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The Villainess offers enough pure kinetic thrills to satisfy genre enthusiasts -- and carve out a bloody niche for itself in modern Korean action cinema.
All Critics (81) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (67) | Rotten (14)
With a body count in triple digits before the opening credits finish, the bloodily inventive fight sequences work better than the emotional scenes here - and sensible shoes aside, director Jung Byung-gil doesn't bring much new to the genre. Sep 18, 2017 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
With a body count in triple digits before the opening credits finish, the bloodily inventive fight sequences work better than the emotional scenes here - and sensible shoes aside, director Jung Byung-gil doesn't bring much new to the genre.
Cath Clarke
A propulsive, wildly entertaining and hyperkinetic action flick. Sep 14, 2017 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
A propulsive, wildly entertaining and hyperkinetic action flick.
Kevin Maher
"The Villainess" is little more than an action showcase, with way more scenes of turgid espionage than thrilling set pieces. It's for genre die-hards, not a general audience. Sep 14, 2017 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…
"The Villainess" is little more than an action showcase, with way more scenes of turgid espionage than thrilling set pieces. It's for genre die-hards, not a general audience.
Alan Zilberman
It's the amazing fights and precisely-executed choreography which make up for the shaky storytelling: whether it is a battle with swords, a night motorbike chase or an axe clash in a bus pelting at full speed, there are undoubtably great moments here. Sep 12, 2017 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
It's the amazing fights and precisely-executed choreography which make up for the shaky storytelling: whether it is a battle with swords, a night motorbike chase or an axe clash in a bus pelting at full speed, there are undoubtably great moments here.
Claire Langlais
'The Long Kiss Goodnight', 'La Femme Nikita', 'Kill Bill'... this South Korean thriller owes a debt to many a great female-assassin thriller, and it's a fun ride for fans of the genre. Sep 11, 2017 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
'The Long Kiss Goodnight', 'La Femme Nikita', 'Kill Bill'... this South Korean thriller owes a debt to many a great female-assassin thriller, and it's a fun ride for fans of the genre.
Anna Smith
As the carnage mercilessly piles up, we begin to feel nothing. Perhaps that's the point, but it's hard not to want more. Sep 7, 2017 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…
As the carnage mercilessly piles up, we begin to feel nothing. Perhaps that's the point, but it's hard not to want more.
David Lewis
It's a frankly ridiculous combination but somehow it works. Feb 22, 2019 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
It's a frankly ridiculous combination but somehow it works.
Tom Bond
You're frequently lost in between rapid edits and clumsy choreography that your eyes quickly begin to glaze over as you attempt to discern what going throughout this quote unquote mayhem. Dec 3, 2018 | Full Review…
You're frequently lost in between rapid edits and clumsy choreography that your eyes quickly begin to glaze over as you attempt to discern what going throughout this quote unquote mayhem.
Daniel Nava
Coming out swinging from the opening frames, writer/director Byung-gil Jung's The Villainess pistol-starts with a breathtaking first person action sequence... then proceeds to top itself repeatedly. Nov 2, 2018 | Full Review…
Coming out swinging from the opening frames, writer/director Byung-gil Jung's The Villainess pistol-starts with a breathtaking first person action sequence... then proceeds to top itself repeatedly.
Ed Travis
A much-needed shot in the arm in terms of action films, female-led films and South Korean cinema. I hope that actress Kim Ok-bin and director Jung Byung-gil will be appreciated for their efforts and move on to do more ambitious work. Oct 30, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
A much-needed shot in the arm in terms of action films, female-led films and South Korean cinema. I hope that actress Kim Ok-bin and director Jung Byung-gil will be appreciated for their efforts and move on to do more ambitious work.
Harris Dang
The Villainess works best when it's not concerned with its plot and story and focusing on presenting intricately choreographed visceral action that builds to bloody crescendos. Oct 30, 2018 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
The Villainess works best when it's not concerned with its plot and story and focusing on presenting intricately choreographed visceral action that builds to bloody crescendos.
Sean Mulvihill
The Villainess is an action film that simultaneously echoes the spirit of 90s Asian action movies, the cinema of Park Chan-wook and even Euro crime-thriller classics...and yet feels...contemporary in its unrelenting energy and aesthetic polish Aug 27, 2018 | Full Review…
The Villainess is an action film that simultaneously echoes the spirit of 90s Asian action movies, the cinema of Park Chan-wook and even Euro crime-thriller classics...and yet feels...contemporary in its unrelenting energy and aesthetic polish
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
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