#the shot of ryu holding yeong mi's hand in the elevator . . . god that's the one that makes me want to cry the most

[katierosefun]

I’ve seen the discussion about Sympathy for Mr Vengeance in one of your previous posts, and I’m tempted to put in my two cents if I may. It’s actually one of my “homing-pigeon” movies too (and, coincidentally, the day I sent you that ask I was considering rewatching it for the third time – and I eventually did). I can’t quite put my finger on it but there’s just something so compelling about both the story and the aesthetic of this movie.

(Cont’d) And maybe I’m wrong but it seems to me there’s an interesting interplay between the two. Like, the constant focus on the aesthetic aspect creates some kind of an emotional distance but at the same time gives a certain symbolism to the story, a universal feel. Indeed, it’s a bit like a Greek tragedy

(Cont’d 2) Also, Ryu is probably the most enigmatic movie character I’ve ever seen. He seems to have a very unusual way of thinking, a logic that is fascinatingly mysterious. Again, I still can’t pinpoint how this impression is created, but that’s the feeling I get every time. (Sorry for being so vague; this has turned out to be frustratingly hard to put into words even though I’ve been thinking about it for quite a while)

oh god, yeah--i also love sympathy for mr. vengeance in that it absolutely is a tragedy. there’s something so . . . captivating about this entire movie too, in the way that it’s filmed and the colors and the gloomy atmosphere and yet, at least in the beginning, it doesn’t feel like all hope is lost. 

but i don’t even know if that’s an appropriate way to describe the beginning of the movie--because even when i say things like gloomy and hope, that doesn’t seem to quite fit sympathy for mr. vengeance. there’s just something kinda . . . idk, it just sticks. like humidity? that’s the best way i can describe it--like, when it gets so humid that you can literally feel the press of the water in the air against your skin, and it feels unpleasant, and maybe a fan provides some temporary comfort, but you know that as soon as you turn the fan off, you’ll feel the oppressive heat again. 

like, that’s how the movie feels to me. humid, which doesn’t mean that it’s a bad movie--it just means that it sort of clings to the audience. 

also, the aesthetic. god, yes, i love the aesthetic of the movie--again, the colors! ryu’s bright green hair and the red roses and the grey concrete and yeong mi’s bright orange tank top . . . the shot of yeong mi and ryu on yeong mi’s bed (you know the one, where yeong mi kisses ryu’s cheek, and ryu’s just kinda drifting) . . . that has to be one of my favorite shots. 

which gets us to ryu . . . oh, my precious ryu . . . he really is perhaps one of the most interesting characters in the park chan wook universe. i love him so much. i agree with you in that i also don’t know what it is about ryu that makes me so insane about him. he’s just . . . i have so much affection for him, as well as a lot of sadness about him, because something something he’s a good person and things just . . . [gestures vaguely]

#answered #anon #all this to say: yes anon sympathy for mr. vengeance is honestly such . . . SUCH a movie #i remember the first time i watched this movie i was just so disturbed and sad the whole way through #and then a month later i'm like 'i need to watch this again' #and it just. keeps happening. #i have to watch it every few months #wait i can't remember if i put it on my list of 'movies that i keep going back to' bc i should have added it #if i hadn't added it already #it's the aesthetic it's the story it's the brief flashes of humanity that disappear under the murky surface #the shot of ryu holding yeong mi's hand in the elevator . . . god that's the one that makes me want to cry the most #or ryu just holding his own throat as that one guy just collapses in front of him #or ryu smirking when he's being strangled #or just like . . . . #i dunno i think part of the appeal of ryu is like. what happens when you're all alone?