11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Kim Ji-Woon just keeps getting better and better every time!, April 3, 2007
This review is from: A Bittersweet Life (Director's Cut Edition) DVD (DVD)
In the same vein as "Oldboy" comes "A Bittersweet Life," a movie so good it shocked me when watching it for the first time. It's a violent revenge movie with a gripping story with some fantastic actors such as Byung-hun Lee. He stars as Seon-woo, an enforcer for President Kang, a very dangerous man and if he wants to get rid of people, Seon-woo is the one taking care of it. The most interesting thing about this movie besides the story being so great is Seon-woo himself. The way Byung-hun Lee has captured the character sure tells that he's a great actor and what's keeping the movie alive from beginning to end. Seon-woo seem to know nothing about what it's like to have a "normal" life, as the world he lives in is only filled with evil and violence. He has a hard front, can be violent and nasty without remorse, but its fairly easy to see through all that and see that he has a gentle side as well, and that makes him interesting.
For instance with all the violence going on in the movie it sometimes seems like he has no conscience and couldn't care less about what happens to other people. His face is like stone with no expressions to reveal what he really feels, if anything. But at the same time you know that there's something more underneath it all, like when he's around the mistress you really get to see that there's more than one side to him, and that makes him a really likable character. Actually, the further the movie goes, the more likable he becomes and you can't help but feeling sorry for him which is a really effective part of the overall experience.
As reviewer K. Jones has put it, this movie does mixes violence and emotions in an excellent way, and even if the violence is a bit too brutal at times, you still have a lot of "nice" things to fall back on. There are a lot of action elements and the movie is quite stylish to say the least, but the most important thing is that it's not the least bit shallow and while its entertaining eye candy at times; you still really care about the characters and what's going on. This is easily one of the best Korean movies I've seen this year, and a movie that I will probably enjoy watching many times in the future. If you're a fan of "Oldboy," you're most likely to find "A Bittersweet Life" to be pretty sweet, both dealing with the concept of revenge but very different from each other. I also recommend "A Tale of Two Sisters" which is also fantastic.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Revenge has never looked this good...Director's cut version reviewed (but not compared to Theatrical cut), July 7, 2007
This review is from: A Bittersweet Life (Director's Cut Edition) DVD (DVD)
A BITTERSWEET LIFE is a dazzling neo-noir gangster film from director Kim Jae-woon(A Tale of Two Sisters). It is a pretty much a perfect example on how to follow the basics in making an entertaining gangster film, like the old adage goes: " If it ain't broke, don't fix it". It may not have the most original plot in existence, but believe me; it works. The film is terrific; Revenge has never looked so darned Good!
Sun-woo(Lee Byung Hun, J.S.A.) is an impeccably dressed enforcer for a notorious crimelord called Kang(Kim Yeong-Chul). Sun-woo is instructed to to watch over his mistress Hee-Soo( Beautiful Shin Min-ah, Volcano High) to find out if she's making whoopee with another man. His orders are crystal clear: if he catches her cheating on Kang with another man, he is to contact Kang at once or finish them off himself.
The plot takes off when Sun-woo does catch her with her lover and as an act of mercy, he decides to let them both live. (On the condition they stop their affair) This gesture of pity brings a world of pain onto Sun-woo as the entire organization sets its goals to punishing him for his "act of betrayal". Beaten, bloodied and kicked out of the gang, Sun-woo survives the brutal ordeal. Sun-woo embarks on a brutal, bloody trail of vengeance from which no one is likely to survive, each kill brings him closer to a final confrontation with Kang. But a strange fact remains; Sun-woo has been a faithful servant to Kang for years, why would he suddenly have a change of heart? (it wasn't something as simple as love or lust, although lust may have played a small part at their meeting )
"A Bittersweet Life" is a beautiful, wholly engaging cinematic masterpiece. It blends the "hardboiled cool" of classic film noir with highly stylized action reminicent of a John Woo film. (But not overly stylized like Woo's films)
Before Sun-Woo decides to ignore his boss's orders we watch as he slowly comes to an epiphany. However, we're not quite privy to the depth of this realization until the final scene of the film, in which everything that has come before soon makes simple, perfect sense. The film becomes a visceral, wall-to wall action film when Sun-woo goes against Kang; the carnage goes to overdrive. The movie is also very cool and fresh; with nice touches, like a quiet moment wherein Sun-woo placidly savors a slice of chocolate cake before `going to work', adds a load of style, at the same time sets a moody atmosphere.
