The Villainess (2017) is a non-stop action film

by Martin Hafer

In the first few minutes of The Villainess, you see the incredibly violent protagonist, Sook-hee, dispatch about 50 villains…using guns, knives and pretty much anything she can get her hands on during this incredible sequence!  And, all this occurs before the opening credits!!  Clearly, for a revenge martial arts film, this one is in a class by itself when it comes to the body count and violence.  So, if you like films like Lady Snowblood, The One-Armed Swordsman or the Kill Bill films, then you certainly should give The Villainess a look.

After Sook-hee goes on her murderous rampage at the beginning of the picture, she is captured.  But by whom and what they want from her is unclear.  She is being recruited by some secret organization…though whether it’s for good, evil or simply profit isn’t certain…but because Sook-hee discovers she’s pregnant, she hasn’t much choice and becomes a top-notch agent.  Ultimately, this leads to a lot more killing and plots involving Sook-hee’s husbands, yes husbands.

This is not a film you watch because of the plot, as it is a bit confusing…especially since the film bounces back and forth in time repeatedly.  But plot is not the main reason to see this film, as lovers of the genre want action…and the action is simply insane from start to finish.  A remarkably violent film, it’s certainly not for the squeamish.

Martin’s Grade: A-