On any number of levels, "Devil" is troublesome at best, offensive at worst.
I Saw the Devil(악마를 보았다)
✭ ✭ ✭ Read critic reviews
Korea · 2010
Rated R · 2h 21m
Director Kim Jee-woon
Starring Lee Byung-hun
Genre Horror, Thriller
Add to Watchlist
Please login to add films to your watchlist.
Kyung-chul is a dangerous psychopath who kills for pleasure. One day he horrifically murders Joo-yeon, the daughter of a retired police chief and fiancée to Soo-hyun, a secret agent. Soo-hyun vows that he will do everything in his power to take bloody vengeance against the killer, even if it means becoming a monster himself.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
Eventually, Soo-hyun's relentless pursuit-and-release approach outlives the director's skill and the premise starts to feel redundant.
Ultimately, the returns of the film's premise can't justify a nearly two-and-a-half-hour squirm. The savagery is honest, raw and hardly entertainment.
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
Somewhere in all the blood (sickening realism is a selling point), a question is posed: When does the one fighting a monster become a monster himself?
Village Voice by Michael Atkinson
Never good with nuance, Kim is a beast with disarming imagery but has few resonating ideas, leaving the domino-tumble of brutality to become its own tiresome spectacle.
Boxoffice Magazine by Pam Grady
Plenty of people die in I Saw the Devil, but it is that first attack on Ju-yeon in the movie's opening minutes that reverberates through the epic 141-minute running time.
Repugnant content, grislier than the ugliest torture porn, ought to have made the film unwatchable, but it doesn't, simply because Kim's picture is so beautifully filmed, carefully structured and viscerally engaging.
A mesmerizing study of the nature of evil itself.
You won't soon forget it -- if you have the guts to see it.
Users who liked this film also liked
Oldboy
(올드보이)
15 years of imprisonment, 5 days of vengeance...
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2003
- Director Park Chan-wook
- Cast Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung, Kim Byung-ok, Oh Dal-su, Lee Seung-Shin
- Genre Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
Joint Security Area
(공동경비구역 JSA)
Eleven shots! The truth is there.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2000
- Director Park Chan-wook
- Cast Lee Byung-hun, Song Kang-ho, Lee Young-ae, Kim Tae-woo, Shin Ha-kyun, Christoph Hofrichter
- Genre Action, Drama, Thriller, War
- Available on Criterion Channel, Kocowa, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, AsianCrush, Midnight Pulp
A Bittersweet Life
(달콤한 인생)
Revenge is taken on a high-ranking mobster after he refuses to follow his boss’s orders and spares two people’s lives.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2005
- Director Kim Jee-woon
- Cast Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-a, Kim Yeong-cheol, Hwang Jung-min, Kim Roe-ha, Oh Dal-su
- Genre Action, Crime, Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Memories of Murder
(살인의 추억)
A daring, nuanced story of the investigation around the man reported to be South Korea’s first serial killer, who was uncaught at the time of the film's release.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2003
- Director Bong Joon-ho
- Cast Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Roe-ha, Song Jae-ho, Park Hae-il, Go Seo-hee
- Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Tubi TV
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War
(태극기 휘날리며)
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2004
- Director Kang Je-kyu
- Cast Jang Dong-gun, Won Bin, Lee Eun-ju, Gong Hyung-jin, Park Jeong-Woo, Jo Yoon-hee
- Genre Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Let the Right One In
(Låt den rätte komma in)
Oskar's new neighbor has been 12 years old for 200 years...and she's looking for a friend.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Sweden • 2008
- Director Tomas Alfredson
- Cast Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl, Karin Bergquist, Peter Carlberg
- Genre Horror, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, FlixFling, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, VUDU Free, DistroTV, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
The Chaser
(추격자)
An ex-detective turned pimp hunts a dangerous killer.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2008
- Director Na Hong-jin
- Cast Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Seo Young-hee, Kim Yoo-jung, Jung In-gi, Park Hyo-joo
- Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Available on IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Google Play Movies, YouTube
The Good, the Bad, the Weird
(좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈)
The story of three outlaws in 1930's Manchuria and their dealings with the Japanese army and Chinese and Russian bandits.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2008
- Director Kim Jee-woon
- Cast Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jung Woo-sung, Yoon Je-moon, Song Young-chang, Lee Chung-ah
- Genre Action, Adventure, Comedy, Western
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Amazon Video, The Roku Channel
Daisy
(데이지)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea, Hong Kong • 2006
- Director Andrew Lau
- Cast Jun Ji-hyun, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Sung-jae, Cheon Ho-jin, David Chiang, Dion Lam Dik-On
- Genre Drama, Romance, Action
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Lake Mungo
If you've never seen a ghost... Look closer.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Australia • 2009
- Director Joel Anderson
- Cast Rosie Traynor, David Pledger, Martin Sharpe, Tania Lentini, Cameron Strachan, Judith Roberts
- Genre Horror, Thriller
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, Freevee, Plex, Plex Channel
Mother
(마더)
A girl is brutally killed, and a boy is charged with the murder. Now, his mother must prove him innocent.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2009
- Director Bong Joon-ho
- Cast Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yoon Je-moon, Jeon Mi-seon, Chun Woo-hee
- Genre Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
- Available on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, FlixFling, Crackle, The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
The Housemaid
(하녀)
When opportunity knocks, answer at your own risk.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2010
- Director Im Sang-soo
- Cast Jeon Do-yeon, Lee Jung-jae, Seo Woo, Youn Yuh-jung, Park Ji-young, Ahn Seo-hyun
- Genre Drama, Thriller
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video
Kidnapped
(Secuestrados)
A home invasion in a Madrid gated community turns bloody.
- ✭ ✭
- Spain, France • 2010
- Director Miguel Ángel Vivas
- Cast Fernando Cayo, Ana Wagener, Manuela Vellés, Dritan Biba, Martijn Kuiper, Guillermo Barrientos
- Genre Horror, Thriller
- Available on Shudder, Shudder Amazon Channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Shudder Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Plex, Plex Channel
The Man from Nowhere
(아저씨)
Nothing to lose, nothing to compromise.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2010
- Director Lee Jeong-beom
- Cast Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Hee-won, Kim Sung-oh, Thanayong Wongtrakul
- Genre Action, Thriller, Crime
- Available on Netflix, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Kocowa, Hi-YAH, Netflix basic with Ads, Rakuten Viki, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, FlixFling, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, VIX , Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
The Yellow Sea
(황해)
The only thing he must not have crossed.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea, United States, Hong Kong • 2010
- Director Na Hong-jin
- Cast Ha Jung-woo, Kim Yoon-seok, Cho Seong-ha, Lee Cheol-min, Kwak Do-won, Im Ye-won
- Genre Drama, Thriller, Crime
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, AMC on Demand
Hwayi: A Monster Boy
(화이: 괴물을 삼킨 아이)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2013
- Director Jang Joon-hwan
- Cast Kim Yoon-seok, Yeo Jin-goo, Cho Jin-woong, Jang Hyun-sung, Kim Sung-kyun, Park Hae-jun
- Genre Action, Thriller, Crime
- Available on AsianCrush, Midnight Pulp, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Cineverse, Plex, Plex Channel
The Handmaiden
(아가씨)
Her heart may not be the only thing stolen.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2016
- Director Park Chan-wook
- Cast Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong, Kim Hae-sook, Moon So-ri
- Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Fandango At Home
The Villainess
(악녀)
A female assassin leaves a trail of bodies behind her as she seeks revenge.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2017
- Director Jung Byung-gil
- Cast Kim Ok-vin, Shin Ha-kyun, Sung-Joon, Kim Seo-hyung, Jo Eun-ji, Lee Seung-joo
- Genre Action, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Hi-YAH, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, VIX , Freevee, Xumo Play, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel