Stylistically brilliant but way too unbelievable

Rating: 7/10 (31 January 2010)

I know, I know: it's a movie, I'm supposed to suspend my disbelief etc. But even so, I just couldn't buy the ending of this movie.
The story is very good, though, and the plot twists are believable and work well (up until the end). I also loved the contemporary film noir style of this film. Lots of deep, scarlet reds, purples and black illuminated under fluorescent lighting or stark, low-watt bulbs.
An abridged telling of the story would tell you that this is a film about one man's revenge and penance. Dae-su Oh, a notorious drunk, is imprisoned in a nondescript hotel room for 15 years, without being told who imprisoned him or why. After he manages to escape, he finds that things are eerily set-up to ease him back into life on the outside - a homeless man gives him a cell phone and a wallet filled with cash, a young sushi waitress appears to take a shine to him, after passing out in the street, he's immediately picked up and rescued by a stranger.
It would be unfair to give out any other information, since the first two-thirds of this film are deeply satisfying on an intellectual and a sensory level. It's a rich experience and, even with all the blood and grit, there's a sophisticated neatness to each frame. The direction is sublime and I think you could pause any shot and marvel at how gorgeous this film looks. The soundtrack and visuals, together, make for a stunning experience and the performance by Min-sik Choi needs to be seen to be believed.
But then, you get to the last part of the film. The finale, the moment where all will be revealed, and Dae-su is vindicated. And... it all falls a bit flat. IMO. Sure there's a decent twist but I wasn't buying the depths of madness these characters would go to to achieve "revenge". The end seemed a tad illogical and it felt like a cop out, as if the writers couldn't come up with a more realistic scenario.
I read somewhere that's it's based on a Manga, so maybe that's why it's so twisted and maybe the ending makes more sense in a comic book but I wasn't convinced.
I would recommend checking this out, if only because it grips you from the start and because it offers such a rich visual and auditory experience. In the end, though, you might be disappointed.