Jeanskynebu
the audience applauded
Steineded
How sad is this?
Portia Hilton
Blistering performances.
Scarlet
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
bangx-81344
This is one of my favourite films of all time!
I'm a huge fan of Asian cinema and this one stands out as one of the best I've seen. I've watched it several times now and it never disappoints!
It's beautifully filmed and I love how it all slowly builds up to the brutal end. I won't give anything away as I think it's better to watch it first time round without knowing what to expect. But to me, it's pure perfection!
kartikdec
bedevilled is a compelling movie which describes how emotional torment can push a human being (bok-nam) beyond the limits of sanity to the extent that, that being goes on a rampant killing streak. But thats about it, there is nothing deep to this movie. The director and screen write try to be clever by contrasting bok-nam's psychological issues, with her friend (hae-won)ego-centric personality. This egocentricity is displayed when hae-won avoids going into harms way. This can be witnessed in numerous scenes, but is generally highlighted when hae-won sees bok-nam's child murdered by bok-nam's husband, only to deny that she ever witnessed the scene in the first place. One would then think that bok-nam's murderous tendencies are a conduit of redemption, but it reality the movies fails to fully achieve redemption as Bok-nam fails to kill Hae-won (her one friend who betrayed her). If the true intent of the director was to emphasize the theme of redemption then he should have let bok-nam finish her job. Personally speaking I was hoping for a scene in which Hae-won, while at the brink of death, reconciles her wrong doings. Instead we find that bok-nam is killed by the hands of Hae-won, who then turns a new leaf in life. It just seems so pathetic, how can one have such flat characters that only change their view towards life after killing a human being, wasn't the whole point of the film to show that one can't live their life for themselves, rather in order to survive one needs to be caring about other peoples values (what bok-nam did throughout her entire life). In my opinion,by killing off bok-nam there is no justice served, which just leaves a distasteful feeling when the movie ends. Honestly speaking, I have no idea what the director is trying to do in this movie. The implicit themes and messages seem so ambiguous that you don't know whether they are done intentionally or whether its just terrible screen play. It is a shame that this movie fails follow through with its original message because the acting of bok-nam and her husband was done exceptionally well.Overall this movie doesn't fit into the category of a horror or a thriller because it isn't scary, frightening or even unpredictable. I guess the director was hoping that the gory scenes would provide shock value or some sort of detestation from the viewer but having watched numerous similar films, this one doesn't really strike me as being different I recommend watching this movie just to check it out but in no way is this a master piece like others have suggested.
videorama-759-859391
Here's one of those better Asian shockers. Actually it's quite excellent and bravado film making. But also this movie is truly unsettling for most of the part. It's the heartless if inhuman characters that make it so, void of compassion or soul. This is revenge at extremes. A young woman and her little girl are subject to cruelty over decades, mostly at the hands of the arsehole husband, where I was cheering loudly inside at his demise, which was well overdue, in light of what I saw before. The husband, a bad man, like his mates, are guilty of many things, even interfering with the little daughter. They live off the mainland on this island, where even this island itself creeped me out. This whole unsettling scene to be honest was like something out of The Wicker Man. Retreating to this island, in light of a rape on the mainland, is this young beautiful, yet very self centered woman, who I must say kind of annoyed me, but also intrigued me. She befriends the woman and child, but really doesn't really get involved with what's going on. After a physical fracas leads to a tragic incident, our long suffering soul turns rabid, and with a nearby sickle, becomes vigilante and murderess, where some quite graphic bloodshed ensues. Be ready for it. I did not feel sorry for any of her victims either. They all deserved to die, and I kind of first wanted Miss self centered to die, but then I was glad to see some emotion, compassion, and regret, attack her in the final frame. Bedevilled in it's almost two running time duration, has you hook line and sinker from the start. When the violence comes it's grand. I really wanted to see this girl send blood spilling on this island folk, her supposed family who had me pondering earlier if they were actually cursed or something, as they weren't the norm, and very bitter, and again, void of little or no compassion. Daring and disturbing films like this, are what really gives highs in movie land, though a certain audience will shun away from this heavy film of unrelenting revenge, and unstoppable violence.
Maz Murdoch (asda-man)
Korea is such a stand-out country for delivering consistently sensational horror films, often in the revenge department. Oldboy is nothing short of a masterpiece and I Saw the Devil is one favourite films ever. The Koreans aren't afraid to push the barrier and also never fail to deliver a few large helpings of emotional wallops. They put a lot of effort into writing their characters, in order for the audience to invest in the film. Bedevilled is no different.Bedevilled is yet another example of Korean superiority. Thank goodness the loopy Kim Jong-Un has left South Korea alone because otherwise we wouldn't be getting these incredible pieces of art (or Psy!) which are important to our society. Bedevilled is a slow burner, but it's anything but boring. It takes it time in setting up its two female characters so the audience can care about them (even if one of them is a little more than unlikable) and thus not care about the slow pace of the film. However, I would say that if you're only into some slashing and dashings with thrills and spills, then stay clear, because Bedevilled delivers something much more than that.I think that Bedevilled is more complex than just a 'revenge movie' and I think too many people dismiss it as just that. To me Bedevilled was about a lonely woman who had been subjected to years of abuse from her husband and lack of support from the few islanders, yet always pushed it aside and treated it as nothing, until she cracks. I found Bedevilled very psychological and it brilliantly portrays the tragic mental breakdown of an isolated woman who just can't take any more abuse.The build up in Bedevilled is nothing short of brilliant. I loved the way it slowly switched main characters about a quarter of a way through. We initially follow a hard-nosed woman working in mainland Seoul who then goes over to a small island where her grandfather used to live to see her friend. Initially we don't really think much of her friend, because we've been following Hae-Wan who is also very self-centred. However, the film slowly allows Kim Bok-Nam (the friend) to surface and we begin to feel an unbelievable amount of sympathy for her as she's so badly treated by her husband.As I said before the build up is slow but extremely effective. I didn't find it boring in the slightest because it allowed the characters to develop, which in turn made the film more and more gripping as it went along. Eventually Bedevilled does explode after some truly shocking and devastating moments, but should we really be rooting for Kim Bok-Nam all the way? Bedevilled ends up being incredibly thought-provoking as well as exciting and visceral. The final moments pack quite an emotional punch and will have you glued to the screen. I especially liked the match cut which compared Hae-Wan to the island, suggesting a deep inner conflict with herself.Bedevilled is yet another masterful Korean film which manages to tick all the boxes. The actresses also end up being quite exceptional in their respective roles. The film also looks gorgeous in blu-ray, I'd highly recommend it. The cinematography is often breath-taking which adds an usual quality later on as the beautiful back-drop is also used for the scenery of such vile and hideous acts. Bedevilled is well worth your time and money. It reminds you just how amazing foreign films are.