“You walked the path given to you. It`s merely Life and Death”
Legendary Assassin Hornclaw (Lee Hye-Yeong) is now in her sixties, however she is still regarded as the best at taking out bugs as her former mentor Ryu (Kim Mu-Yeol) used to call society`s lowest of the low people. People that have escaped justice, just one of the uses for these assassins for hire that follow a strict moral code of honour even while taking out the scum of society. Rules that were written many years ago by Hornclaw and her mentor for all to follow at their agency. Guidelines that should be followed to the letter because if you don`t then most severe penance will follow at the hand of another assassin. Maybe it is due to Hornclaw`s age that she shows compassion for a doctor that helps her one night with her wounds, she starts to get to know both Doctor Kang (Yeon Woo- Jin) and his young daughter. Breaking the rule of no witnesses, plus her relationship with the Doctor sets her on a path to be taken out by her own agency, In turn also sets in motion a head to head with new liquidator Bullfight (Kim Sung-Cheol)and from within the agency someone has set this betrayal all in motion. Using Bullfight`s obsession with Hornclaw – The Godmother as she is known throughout the underworld. Bullfight knows her from the past, he will do anything to stab her in the back, but why?
I am a massive fan of Korean cinema and this film did not disappoint from the start to the finish it hooks you. For me: this is due to the central performance from the wonderful Lee Hye-Yeong as Nails or Hornclaw as she is known in the film. I find a lot of not just Korean cinema but cinema in general throughout a bit mundane these days. Mostly overly long action films that lack any real punch or emotion to get you involved with the characters. The Old Woman with the Knife hits the spot consistently. The heart of the film is the relationship between the Doctor, his daughter and Hornclaw, it is in these awkward at first, but heartfelt scenes that you learn how much Hornclaw wants to protect at any cost. Structuring is a bit all over the place at the beginning when we are introduced the each character, however the film soon settles into the second act and is well paced from then on into the third act. The action design is superb and very inventive; of course this is Korean cinema, so it is also harsh and extremely brutal in places. I love how each reveal tells you slightly just enough to keep you watching.
Written and Directed by Kyu-Dong Min his direction is very lose to begin as we get to know the characters; stick with it as it tightens from about a quarter of the way through with the pace quickening in this cleverly though a little predicable in places action film. A definite highlight of the year for me – The Old Woman and the Knife is well worth seeing.
