[6.75/10] Bedevilled (2010)

Bedevilled (2010)

Brief review: Jang Cheol-so's debut feature, "Bedevilled" takes place on an uncivilized island near Seoul, and tells the unusual story of Bok-nam - a woman, long time harassed by her husband, who seeks revenge for the death of her daughter. Despite being slightly pretentious and suffering from slow development, this blood-soaked revenge flick is a consistently gripping and thoroughly effective shocker, that while lacking in suspense, is filled with scenes of extreme violence, disturbing images and buckets of blood. Acting-wise, "Bedevilled" truly succeeds. Ji Sung-won does a great job as the complicated and lonely Hae-won, however, she's completely outshined by Yeong-hie Seo, who delivers an incredibly convincing and truly disturbing performance as the rejected Bok-nam. The supporting performances are as good as they're intimidating. Koren director Jang Cheol-so has an eye for detail, and an incredible sense of visual style, and it certainly shos, since "Bedevilled" is one of the most beautifully-shot and visually-stunning slashers I've ever seen. The choice of location is his smartest move regarding this film, as the Geumodo Island's scenery is simply breathtaking, and a beautiful backdrop for this otherwise grim story.

Overall summary: As gritty and violently brutal, as it's visually striking, "Bedevilled" delivers plenty of shocks, chills and spills, despite its oddness and pretentiousness.