No Blood No Tears is the story of two tough women who get sick of being kicked around by the crooks in their life, and decide to steal a bagful of money. Starring one of today’s top actresses in Jeon Do-yeon and a major star from the 1980s in Lee Hye-young, the film leads us on an adrenaline-charged, hyper-violent chase through the criminal underworld of Korea.
Marketed as a “pulp noir”, the movie features gorgeous dark lighting and colors, mixed with strong doses of violence. At first, the story jumps about from past to present before settling down to present its complex plot filled with false starts, detours and reversals.
No Blood No Tears also features a rich array of unique and twisted personalities. The obsessed boyfriend hell-bent on revenge is played masterfully by Jung Jae-young from last year’s Guns & Talks. Making an impressive acting debut is Jung Du-hong, Korea’s most accomplished action director who has worked on a wide number of films from Musa to The Foul King. The director’s younger brother Ryu Seung-beom (Conduct Zero), one of the hottest acting talents in the industry, also takes a role, as do several older actors who became famous for their action roles in the 1970s.
Containing more beatings and betrayals than any other Korean film from the last year, the movie does require a bit of a strong stomach from its viewers. In fact, its violence and dark tone may have contributed to its less than hoped for performance at the local box-office. Nonetheless, it seems likely that this film will be remembered much longer than many of the hit comedies from 2002.
Director Ryu Seung-wan is quickly building one of the most distinctive filmographies in Korean cinema. Although this film lacks the amount of humour seen in his previous works, its multi-layered narrative provides an entertaining, visceral treat.
Darcy Paquet