I love slow burn thrillers/horror and this one stings all the way around! The movie's gender politics maybe loud and simplistic but that doesn't damper the cathartic bloodletting. I admire the audacity for modern horror/thriller to dive into sentimentality, especially when it echoes greek tragedy. Its a lot to take but if you can muster it, you'll go through some damn power!
Loved the slow pace. Well-observed and builds its dread carefully, like classic folk horror. When the bloodletting starts, as it must in a Korean revenge joint, it got a bit overbearing. There's a great undercurrent of societal critique - the last shot puts a fine point on it in case you were asleep for the lecture - that boosts this above a typical rape-revenge.
After a series of unfortunate events, a woman is forced on a vacation to recover her wits. She travels to her childhood home on an island far from the bustling city of Seoul, where she reunites with a childhood friend, whose cries for help amidst unthinkable abuse have gone unheeded. A bit plodding, but hits a high note in its shocking finale. A chilling tale of shattered childhood dreams in a dark world gone wrong.
A Korean revenge film that creates a strong sense of 'What the $#%& did I just watch?' The first 10 minutes are ripped right out of "Drag Me to Hell" before the story ultimately settles in to become something like "The Wicker Man" meets "I Spit On Your Grave." There's honestly not much entertainment value to be had, but the filmmakers do effectively turn the island setting into an absurd, misogynistic nightmare.