As brutally, violent this film is, it's quite refreshing that the filmmakers didn't lose their sense of humor. To its credit, the film pitches in its share of comedic moments in the screenplay with all the blood and gore. A Bittersweet Life can be oddly funny at times with its share of cleverly paced moments of black humor.
Lee Byung-hun does a very convincing job in his portrayal of Sun-woo's character. The actor brings a certain depth and dynamic charisma to his anti-hero role, which is very impressive when we consider that a fully-realized characterization of Sun-woo hampered by the fact that his motivations MUST NOT be revealed until the film's climax. Even so, Lee conveys a sense of his character's life, even if it isn't something readily apparent by the script. Viewers will have to also take into account that the film is a (Sunwoo's)character study (of sorts) of a person who lived most of his life in the shadow of violence which in turn may make one an empty shell. The things that most people may take forgranted may be considered so "fulfilling" to someone with Sun-woo's life.
I have the (Region-3, Korean release) 2- DISC Director's cut of A Bittersweet Life that clocks in at about 122 minutes. I cannot make a statement how it differs from the Theatrical cut since I haven't seen the "shorter" cut of the film in theaters.
PICTURE: 2.35 Anamorphic Widescreen. The transfer is very decent but not without a few flaws. There is a small amount of grain in some scenes and some heavy edge enhancements. On the plus side, it does have nice colors, accurate skin tones and strong (but detailed)black levels. Overall, still a good transfer.
AUDIO: Korean 6.1 DTS-ES, 6.1 Dolby Digital, 2.0 surround language mix. If you're equipped, the DTS track is the way to go as it provides intense and immersive listening experience that really brings the action and gunplay to life. The 6.1 Dolby digital is not bad, but it does have a lower bass level. The English subtitles are clean and clear, very easy to read.
EXTRAS; COMMENTARIES/Interviews, Making of feature, Set/production designs, "CANNES Film Festival Footage"..many more.
IN CLOSING:
A Bittersweet Life is a visual and aural feast for its audience. Beautifully shot, some folks may find it superficial. Thankfully, that impression actually seems to be based on how the film is made, as everything is meant to build towards the film's conclusion in which the TRUE motivation behind Sun-woo's quest for revenge is revealed. Quite visceral, sometimes lyrical and even comical, "A Bittersweet Life" is a complete cinematic experience and contains a climax to bring it to a "bittersweet" close. To sum it up, it is magnificent!
A BITTERSWEET LIFE is among my top 25 favorite films. ( I have 600 dvds)
HIGHEST Possible RECOMMENDATION!! (4 ½ stars)
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Korean Revenge Film!, August 18, 2007
This review is from: A Bittersweet Life (Director's Cut Edition) DVD (DVD)
I usually buy my own films and then review them later. There are only a couple reviews where I rented the film first. This is one of them, but I plan on buying this particular DVD. After reading several reviews of this film, I decided to rent it at my local video store. Some of the reviewers such as Jenny J.J.I, K. Jones and Woopak have given excellent reviews of this film, and I would recommend others to take a look at those reviews. I have recently run the gamut in viewing different genres of film as of late. From the Korean drama "The Way Home," to the Japanese romantic comedy "Train Man," and now this very violent, but highly recommended revenge film from Korea.
"A Bittersweet Life," was directed by Kim Ji-woon, and stars (Lee Byung-hun) as the character Sun-woo. Sun-woo is one vicious killer, and as the right hand man of a mob boss named Kang, (Kim Yeong-Chul) his job is to make those who displease his boss vanish. And he is very effective as the bosses enforcer. The life of Sun-woo is one of a world of violence. And in this life of violence where Sun-woo lives in there can be no mistakes. There are no second chances. Moreover, the consequences of making one can be fatal. However, we all make mistakes, and as such, so does Sun-woo. I don't wish to spoil this film for you, however, I will write that Lee Byung-hun gives a riveting performance in his role, and this is an excellent film.
Mr. Kang, has sent Sun-woo on an important mission: Find out if his mistress is cheating on him, and if so, take care of things. Does he? I won't give out details of the film that will ruin it for you, however, expect a lot of violence, as Sun-woo refuses to bend to Mr. Kang, and must endure one hell of an ordeal. End of film? No way! Sun-woo's revenge after what he endures at the hands of his Mr. Kang's minions veers the film into one violent crime drama. [But then it already was in the beginning] This is a dark world Sun-woo lives in, and so is his occupation, and as such the film delivers more than its share of violent scenes. I thought the film was great, and especially the cinematography. The ending as pointed out by others is different, but effective I believe. Sun-woo's life truly is bittersweet! This is a very good crime-noir film. Highly recommended. [Stars: 4.5]
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