I Saw The Devil is an extraordinary South Korean film which challenges in many ways, notably its running time of over two hours and its wonderful juxtaposition of cold beauty and bloody violence. From its visually and musically elegaic opening and the subsequent catalytic killing, Kim Jee-Woon controls camera movements and framing very carefully to confront the viewer with the reality of grief to set up Agent Soo-Hyun on the path of 'true revenge' for the death of his fiancee at the hands of serial killer Kyung-Chul. The length of the film allows a real study of both lead characters, as Soo-Hyun stalks, catches and releases the killer, each time inflicting harsher and more physically extreme punishment. Lee Byung-Hun (seen in G.I. Joe) and Choi Min-Sik (Oldboy) are both superb throughout and carry most of the film either alone or together on-screen. The wonderful score supports the visuals most effectively, and whilst the final act may be a little too Saw-like for some, the final image of the film is truly haunting. I Saw The Devil is a fine example of an Asian film that can use gore with a truly constructive and cinematic sensibility.
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