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Zachary Curl
2Jan12
like quite a few Johnnie To films, this movie gets needlessly convoluted in parts when he decides to add so many ideas into one story. so many of the elements in this film seem haphazardly thrown in at various points throughout the film and it really hampers an otherwise not so bad film.
Eastern Film Fans
12May11
There is little in way of twists and turns and what you see if what you get from a story point of view but what you do get is the usual high calibre gunplay action we come to expect in the action sequences. It's up there with The mission and Exiled and the action just hits you in the face and then comes back round for another smack, it oozes beauty
Dimitris Psachos
29Mar11
That I didn't expect. A smartly-paced homage to the gangster genre (a bastardization of it nonetheless) and I'm glad to see the Peckinpah reference: the shootout in the landfill is as poetic as a shootout can be! The Three Musketeers of 2009 derived from To's and Ka-Fai's stone-cold imaginations.
Coheed 2.0 likes this
Greg S.
28Mar11
The influences are obvious but in addition to those listed I'm surprised no one has brought up 'Point Blank' since both revenge films deal with the past and present simultaneously. The hero here forgetting what the word 'vengeance' means, writes it on his gun both revealing the past and seemingly writing his future. It is derivative of other films but these isights showcase To as a true auteur.
Jack Lehtonen likes this
kuxa kanema
17Aug10
Wow! A film maker in his absloute prime. Mad Detective, Exiled and now this amazing masterpiece! A true hommage to Melville and the French Noir.
Jack Lehtonen
7Jul10
Johnnie To is quickly ascending as one of my absolute favorite filmmakers. This film is goddamn genius!
Edwin N
26Jun10
Vengeance as a remedy towards redemption and spiritual satifiction; Towards the light, escaping darkness at all cost, Johnny Halliday is stratling.Johnnie To's take on the interchangeable meaning of the word 'Vengeance' makes his film of the most interesting of the decade.A truly metaphysical and abosrbing film beyond what I expected.
dBainy
24May10
I often wonder if one delves deep to the dark side will they be able to return to the light? Will they be capable of walking the path of righteous? Can an ex-assassin be capable of righteousness? In this case -no. The moral values have been convoluted and adulterated. " Feelings", the guide to moral consciousness is warped and twisted, there are no more "right". Maybe one ought to enroll in sociology.
Ryan Borja
9Feb10
The cinematography, art and production design rank highest among the very best I've seen in years. These aspects of filmmaking will make Park Chan Wok proud. The story quite meanders, however, with the addition of a useless surreal subplot just before the few final sequence. But these story glitches are easily forgiven and Vengeance still makes To one of the best living world filmmakers.
daniel
26Dec09
A lot of negative reviews for Johnnie To's inbalanced Vengeance, but I'll bring the good points in this Mini-Review. Technically, in every category this film is superb. There is a certain new take on intenseness that To presents in this film. It's a meditation on what has happened and what is to happen. The film's main theme and title "Vengeance" is also given the utmost consideration as well, which is hard to find.
Melissa Miranda
18May09
An action flick that turns comic by the end. Some of it was brilliant, but for the most part it is just entertaining.