The Villainess

R16

2017

123 mins

Directed by Byung-gil Jung
85%
67%
Action
Drama

A government sleeper agent gets an uninvited visit by people from her assassin past in this South Korean actioner that... More

A government sleeper agent gets an uninvited visit by people from her assassin past in this South Korean actioner that premiered at Cannes 2017.

"Since she was a little girl, Sook-Hee was brought up to become a deadly assassin. She gets a second chance in life when South Korea’s Intelligence Agency’s Chief Kwon recruits her to become a sleeper cell. “Work for us for 10 years, you’ll gain freedom.” Her new identity is Chae Yeon-Soo, 27 years old, theater actress. With a promise of complete freedom after serving the country for 10 years, Sook-Hee begins a new life. For someone who lived a life of a killer, living a normal life is no easy task. But when two men appear in her life suddenly, she uncovers secrets of her past…" (Cannes Film Festival)

Less

Where to watch The Villainess

The Villainess is available to stream in New Zealand now... More on YouTube and Google TV and Apple TV Store.

There is no screening information for this title.

The Villainess | Ratings & Reviews

85_%87 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes® rating
67_%977 reviews
Audience score rating

"With a body count in triple digits before the opening credits finish, the bloodily inventive fight sequences work better than the emotional scenes here - and sensible shoes aside, director Jung Byung-gil doesn't bring much new to the genre."

—

The Guardian

"It's absolutely nutty, if bloody, fun."

—

Sydney Morning Herald

"Forcing Sook-hee to juggle a young daughter, burgeoning romance, meddling ex-husband (Shin Ha-kyun) and overly complicated time structure, burdens her quest for vengeance with a lot of melodramatic baggage."

—

South China Morning Post

"A satisfyingly convoluted revenge thriller in which the dynamically staged, blood-drenched action sequences are a highlight rather than the film's sole raison d'être."

—