"In my films, I focus on pain and fear. The fear just before an act of violence and the pain after. This applies to the perpetrators as well as the victims." - Chan-wook Park
The Revenge Trilogy which consists of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance are films about revenge, kidnapping, pain, suffering, and everyday people. While considered a trilogy they are no more related to each other than Sergio Leone's Man Without a Name trilogy are. Chan-wook Park (writer/director) acts as a conductor who skillfully leads his characters through the worst part of their lives. The pain reverberates through the room leaving each viewer feeling it in their chest as the credits role.
Each person has great days and bad days, the characters within these films are pushed to their greatest extreme during one of those bad days, for some, a bad 15 years. Park builds suspense unlike any other director. Violence hovers over ever shot even when peaceful imagery fills the room. Tension builds as stomaches tighten and sweat pours down foreheads. Hammers, baseball bats, and pairs of scissors are the weapons of choice to exact harm against protagonists and antagonists alike. While the word "senseless" can be thrown around, the violence essentially makes sense. Characters are left with no life left to live except that of revenge, what would they turn to other than violence? (Religion?) In addition it is never glorified and always leaves a sense of disgust or anguish left in its wake.
Where most films involving violence focus on it alone, Chan-wook Park uses it but always focuses on human relations and qualities of being human. He cares about these characters and knows that they are not just violent soles. Great moments are hand crafted with no words exchanged to tell so much about each relationship. From a small smile to a brushing of hair out of another's face, a human quality is given to each character. It's because of these heart felt well constructed scenes that the film work. Tears role down faces and people yell and scream in anguish because love lost is one of the greatest pains in life.
Needless to say the acting with these films are top notch, proving that other countries do have actors to contribute to cinema. Every character is at their wits end and are hysterical at times, only the best actors could pull such scenes off and leave an audience speechless. Min-sik Choi in Oldboy eats a live octopus which he performed four times on set. He also lost 20 pounds for the part and has one of the most emotionally demanding roles in the trilogy. Where is his oscar? (A day late and a dollar short)
No one ever lives happily ever after in these films, but who ever does. Chan-wook Park makes the viewer actually feel something whether it is pain, sympathy, fear, or even disgust. His skill is measured in how much he effects his audience and in that case it is immeasurable. Just like Leone's trilogy there is no order which you have to watch these films, you just should watch them because they are what real movie magic is made of.
