Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance from Korean director Chan-wook Park is playing now in theaters in New York and Los Angeles. It was tough to follow follow the story towards the beginning of the movie. For the first few moments of each scene I'd feel like I was trying to put together a puzzle in figuring out what was going on. Of course dialogue would eventually reveal the mystery every time and I think this confusion is deliberate on the part of the director and not a result of cultural translation difficulties.

Two people feel compelled to get revenge on each other in this film. The viewer feels sympathy for both of them. It's pretty heavy stuff with tragedy, misfortune, misery, suicide, accidents, you name something dark and it's in there. Of course there is vengeance as promised and I expect that is the main draw for most horror fans. Be prepared to sit through quite a bit of despair before the bloody payoff. At least one of the graphic kills will go down in cinema history for it's graphic gore.

Chan-wook Park made a sequel (none of the same characters, it's a sequel in theme only) to this movie called Oldboy and it has already had a small theatrical run in the United States. That movie has more to it with an elaborate bizarre plot that is more engaging. Beware, a U.S. remake is in the works. By most accounts Oldboy is a better movie though I could see some purists arguing that less is more. To get what I mean, try comparing Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) with the original (1974). The second Chainsaw is just as violent, has an excellent big name actor, and far more elaborate sets, but the first movie is just plain better with it's raw simplicity.

coming up is a cub speaks on Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, but first, a preview pic from one of the horrors I witnessed in the backwoods of the Midwest...


This creature will be showing up again an again in the background of the new cub speaks graphic, but here is a better look at him. He is obscured by Cub's reflection in the other picture.


So there is a third movie in this trilogy. Old Boy is considered the second movie and the newest one is the recent Sympathy for Lady Vengeance... Would that be the story of you Cub? You seem like some who should not be messed with.

It would certainly be about me honey... me = Lady Vengeance. I believe that whatever goes around will eventually come around and bite you on the ass. So please, for your own good, refrain from messing with me, cub ;)

You liked Oldboy better than Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance?

I liked Oldboy quite a bit more because there was so much more to it. It was more suspenseful and gruesomein my opinion. I also loved the ending (I will not spoil it for those of you who have not yet seen it). It is a quality movie that would be rated 10 bears (only you cub know just how much that is.)

You gotta admit, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is not for the squeamish. I don't want to give away the kills, but some are very bloody. Did any of this stuff make you cover your eyes?

I must admit that there were several times where I did have to close my eyes... you know where cub, cause you saw me do so. I also squeezed your hand harder during those parts!