational concepts like expression of love=violence, no bizarre scenes. I'll rate this 7.5/10.
as always, fantastic follow up by you. I agree with everything you said.
This movie left me speechless. Like after I finished watching this, I spent all the hour thinking. It puts you in a whirlpool of deep thougts about life, money, love and all the other things. A movie has never had that many messages and thoughts in it has had in that one. I'm not even talking about the music and the actors. Like those look in Jung-jin Lee's face, the realistic and romanticly disturbing looks of Mi-soo Jo's... It was a masterpiece...
This one truly got to you, i can tell from your narration and diction, what i was wondering whiles reading was, what could have happened to Lee Kang-Do to make him that much inhuman, and then you mentioned he was abandoned as a child, it conscientize us on the importance of family and being surrounded by loved ones. Am almost certain life would have been totally different if he had his mother in infancy, i must watch this movie though. Thanks for the review bro
This seems like one of the greatest storyline of Korean movies already.
With the review, I can perceive that their would be so many twists.
A bad man turning good, are we to judge him for his past or love him for his present life? Lol
What a wise quote?
8/10 rating is a very good one.
Hope you are coping with Thailand... Lol
I love the wise definition of money... Films these days are taken in another direction in order to mirror the society..I have always love Korean movies ...their plot, themes and settings are well chosen
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Hi gooddream. I gather you made it back safely and made it 24 hours earlier lol. I have only watched one Korean film before and that was The Block. That was also rather extreme where everyone dies. Three may have been a few survivors but the cast got decimated lol.
Thanks for the tip, i have not seen this one but I will watch it now!
it's interesting how the Pieta image is used in intertextual contexts and re-claimed as a cultural topos for so various cultural products
Wow, what a great movie. I will love to see the movie
I love the story line. Koreans are known to be deep in their stories. This is one of a kind a story of Love, money, hatred,and revenge. I like the twists.
Nice review there.I think this movies will be among Koreans best.I would like to what this movie .Great post @gooddream
Nice
Interesting article. I subscribed to you. Subscribe to me. Let's be friends