Fatal (2012) – Lee Don-ku.

A meek, sensitive schoolboy Sung-gong (Nam Yeon-Woo), fatally hangs out with an especially invidious group of predatory bullies, who later initiates retribution upon his blithe abusers, who so cruelly forced him to participate in a gang rape of a fellow High School classmate Jang-mi (Yang Jo-ah) ten years before. Not especially unusual for Korean genre cinema, Don-ku's rapier taut, immaculately conceived, stirringly acted, appealingly lensed revenge thriller remains a cerebral, darkly compelling, slow-building emotional gut-puncher. With its rigorous attention to detail, and unhurried pace, Fatal almost ruthlessly draws you deeply into this increasingly nerve-wracking tale of serial abusers, and the profound, long-term trauma experienced by their victims. The stark film can arguably be appreciated allegorically, coldly dissecting the institutionalised brutality of bully boy governments, Big Business, or the military, wherein similar abuses of power are entirely commonplace, those ostensibly regarded as weak are systematically coerced, desensitized, forced to accept the will of those who rule, by any means necessary. The film contains a strong theological core, but I'm always struck by the bizarre fact that monotheism took hold at all in Asia, especially as they have so many infinitely more dynamic-looking gods to choose from? While it is impossible not to feel a profound sympathy for the fragile Jang-mi, whose young life was so negatively impacted, but I also felt that the bullied boy's persistent torment over his forced actions are penance enough. That being said, haunting thriller Fatal certainly doesn't offer much in the way of catharsis, even with no evil deed going unpunished, the bloody conclusion, while existentially apropos, is nonetheless tinged with melancholy. While I don't share Jung-Mi's belief in the supernatural, I very much hope she finds the solace she deserves.