SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE (2002)

There’s something about this type of film that unsettles me more now than ever before. Perhaps it’s the tragic circumstances involving children, perhaps it’s the hopeless situation of the desperate few or maybe it’s because the situation is all too realistic. What ever the cause, watching Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance left me with the kind of emotional baggage you could expect from taking a drug hit - initial elation due to the exquisite narrative and expert production, followed by a sudden and unexpected slump into a state not too dissimilar to depression. Its gritty, it’s brutal and it’s a powerful must for lovers of international cinema.

Ryu, a deaf and dumb steelworker is forced to pull brutal double shifts in the blistering hot confines of the factory in an attempt to raise enough cash to fund the vital kidney transplant which would save the life of his critically ill sister. Desperate for cash, he answers an advert pasted to the wall of the public toilet which offers money for the illegal donation of body parts, but things go wrong and Ryu is forced once again into taking drastic action to get the cash. With the assistance of his anarchist girlfriend, Ryu kidnaps the young daughter of his boss marking the start of a terrible chain of events that would change all their lives forever.
Take a note of the name Park Chan-Wook because you’ll be hearing a lot from him in the future. As Sympathy’s director and co-writer, he has driven his stake clearly into the ground as one of Korea’s finest directors thanks to his measured visual approach and rich compelling story telling. Sandwiched between his 2000 hit drama Joint Security Area and the massively acclaimed Oldboy (only the second film ever to get 10/10 on TFA), Sympathy is a hard hitting genre meld which ticks all the right boxes on the BBFC/MPAA ratings black list with its stark portrayal of violence, drug use, torture and sex.

Sympathy has some overbearingly tragic moments that will grip the viewer in a shell shocked state until one of the very rare flashes of levity come around. “A picture paints a thousand words” but who needs a thousand when only the word ‘unsettling’ is relevant. But it’s not just the picture either, the soundtrack complements the visuals by deliberately not showing certain events making the onlookers mind add the gruesome bits whilst torturing you further with the final reaction shot. I dare anyone not to shift uncomfortably whilst listening to the desperate cry of Ryu as he wails out the sound only a deaf person can make in the most tragic of circumstances.
In opposition to a lot of American style genre movies, the characters here are much less heroic dropping all the macho bravado in favor of a more measured and every day approach enabling the viewer to build a sympathetic attitude before the story carefully drags both parties down the long road to painsville. Ryu, played by Ha-kyun Shin is the main character who, no matter what he tries, just ends up getting deeper into an uncontrollable situation and despite his violent actions; you still have to love him. Kang-ho Song plays the role of the vengeful father whose only aim is to hunt down those responsible for the crimes against his family. Each character is played superbly with subtle resolve and with real human emotion adding a genuine richness to the proceedings.

Released on Tartan Videos ‘Asia Extreme’ label, the DVD picture quality, as one would expect from a company who holds eastern cinema in high regard, is excellent with crisp colorisation and a fine, detailed contrast mix offered in Anamorphic 1.77:1 ratio . The soundtrack comes in a host of expansive offerings including DTS-ES 6.1, Dolby Digital EX 6.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 and will suit most people’s idea of a dynamic sound stage. On the special features front you get a commentary track with director Park Chan-Wook, an interesting 30 minute behind the scenes feature which shows the cast going through preparation for the film including learning sign language, the films original theatrical trailer and a host of other Tartan Video trailers.