The Villainess - One Woman's Messed-Up Life

So, here's a film that came out earlier this year, and it actually seems like it might be worth a look.

The Villianess is a Korean action film directed by Jung Byung-gil, and staring Kim Ok-bin; two names that I guess don't mean much of anything to anyone outside of South Korea. However, The Villainess has drawn some comparisons to other action films such as The Raid, which had some of the most impactful action scenes in recent years. So it might actually have something going for it.

Shall we take a look, and see if it lives up to expectations?

There may by minor spoilers beyond this point.

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The Villainess follows a woman named Sook-hee, who goes on a rampage against a criminal gang, and afterwards is captured by South Korean intelligence agency. The agency offers her a deal, she works for them for ten years, and then gets to go completely free.

There is something intensely messed-up about the way in which the agency recruits Sook-hee. It goes way beyond extortion or blackmail, and starts to border on indoctrination, and even cult-like behaviour. This casts the agency in a rather dark shade of grey, which I'm fairly certain was intentional; there aren't really any “good guys” in this story. In this way it resembles gritty thrillers like The Departed or (more appropriately given the martial arts aspects) Kill Bill.

Speaking on intensely messed-up, the romance in this film is more than a little bit twisted, and that is only half-intentional. Whilst some of the romance aspects are meant to be disturbing, there are others I'm sure we're meant to take as being actually heart-warming, but which come across to me as just as morally dubious.

It has a similar problem to Twilight, and I can't believe I'm making that comparison. It presents certain actions and behaviour as being romantic, but which really seems to be the behaviour of a stalker, and unsub in an episode of Criminal Minds.

However, this does have the odd effect of making Sook-hee herself seem more sympathetic. After all, the story is told from her point of view, and over the course of the film we find out why she is the way she is. Combining her past with what happens to her in the present, it makes it difficult not to view what she does over the course of the story as being in some way justified.

Kim Ok-bin's acting is also strong enough to carry the character of Sook-hee, and seems to really grip what makes her tick. She strikes a good balance between the stoic out layer of the character, a the tumultuous emotions the lay beneath the surface. There is an intensity, and craziness, about her, even when she is acting calm and collected.

The other characters are good, and the actors' performances solid, but they don't really reach the same intensity as Sook-hee. Except for one scene at the end of the film.

So, the plot isn't really for the weak of heart, or the easily offended.

However, the main draw isn't the plot, it's the action, and that definitely lives up to expectations.

Copyright © Arrow Films

There is a large amount of dynamism and creativity to the fights; not just in the choreography, but in the camera work as well. For example, there is one fight that is shown almost entirely from a first-person perspective. Whilst the it seems like it could be disorientating or inspire motion sickness in the audience, it actually works, and heightens the excitement of the scene.

This extends to when the fights are shot in a regular third-person view. It usually highlights the action well, keeping up the sense of urgency.

However, I do have one serious problem with the camera work, the over use of shaky cam. Whilst the first-person view was interesting, and helped to create an interesting action sequence, the shaky cam does the exact opposite. It can undo the rest of the good in the cinematography, sometimes making it hard to see what is going on, and it is always distracting. Even when the angle is good, a sudden jerk can leave us confused, or take the action away from the centre of the screen. Fortunately, whilst there is a lot of shaky cam, the moments where it blocks the view of the fight are view. However, I repeat, it is always annoying.

That said, the choreography is still strong, with the fights being full of energy, and every blow feeling brutal. The film is not afraid to dish out injuries to villain and “hero” alike, thus creating a real sense of peril, even though we know that the protagonists are almost certain to win. Although, given the general tone of the film, it becomes entirely believable that the protagonists could actually lose.

On top of this, the choreography is crisp and clean. There are no useless movements, and everything feels sharp and brutally efficient. This film excels in making everything that happens look extremely painful, and making the characters look resilient, without breaking suspension of disbelief.

The Villainess isn't afraid to show a little blood either, or a lot of blood in this case. However, whilst blood can spray across the scene, the camera never really lingers on it. The blood is treats as a by-product of the fight, which is the real attraction, rather than the purpose in itself. It seems to be there to highlight the sheer brutality of what is happening.

Outside of action scenes the cinematography and tone are subdued and cold; this creates an oppressive atmosphere, and the feeling that Sook-hee is trapped. This works well with the gritty, dark tone that the story is attempting to develop.

Overall, the film is a violent, and dynamic action film. Whilst I don't think there is much here for those looking for a particularly deep or interesting plot; there is plenty for fans of action, or martial arts movies. It is a fun and creative action thriller, that offers plenty of entertainment. So yeah, recommended.

Until next time,

PhoenixAct.