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I Saw the Devil

Original title: Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da
  • 20102010
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 24m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
126K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,850
11
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Choi Min-sik and Lee Byung-hun in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
When his pregnant wife becomes the latest victim of a serial killer, a secret agent blurs the line between good and evil in his pursuit of revenge.
Play trailer2:16
4 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Crime
  • Drama

A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.A secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.

IMDb RATING
7.8/10
126K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,850
11
  • Director
    • Jee-woon Kim
  • Writers
    • Park Hoon-jung(screenplay)
    • Jee-woon Kim(adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Lee Byung-hun
    • Choi Min-sik
    • Jeon Gook-hwan
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jee-woon Kim
  • Writers
    • Park Hoon-jung(screenplay)
    • Jee-woon Kim(adaptation)
  • Stars
    • Lee Byung-hun
    • Choi Min-sik
    • Jeon Gook-hwan
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 401User reviews
    • 282Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 17 wins & 19 nominations

    Videos4

    I Saw the Devil: Greenband Trailer
    Trailer 2:16
    I Saw the Devil: Greenband Trailer
    I Saw the Devil: Redband Trailer
    Trailer 2:15
    I Saw the Devil: Redband Trailer
    I Saw the Devil 2010 Teaser
    Trailer 0:53
    I Saw the Devil 2010 Teaser
    "Greenhouse Fight" from I Saw the Devil
    Clip 1:41
    "Greenhouse Fight" from I Saw the Devil

    Photos102

    Jee-woon Kim in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Choi Min-sik in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Lee Byung-hun and In-seo Kim in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Lee Byung-hun in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Choi Min-sik in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    In-seo Kim in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Choi Min-sik, Lee Byung-hun, and In-seo Kim in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Choi Min-sik and Lee Byung-hun in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Hye-rin Lee in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
    Choi Min-sik and Hye-rin Lee in Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lee Byung-hun
    Lee Byung-hun
    • Kim Soo-hyeonas Kim Soo-hyeon
    Choi Min-sik
    Choi Min-sik
    • Jang Kyung-chulas Jang Kyung-chul
    Jeon Gook-hwan
    Jeon Gook-hwan
    • Squad Chief Jangas Squad Chief Jang
    Ho-jin Chun
    Ho-jin Chun
    • Section Chief Ohas Section Chief Oh
    San-ha Oh
    • Joo-yeonas Joo-yeon
    Yoon-seo Kim
    • Se-yeonas Se-yeon
    Moo-Seong Choi
    Moo-Seong Choi
    • Tae-jooas Tae-joo
    In-seo Kim
    In-seo Kim
    • Se-jungas Se-jung
    Kim Kap-su
    Kim Kap-su
    • Planning team deputy headas Planning team deputy head
    Lee Joon-hyuk
    Lee Joon-hyuk
    • Agentas Agent
    • (as Lee Joon-Hyeok)
    Deok-jae Jo
    • Detective Kangas Detective Kang
    Cheol-woo Han
    • Detective Parkas Detective Park
    Myeong-Yeon Jo
    • Detective Joas Detective Jo
    Tae-goo Eom
    • Detective Eomas Detective Eom
    Se-joo Han
    • Woman on busas Woman on bus
    Choi Jin-ho
    Choi Jin-ho
    • Planning directoras Planning director
    Kang-il Kim
    • Park Han-gias Park Han-gi
    Yoon Byung-hee
    Yoon Byung-hee
    • Jjang-gooas Jjang-goo…
    • Director
      • Jee-woon Kim
    • Writers
      • Park Hoon-jung(screenplay)
      • Jee-woon Kim(adaptation)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    SPOILER: Jang Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik) is a dangerous psychopath serial killer. He has committed infernal serial murders in diabolic ways that one cannot even imagine and his victims range from young women to even children. The police have chased him for a long time, but were unable to catch him. One day, Joo-yeon, daughter of a retired police chief becomes his prey and is found dead in a horrific state. Her fiancé Soo-hyun (Lee Byung-hun), a top secret agent, decides to track down the murderer himself. He promises himself that he will do everything in his power to take bloody vengeance against the killer, even if it means that he must become a monster himself to get this monstrous and inhumane killer. —jck movies
    • revenge
    • decapitation
    • attempted rape
    • tracking device
    • rape
    • 221 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Evil lives inside.
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Horror
      • Thriller
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Korea Media Rating Board forced Kim to recut the film for its theatrical release, objecting to its violent content. Otherwise, the film would have gotten a "Restricted" rating, preventing any sort of release in theaters or on home video.
    • Goofs
      At 00:15:45 an extra is seen peeking a glance at the camera next to him from under the brim of his ball-cap.
    • Quotes

      Kim Soo-hyeon: I will kill you when you are in the most pain. When you're in the most pain, shivering out of fear, then I will kill you. That's a real revenge. A real complete revenge.

    • Crazy credits
      The title card unfolds with a scene in the background.
    • Alternate versions
      The director Kim Jee-woon made seven cuts between 80 to 90 seconds in order to receive an '18' (youth not allowed) certificate by the Korean Media Board (film censorship board). The cuts were made to one scene of body parts being eaten by a dog and humans, and a human body being mutilated. Before the censorship decision, the Korean censors twice gave the film a 'Limited' certificate which means to prevent a video and mainstream theatrical release. After cuts, it was later re-rated '18'.
    • Connections
      Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.9 (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Habanera
      (uncredited)

      From "Carmen" by Georges Bizet

    User reviews401

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was linking his name to this stupendous horror/thriller!
    While the Western half of the world (and Hollywood in particular) was still focused on making torture-porn horror movies with as sole purpose to show as many sickening, repulsive and shocking sequences as humanly possible, the Eastern part of the world (with South Korea as the usual pioneer) evolved to the next level already with "I Saw the Devil". In this fantastic film, perhaps one of the 10 best since the year 2000, the extremely explicit and uncompromising violence is only secondary to the character development and to writer/director Ji-Woon Kim's main message that revenge - contrary to popular belief - doesn't taste sweet at all, but sour instead, and that it leaves a horrible aftertaste in you mouth. You won't see that intensity and genius in a random "Saw" or "Hostel" sequel anytime soon...

    Both Choi Min-Sik and Lee Byung-Hun give away stupendous and almost unsurpassable performances. The former as a mad dog serial killer of the cruelest and most disturbing kind. The latter as a special agent turned avenging angel, and at least as cruel and disturbing as the killer. The difference between them is that young Soo-Hyun is driven to blinding rage when his pregnant fiancé falls victim to the sadist serial killer Kyul-chul. Her death so agonizingly painful that Soo-Hyun pledges that her tormentor will suffer just as much and just as brutally as she did. And so, an unspeakably tense game of cat and mouse ensues.

    "I Saw the Devil" isn't entirely without flaws, though. The script often requires an enormous dose suspension of disbelief, and according to all laws of human anatomy and pain-endurance, Kyul-chul should have been dead 2 or 3 times. Personally, I really don't like it when horror/thriller movies have running times of more than two hours (which is also why it took me 10 years to finally see it), and even though the film is never boring, it wouldn't have hurt if it was 30-40 minutes shorter. Still, based on the numerous amount of powerful sequences, the nail-biting suspense highlights, the pure evilness of the lead character and the realistic (and often downright nauseating) gore effects, "I Saw the Devil" is one of the most unique films out there, and an absolute must-see for genre fanatics with nerves of steel and a stomach of concrete.
    helpful•17
    1
    • Coventry
    • Jul 11, 2021

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 12, 2010 (South Korea)
    • Country of origin
      • South Korea
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • Angmareul boatda
    • Filming locations
      • South Korea
    • Production companies
      • Softbank Ventures
      • Showbox/Mediaplex
      • Peppermint & Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $129,210
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $13,567
      • Mar 6, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $12,966,357
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 24 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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