In all things remake news (we get enough of this that we could do a remake-a-day feature), the latest is that Charlize Theron is planning to remake Park Chan-wook's Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. In an odd information-less announcement on Boston.com (as originally pointed out by Bloody Disgusting), they mention that Theron is both producing and starring in a remake. As odd and shockingly revealing this announcement is, I'm not exactly immediately disgusted that they're doing a remake. Well, wait, yes I am - don't touch any of Park Chan-wook's classics!
Interestingly, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance is one of the few Korean dramatic thriller classics that I'm very familiar with and would be angered to see remade. Well, not really angered, but there is no way that I could see a remake turning out even as remotely as good as the original. Part of my concern actually lies within Charlize Theron. Sure she's a fine actor, but she's going to bring that Hollywood A-list repertoire to the film and it's going to lose the finesse that Korean actress Lee Yeong-ae brought to Lee Geum-ja. There is really no way at all that a remake could turn out any better, so why even do it to begin with?
If you're unfamiliar with the film, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance is a 2005 Korean thriller directed by Park Chan-wook. After a 13-year imprisonment for the kidnap and murder of a 6 year old boy, beautiful Lee Guem-ja starts seeking revenge on the man that was really responsible for the boy's death. With the help of fellow inmates and reunited with her daughter, she gets closer and closer to her goal. Lady Vengeance is the third in Park Chan-wook's trifecta of revenge films, with Old Boy and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance being the others.
User comment: By: RyanI have enough faith in Theron that I am not going to completely bash it for now.
User comment: By: John A.I used to be like all of you and despised the idea of these remakes and then I realized that the only people it bothers are the people who go out of their way to see these great movies. That accounts for approximately .05% of the population in North America. The remake will help the original get some publicity and more people will see it whether or not the remake is good or bad. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance did open up in North America and it made something like $250,000 (don't quote me on that). Before the Departed came out I had to track down the Infernal Affairs trilogy. Now I can find it in the big box stores. Don't confuse a remake as being a replacement.
User comment: By: pickleI felt the same way about Departed. So much so that I have avoided seeing it despite all the praise it has received. I'm quite willing to admit that it is a really good film but it's efforts should have been spent on something original.
User comment: By: BillyI wonder if people thought the same about Leonardo and Infernal Affairs (i.e. being remaked with him in the departed)
User comment: By: joe Hwell, this is the worst news I've heard all day. i hate Charlize Theron, love this film, it's gonna be a huge waste of time.
User comment: By: AlfredoReally really unnecessary. Charlize should just go and write a similar script or something if she liked it that much. Why remake it? That would be like having a Thai remake of No Country For Old Men come out next year or something. ...it's not that I'm hating on Thai people, I'm just trying to emphasize how unnecessary it would be. Oh and by the way, I liked Lady Vengeance more than Old Boy. The crudeness of Old Boy was just too much to bear at times.
User comment: By: HermondThis time is really unnecesary, the original is perfect, why a remake?
User comment: By: jason_md2020Jeez! Why do they keep making foreign move adaptations? I'd rather just watch the originals. See, that's what the little button marked "subtitle" is for on your remote...Oh, I forgot. No one likes to read anymore.
Visit here to subscribe to commentsUser comment: By: AndreasNooo! There is no need for remakes, especially not of movies that were released fairly recently. Why can't you Americans (I'm generalizing, I know..) start watching foreign films with subtitles? There are bound to be a few good screenplays that have not been filmed yet. Remakes are a lazy excuse to make money in my opinion.
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