Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)

The unusual lack of music in Mr. Vengeance, which is the first film in Dir. Park Chan-wook's 'Vengeance' trilogy, is as requisite to the feelings that the work engenders as much as the wonderful use of music is to the two subsequent films. While having such a traditional element of the viewing experience absent helps viewers achieve a measure of 'sympathy' for the key players, the tragic events and grim humour that colour the story (of a brother's well-meaning attempt to ensure that his terminally ill sister receives a replacement kidney) can be tough going at times. In addition, the absence makes the violence feel all the more real, some of which is truly unforgettable stuff.

4 skimming stones out of 5