Many reviewers who give this movie a good rating assume that most critics are put off by the violence and the bloodshed and then proceed to support their appreciation for the movie by explaining that one needs to look through the (apparently necessary) gore and appreciate the deeper layers of the movie. Well, I wasn't necessarily put off by the gore, although I don't appreciate gore for the sake of gore (I don't like the Saw movies). I think Old Boy was an excellent movie for example. That movie went far beyond violence and gore and covered themes like pain, loss and revenge in a wildly original, meaningful way. 'I saw the devil' attempts to do something similar (at least, that is what I assume), but it fails miserably.
The acting is actually quite good, Min-Sik Choi and Byung-Hun Lee are very capable actors, without any doubt. And the story starts off very promising. There's a good build up the first 45 minutes, but after that the story unravels into an inconsistent mess within no time. I deduct that the supposed moral of the story is that revenge cannot heal the inflicted pain, even if you try to live out your revenge in installments. And that in the end revenge backfires and the moral borderline between victim and perpetrator starts to dissolve. Fair enough, I've seen less illuminated morals in movies. But the execution of the idea undermines the whole purpose. A couple of examples:
I'm willing to accept a (tiny) bit of illogicality, coincidence, inconsistency and even plain stupidity in a movie, but a movie should not be build on that. At least, that is my humble opinion. The rating this movie gets on IMDb shows that most viewers don't agree.
The acting is actually quite good, Min-Sik Choi and Byung-Hun Lee are very capable actors, without any doubt. And the story starts off very promising. There's a good build up the first 45 minutes, but after that the story unravels into an inconsistent mess within no time. I deduct that the supposed moral of the story is that revenge cannot heal the inflicted pain, even if you try to live out your revenge in installments. And that in the end revenge backfires and the moral borderline between victim and perpetrator starts to dissolve. Fair enough, I've seen less illuminated morals in movies. But the execution of the idea undermines the whole purpose. A couple of examples:
- GPS-capsules are solid poop-proof and only flush out with diarrhea? And exactly at what level of mushiness does the capsule decide to go for the exit? These may seem like trivial questions, but are essential to the story development. And mind you, Kimchi tends to be pretty spicy.
- The first time the serial killer is set loose (temporarily) he happens to catch a ride with two killers (with a dead body in the trunk) - oh, what a coincidence. And of course he kills them, in a moving car. The secret agent discovers the 3 bodies, but somehow this does not convince him that his gamble to keep the serial killer on the loose may harm innocent bystanders (or are we supposed to believe that he knew they were killers and that justice was somehow done, despite the fact that he should know that the killer doesn't just have an appetite for 'guilty' victims as he butchered his fiancée). Many more people end up dead or traumatized because of this gamble. And don't tell me that his hatred and urge for revenge have already completely taken over his rationality and morality at that point - why then proceed 1,5 hours to portray this disintegration?
- The other cops are supposedly completely incapable and do nothing to stop the carnage. Our cop gone rogue uses his cell phone a number of times to call with the police but they have no way to track him down? Despite the fact that they have GPS capsules with microphones in their arsenal they cannot track down a mobile phone? And even when they meet him at his father in law's house they don't apprehend him? Moreover, when the serial killer decides to surrender to the police, about 50 cops are waiting at the agreed meeting point. Then, our rogue cop comes driving by and while driving pulls the serial killer (waving a knife) into the car and abducts him. And the other cops just stand by, doing nothing. What? All 50 cops came on bicycle or using public transport and cannot pursue a driver who is struggling to subdue a serial killer with a knife while driving?
- And so on, and so on
I'm willing to accept a (tiny) bit of illogicality, coincidence, inconsistency and even plain stupidity in a movie, but a movie should not be build on that. At least, that is my humble opinion. The rating this movie gets on IMDb shows that most viewers don't agree.