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The third film of Korean director Chan-wook Park's vengeance trilogy (Old Boy and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance preceeded this) Lady Vengeance combines the best elements of the previous films and delivers a sense of closure to the ideas all three films explore around vengeance and atonement.
Here's the story: Young beauty Geum-ja (Yeong-ae Lee) goes to prison for kidnapping and killing a young boy. She comes out of prison as a strange mix, being known inside as both “The Angel†for her selflessness and “The Witch†for her thorough sense of vengeance. After 13 years she's released and immediately sets in motion her plan to punish the real killer that committed the crime she was sentenced for. Her prison story gets told in flashback as she visits different former cellmates who are all aware and helping in her plan of revenge. Her path gets complicated soon by the preacher that befriended her while in prison who's presence challenges her murderous resolve. She's further taxed by her young daughter that she had right before going to prison coming back into her life. The hope the daughter represents symbolizes both her lost past opportunities and a possible hopeful future.
Park's at the top of his narrative game here, combining humor and violence in the midst of equally poignant tender moments of connection between some of the characters and brutal violence. And just as it all reaches its climax Park deftly turns the film to a sharp, other direction that's equally as insightful and thought-provoking on the film's themes as Geum-ja's story itself. And while it runs a little long it's a joy to watch Park's structure play itself out as he pursues the topics of revenge and sacrifice, resolve and hope, atonement and forgiveness.
Rating: B+
