A deaf man and his girlfriend resort to desperate measures in order to fund a kidney transplant for his sister. Things go horribly wrong, and the situation spirals rapidly into a cycle of violence and revenge.

Though Park directs with stylistic flair, this revenge thriller is more excessively gruesome than thrilling.

'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance' is a devastatingly powerful film that excels in its thought-provoking exploration of morality and revenge, delivering profound emotional weight through superb performances and stunning cinematography. Park Chan-wook's directorial vision creates an uncompromisingly dark, brutal atmosphere that lingers long after viewing. However, the film's pacing proves divisive, with many finding it bone-achingly slow, particularly in the first act. Despite engagement challenges for some, most praise its intellectual depth and moral complexity that refuses simplistic judgments.