Rating: ***
Review Date: 4/14/24
Cast: Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Ji-hoon
"In hell, you will be my prey."
Ok-ju (Jeon Jong-seo) is a security guard, which gives her an advantage when it comes to firearms and hand-to-hand combat. When her best friend dies and leaves a note asking to be avenged, Ok-ju dedicates her life to taking out the scumbags who are responsible. This leads her into a world of drugs, prostitution, blackmail, and slavery, where no one is safe from her wrath.
It's a slow-burning rape-and-revenge tale, and the entire first hour is uncomfortable and unpleasant to watch as the bad guys assert just how bad they are. The action is sparse with only three set pieces, but they're surprisingly brutal. The explosive climax has Ok-ju raiding the villains' headquarters and taking out an army of thugs before finally delivering the long-awaited and well-deserved coup de grace. However, I think the one-on-one fight with Kim Ji-Hoon in the middle of the movie is more satisfying from a physical and dramatic perspective, and stands out as the highlight of the film. Unfortunately, while the execution is good, the camera work and editing are often infuriating, which spoils some of the fun.
It's a well-made film with decent production values, but the colors are more rich and saturated than I prefer, which seems to be a common trend in Asian cinema. The use of CGI is subtle enough to not be noticed, which is a welcome change from the norm. However, the annoying hip-hop soundtrack is regrettable and the awkward attempts at humor are misplaced. It's a genre film to the letter, even including the whimpering and pathetic villain who indignantly claims he never did anything wrong, while being completely oblivious to the atrocities he's committed and the lives he's ruined. This hits a little too close to Donald Trump for comfort, and I'm increasingly annoyed by how much DJT ruins my entertainment (and everything else) these days. Overall, it's a fairly satisfying female action film and revenge tale, but the buildup is long and unpleasant, so it's hard to recommend.