Director: Kim Ki Duk.

Starring: Ma Dong Seok, Kim Young Min, Lee Yi Kyung, Jo Dong In, Te O, Ahn Ji Hye, Jo Jae Ryong, Kim Joong Ki.

Running Time: 122 Minutes

Synopsis: A group of 7 vigilantes set out to enact revenge upon 7 men complicit in a murder.

Kim Ki Duk’s 20th feature length film is bound to get everyone talking, as do all of his films. However, this time talk isn’t just all about the controversial subject matter, but also Kim’s radical departure from his usual style. The film has been described as Kim’s most conventional work, though that isn’t saying much. Fans of Kim can rejoice in the fact that the auteur is still very much honing his unique style, but they’ll also see a new side to Kim where he exposes some of his weaknesses too.

The most notable departure comes in Kim’s use of dialogue. He has for years rejoiced in using mute characters, allowing actions and aesthetics to say more than words. He took this to new extremes in MOEBIUS, where the entire film was devoid of any dialogue whatsoever. In ONE ON ONE, dialogue is the most important aspect. Characters discuss their beliefs, pasts, and everything in between, almost to a fault. Kim is obviously not comfortable with dialogue, and here it shows. Some of it is clunky, some of it would be better suited for actor’s notes, and most of it just explains what Kim usually allows to go unsaid. This seems to be the point though, as though Kim were making an example film for his critics, to show why his usual quiet nature is so damn powerful.

There’s no need to make excuses for Kim though, as ONE ON ONE is still a powerful and exceptional piece even with its faults. Following a group of 7 vigilantes as they punish 7 men involved in a murder, each murderer reveals a different side of life as do the vigilantes. Some of the murderers take responsibility for their actions, while others hide behind a shield of “I was only following orders.” For the vigilantes though, we see a glimpse of each of their lives, as it transpires that simple frustration at life is what fuels their “good deeds”. The characters represent anger at education, healthcare, and abusive relationships. This idea of Kim’s to show the characters as feeling isolated from society, puts a different spin on the revenge genre. They don’t really have a personal motive in terms of this case, but have anger inside that needs to be unleashed. However, not all are as willing to go as far as some of their companions.

The strong performances help disguise much of the heavy handed dialogue, in which all beliefs and ideals are spelt out. Most impressive is Kim Young Min, who takes on at least 8 roles. He plays not only one of the murderers out for revenge for his torture, but also plays a character in each of the vigilante’s story. These are usually the antagonists of the sections that give backstory. The use of a single actor, with few differences in make-up, highlights the fact that each of these shadows (as they are known) has their own personal drive, and even though each one is different, they are also effectively the same.

Kim Ki Duk experiments here, and shows he is still willing to adapt and progress. Shot in two weeks, the film is still rough around the edges, but this just adds to the grimy feel. In the later stages Kim raises a great point that perhaps we as humans have given ourselves too much purpose and status. With a simple analogy of fish, Kim asks if we need the evil in the world in order to propel the rest of us forward. No, it’s not particularly pleasant, and it will certainly rub many people up the wrong way. But this is Kim doing what he does best with a slightly different twist.

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