What can I say that hasn't already been said? While watching this film, I felt bombarded with the raw emotions and violence of the scenes and situations. It was horrifying, but not in the way that normal films in this genre are, which are usually generic and often times silly. The last time I felt this kind of emotion while watching a film was after I had seen the brutalizing rape scene in Last House on the Left (2009, Directed by Dennis Iliadis)
I was about sixteen and had never seen anything quite so traumatizing in movies. By the end of the scene, I was in tears and ready to throw up. Since I'm older and more corrupted by the entertainment industry (that is to say more desensitized to horrifying images), while watching Lady Vengeance (as it is known in western culture), I was not in tears. However the feeling of nausea and sadness was still present, and I was very grateful for these feelings. After watching so many violent images on tv or in movies or hearing about it on the radio or in books or even in music, one starts to feel as if they are losing their basic ability to empathize and connect with other human beings. It is very disturbing to me that I can see a child being blown up in a movie and not be all that effected by it. Violence has become a normal part of society and people have even grown to encourage it. Some people I know are disappointed if they go to a movie and there isn't enough action/violence in it. It makes me question whether or not this bloodlust has always been there within our society, or if it's just grown and developed as movies become even more adventurous, always looking to stretch the limit of what "going too far" really means.
Throughout the film I was very impressed with the character development for Geum-Ja Lee. It was very subtle and through the entire film she is portrayed as a callous person who emanated false emotions in order to survive in prison. However, I think deep inside she really was that good person who really did feel compassion and love. Not just for her daughter, but for the children that were killed and for her fellow comrades as they helped her with her plan for revenge. Don't get me wrong, I think she had limited feelings for everyone because she was so overwhelmed with her guilt and pain, but I think she was never as callous as she tried to be. No matter how evil she thought she was, there was always that good person inside of her. At the end of the film I didn't sympathize for her. I empathized with her. It was Empathy for Lady Vengeance to me, because while I didn't necessarily agree with her actions, I cannot say that I would not have done the same in a similar situation. Or the same as the parents of the murdered children did.
After watching this film and going home, I spent many hours staying up and thinking about it. I was completely convinced that I wouldn't recommend it to anyone because I didn't want anyone to have to feel the disgust and horror I felt while watching this movie. However, after sleeping on it and telling my friends about it the next day, I concluded that it was indeed a good film and that ultimately, despite the intense rape scenes and the gory violence, I would recommend this film to other people. My number one reason for recommendation was the fact that I actually felt something when watching it. Not just something, but something powerful. While sitting in the dark auditorium, I felt overwhelmed by the feeling of disgust and degradation in the movie. However, feeling this reminded me that I could still be effected by violence and disturbing images, and I think the director made the movie so disturbing visually for this purpose. What a relief it is that I can still feel a basic human emotion such as disgust, sorrow, and empathy while watching a movie. In a way, it was very liberating being that immersed in the movie.
So in conclusion, I have decided that overall, though disturbing, it is an amazing movie and people should definitely watch it. They should be feel uncomfortable and know that it isn't okay to use violence as entertainment. Violence for education can be good I think, but it is never good for entertainment.
