16 Years Later, This Korean Masterpiece Is Still One of the Most Violent Thrillers Ever Made
It's a real test of your nerves.
I Saw the Devil is one of the most striking examples of Korean genre cinema. The film tells the story of a former special agent whose wife is brutally murdered by a serial killer. Driven by revenge, he begins his own investigation, bypassing the police, and quickly finds the killer.
However, finding him is only half the battle. The agent doesn't just want the criminal dead – he wants to torture him.
What Is 'I Saw the Devil' About?
Special Agent Kim Soo-hyeon's fiancée is brutally murdered. Soo-hyeon quickly identifies the sadist responsible, Jang Kyung-chul. Instead of turning him over to the police, Soo-hyeon implants a GPS tracker in him and begins a sadistic game.
Soo-hyeon finds the maniac, beats him, breaks his bones, and lets him go. A couple of days later, Soo-hyeonn reappears.
I Saw the Devil is an over-the-top movie in every way – drama, violence, and plot – but this excess suits it perfectly. Director Kim Jee-woon never turns the camera away from the torture and doesn't soften the action.
Even 16 Years Later, 'I Saw the Devil' Is Still Shocking
The acting duo Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik delivers an incredible performance. Their confrontation is not just a battle between a hero and a villain, it is a clash of two obsessions. One seeks revenge, the other wants to kill.
Their performances are so convincing that you forget where the screen ends and reality begins – it's a grueling, bloody, and uncompromising spectacle that's difficult to watch.
I Saw the Devil asks an uncomfortable question: how far would you go to punish a monster and will you become a monster in the process? Starting out as a victim, Lee Byung-hun's character quickly becomes as much of a monster as his adversary.
The only difference is that he has a moral justification. But is there really one?
'I Saw the Devil' Is a Film That Will Truly Test Your Nerves
I Saw the Devil depicts blood, dismemberment, and torture with the utmost graphicness, but that's not the point. What matters is the psychological abyss into which both characters fall.
One begins to enjoy the other's suffering, and in turn, the other finds a new, even more perverse motivation in it, and the cycle continues.
I Saw the Devil is incredibly brutal in both content and message. Yet, it's also incredibly beautiful – every frame is carefully crafted. Even the most vile moments are captured with such visual grace that it's impossible to tear yourself away.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'I Saw the Devil'?
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I Saw the Devil has 83% from critics and 87% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.8/10.
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On Letterboxd, I Saw the Devil scored 4.0/5.0.
Where to Watch 'I Saw the Devil'?
I Saw the Devil is available to stream on Tubi.
