Lady Vengeance (Chinjeolhan geumjassi)

Release Year: 2005

Director: Park Chan-wook

Review: The final film in Park Chan-wook's 'Vengeance Trilogy', and probably the most straightforward revenge fantasy of the set.  Lee Geum-ja(Lee Young Ae) has just been released from prison and is on a mission to exact revenge on the person who put her there.  The subject matter is very similar to the first film in the trilogy, 'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance', and even borrows exact lines from it.  'Lady Vengeance' is executed much better however, and has a more satisfying revenge arch then the previous film.  

In his third film on the subject, Chan-wook has mastered the pacing and delivery of a revenge thriller and 'Lady Vengeance' is nearly flawless from a technical stand point.  Lee Young Ae plays the part of Geum-ja perfectly, capturing the tortured soul and exuding the anguish within, becoming an almost revenge zombie without losing the human soul at her core.  Geum-ja harbors as much guilt as she does vengeance, something that wasn't explored fully in the previous films.  It pains her when she is called 'kindhearted' because she knows the sins of her past as well as the hatred in her heart.  The target of the hatred is completely detestable, and is worthy of wrath that she seeks to inflict upon him.  By making him so loathsome Chan-wook allows the audience to be engulfed in the revenge fantasy and revel in the pursuit of his demise.  All this culminates in yet another brilliant climax by Chan-wook, which is so satisfying that it heightens everything that leads up to it.  As with all Chan-wook films, the film is full of beautiful imagery and is expertly framed.  The use of color is particularly striking.  White is used frequently to convey purity, and innocence, while red is used to convey sin and hatred.  Geum-ja wears red eye shadow because she is tired of people telling her that she looks kind.  The film even has an alternate version where as the movie progresses the color slowly fades until, by the end, it is completely in black and white.  It is tough to find holes in this very tight revenge fantasy and there is little reason to look, letting Chan-wook take you on an emotional journey is exhilarating.
Rating: 5/5