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Movies / On DVD / Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

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Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2005)

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Reviews Counted:23

Fresh:16

Rotten:7

Average Rating:5.8/10

Consensus: Though Park directs with stylistic flair, this revenge thriller is more excessively gruesome than thrilling.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong gruesome violence, strong sexuality, language and drug use

Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins

Genre: Foreign Films

Theatrical Release:Aug 19, 2005 Limited

Synopsis: RYU (SHIN Ha-kyun), a young factory worker, has recently quit art school in order to look after his sister, who is dying a slow, agonizing death for want of a kidney. When a doctor tells Ryu that... RYU (SHIN Ha-kyun), a young factory worker, has recently quit art school in order to look after his sister, who is dying a slow, agonizing death for want of a kidney. When a doctor tells Ryu that he is an unsuitable donor and that the chances of finding one is slim, Ryu turns to the black market. But the old lady who runs an underground organ ring cheats him, taking both his life savings and his kidney and leaving him without the kidney she promised in exchange. Ryu's girlfriend, a Raggedy-Ann leftist named YOUNGMIN (BAE Doona), urges Ryu to kidnap the four-year-old daughter of industrialist owner PARK DONG-JIN (SONG Kang-ho), who recently laid off Ryu and many other workers from his factory. Ryu agrees, but just as the plan is on the verge of success, Ryu's sister discovers what Ryu and Youngmin have been up to, and kills herself in despair. Compounding the tragedy, Ryu loses track of his little illicit charge during a visit to his childhood haunts, and she drowns in the river Ryu and his sister played in as kids. Dong-jin's deep grief quickly turns to rage and he embarks on an implacable quest for vengeance. At the same time, Ryu goes after the organ traders, knowing that if they had come through, none of the tragic occurrences would ever have happened. Bound by their common sense of loss and deep-seated anger, the two are on a collision course of revenge. --© Tartan Films [More]

Starring: Ha-kyun Shin, Kang-ho Song, Doo-na Bae

Starring: Ha-kyun Shin, Kang-ho Song, Doo-na Bae

Director: Chan Wook Park

Director: Chan Wook Park
Screenwriter: Chan Wook Park
Studio: Tartan Films

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Release:

Nov 22, 2005

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Reviews for Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

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1 - 17 (sorted by date)
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Full Review Source: DVDActive.com | comment Comment
07/01/06
Chris Gould
Chris Gould
DVDActive.com

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Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
03/18/06
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

Edgy, disturbing, and haunting Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is a seminal masterpiece and a film that is guaranteed to stick with you for a long, long time.

Full Review Source: Dread Central | comment Comment
03/01/06
Andrew Kasch
Andrew Kasch
Dread Central
N/R

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Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
01/11/06
William David Lee
William David Lee
DVDTown.com

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Full Review Source: DVD Confidential | comment Comment
01/04/06
DVD Confidential
N/R

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Full Review Source: DVD Verdict | comment Comment
12/17/05
Joel Pearce
Joel Pearce
DVD Verdict

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Full Review Source: Upcomingdiscs.Com | comment Comment
12/17/05
Sean Jester
Sean Jester
Upcomingdiscs.Com

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Full Review Source: Reel.com | comment Comment
12/06/05
Reel.com
N/R

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Full Review Source: Entertainment Insiders | comment Comment
12/06/05
Rusty White
Rusty White
Entertainment Insiders

You can see [the director] struggling here toward better results in his subsequent films, but this one is only a worthwhile experiment.

Full Review Source: Now Playing Magazine | comment Comment
11/21/05
Brian Thomas
Brian Thomas
Now Playing Magazine

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Full Review Source: Movie Gazette | comment Comment
04/09/05
Gary Panton
Gary Panton
Movie Gazette
N/R

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Full Review Source: iofilm.co.uk | comment Comment
04/02/05
iofilm.co.uk

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Full Review Source: JackassCritics.com | comment Comment
01/30/05
Grim Ringler
Grim Ringler
JackassCritics.com

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Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com | comment Comment
12/15/04
Matthew Millheiser
Matthew Millheiser
DVDTalk.com

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Full Review Source: CinemaZone.dk | comment Comment
03/07/04
CinemaZone.dk
N/R

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Full Review Source: Dvdrama | comment Comment
07/31/03
Dvdrama
N/R

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Full Review Source: DVD Beaver | comment Comment
05/28/03
Gary W. Tooze
Gary W. Tooze
DVD Beaver
 
 
1 - 17 (sorted by date)
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Latest News for Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

May 15, 2009: Cannes 2009: The Tomato Report – Thirst’s Vampires Descend on the Croisette
Park Chan-wook is best known for his exceptional Vengeance Trilogy -- Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance -- three blood-soaked, expertly drawn films that... More...

March 17, 2008: Charlize Theron Has Sympathy for Lady Vengeance
She'll spend the summer blending humor and superhero action with Will Smith and Jason Bateman in Hancock, but Charlize Theron already has Vengeance on her mind. More...

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