by Joseph Perry and Mike Imboden
In our “The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict” film reviews, Joseph and Mike give their thoughts on a slice of cinema. For this installment, it’s director YooHa’s revenge story I Kill U.
Synopsis
Kang SunWoo, a former promising taekwondo athlete, now lives a life of poverty and exhaustion. One day, while carrying the weight of her painful past, she is suddenly thrust into the spotlight when people notice her uncanny resemblance to a woman named Han JiYeon.
The Good
Joseph: Kang JiYoung does a super job playing two different characters. As SunWoo, she does a fine job showing her action-star chops in a physical performance as a taekwondo practitioner. She also shows a terrific range of emotions as both SunWoo and as JiYeon, the daughter of a wealthy businessman. Impressively choreographed martial arts set pieces abound.
Mike: Ji-young does an amazing job playing both Sun-Woo and Ji-Yeon. She shows a lot of versatility in both her physique (her taekwondo background makes her seem more real) and her emotional depth.
The action scenes in I Kill U, which was showcased in BIFAN's "Adrenaline Ride" portion of the festival, are tight, gritty, and never-ending. The action and the story both work together to make things more exciting and pull viewers into the center of things.
The Bad
Joseph: I Kill U’s plot is fairly predictable, as it hits on the expected tropes of action films without bringing much new to the table. Minions-to-boss battles, double dealings, characters who can’t be trusted, and the lot are all here. Which leads to my final point below . . .
Mike: Even though it has a lot of potential, the rhythm often stutters when the main plot is fully revealed. The story's sudden change from fast-paced action to complicated drama might make it hard for viewers to stay interested in the second act. Some of the sequences with a lot of discussion feel like they're just there to explain things, which slows down the frantic pace that was set at the beginning.
The Verdict
Joseph: Although I Kill U checks off pretty much all of the action movie cliches, that also means that it delivers what fans of the genre crave most. It’s well acted, helmed, and choreographed, so devotees of martial arts action films should find the film well worth a watch.
Mike: Kang Ji-young, Lee Gi-kwang, and Uhm Tae-woong give strong lead performances that hold together a suspenseful, morally charged story. The movie is nevertheless very interesting to watch, even though there are some slow parts and melodramatic beats that take away from the punch. I Kill U should appeal to fans of carefully choreographed action mixed with corporate intrigue.
I Kill U
Directed By: Yoo Ha
Written By: Goh JaeHong, Wang HyeJi
Starring: Kang JiYoung, Lee GiKwang, Uhm TaeWoong
Run Time: 1h 47m
Rating: 15+
Release Date: 2025
No trailer was available at the time of our review
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