The Villainess

2017 [KOREAN]

Action / Adventure / Crime / Drama / Thriller

81
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 67% · 85 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 67% · 500 ratings
IMDb Rating 6.6/10 10 18342 18.3K

assassin katana revenge hand to hand combat aggressive korean chinese

Plot summary

Honed from childhood into a merciless killing machine by a criminal organization, assassin Sook-hee is recruited with the promise of freedom after ten years of service. However, secrets from her past destroy everything she’s worked for and now she embarks on a roaring rampage of revenge.

Director

Byung-gil Jung Photo
Byung-gil Jung

Top cast

Jung Hae-kyun Photo
Jung Hae-kyun as Jang-Chun
Ok-bin Kim Photo
Ok-bin Kim as Sook-hee
Jung In-Tae Photo
Jung In-Tae
Amir Hosein Ghezelbash Photo
Amir Hosein Ghezelbash as Hyun-Woo
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
1.03 GB
1280*534
Korean 2.0
NR
Subtitles kr  
23.976 fps
2 hr 4 min
Seeds 13
1.98 GB
1920*800
Korean 2.0
NR
Subtitles kr  
23.976 fps
2 hr 4 min
Seeds 31

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by Fella_shibby 8 / 10

La Femme Nikita on modafinil, creatine n beta alanine.

This is how female assassin movies shud be.Was on my radar for a long time. Saw this recently. The plot may look n sound like La Femme Nikita n various films on female assassin turned rogue but check out the brutal action sequences.The film moves at a good pace, the screenplay is captivating with lots of twists n turns.This one has lottuva action scenes n very well choreographed.The motorcycle ninja fight scene in this movie is again replicated in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum which is also a terrific action entertainer.
Reviewed by Pjtaylor-96-138044 6 / 10

Frenzied and ferocious action-sequences but a convoluted and slightly generic story.

'The Villainess (2017)' contains some of the craziest action-sequences in recent cinema, primarily because of the frenzied and ferocious nature of the camera itself. It is used as a tool to put you right in the centre of the violence, often literally putting you in the P.O.V. of our protagonist, and never strays further than a few feet away from any of the killing. As such, there is a claustrophobic and relentless feel to each and every such scene, which don't cut away until away until our lead has finished her dirty-work. Because of this, we don't get to rest until our hero does, instead being breathlessly whisked along from brutal but balletic beat to beat. All of the neck-slicing, blood-spilling, body-piling action feels guttural, given a visceral and grimy sense that only one person can survive. This runs counter to most high-concept pictures of the kind, where glossy, clean framing and shiny, pain-free choreography paint a picture of violence that doesn't really hurt and death that doesn't really matter. While death is depicted as similarly cold and callous here, each life that is taken feels painful and we're always on edge for the few people we care about. It's in both the tight and precise but scrappy and explicit fight-choreography, and subsequent blood-letting, and the down-and-dirty camera-work that the picture finds its footing as an 'in-the-trenches' and 'honest' depiction of despicable work, revenge in high-numbers shown from right up-close and watched with gritted teeth. The strongest of sequences are the opening first-person fight and a phenomenal sword-crossing motorbike chase. Both of these use impressive long-takes and hidden camera-cuts to appear as fluid as possible, with the former being an apparent 'one-shot' until its final moments. The use of small digital cameras allows the frame to go places it wouldn't normally be able, with the audience being transported into a one-on-god-knows-how-many battle or even through the wheels of a moving bike seamlessly, and it allows for a very intimate relationship with the lead and her struggle to survive. The only time a combat scene falls slightly short is in the feature's final movement, with some ever-so-slightly dodgy green-screen sky-replacement honestly looking pretty hokey and reducing the effect of the entire segment. Still, what was achieved on its relatively low budget is undeniably impressive and equally exciting. What isn't as exciting are its slower segments and convoluted, though completely understandable, plot. The contrast of its balls-to-the-wall action with its rather domestic, though still out-there and thematically appropriate, story is quite heavy and isn't always balanced too well. There are times where it feels as though the piece has switched gears entirely, with its initial intentions then coming crashing back down onto its new pace just as you're settling into it. This is conceptually appropriate but it does take you out of the film. As does the contrived plot-device used to inject tension and a proper antagonist in the latter half of the second act. This 'twist' feels as though it comes from nowhere, without the explanation afforded to other sequences of less importance, and is handled with confusion even within the narrative. Still, it doesn't ruin the plot and begins to inject some decent pacing back into the piece. It just feels like most of the picture is, or was trying to be, set-up for this moment but it happens too late for that to be the case, or for it to work successfully. On the whole, there isn't anything that isn't enjoyable about the picture. The eclectic, energetic and exciting action-sequences are a sight to behold and the flick plays with some intriguing themes, as well as having an appropriately 'strange', if slightly generic, story. It is always entertaining, even if it loses its drive and isn't quite as pacy as you'd expect. 6/10
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