A New Level Of Action: The Villainess Reviewed

In The Villainess, a newly pregnant woman is forced to become a sleeper-cell for a shadowy government organization. Ten years of assassinating targets and she’ll earn her freedom. But what happens if the target is the father of her child?
THE BAD

The Villainess starts as a high-octane thriller but slows down by its third act. We go from our heroine taking down armies of thugs to a tacked-on romantic subplot. While most of the story is intriguing, there are too many plot twists and double-crosses that let the air out of rationally motivated character development.
THE GOOD

The Villainess utilizes some of the most interesting cinematography ever seen in an action film. I was astonished at how they were able to film the fight scenes. Fans of Hardcore Henry will recognize the first person POV fights and long extended cuts.
Additionally, everything was shot practically, with digital effects only used to edit out harnesses and wires for the actors’ safety. The effect might be less polished, but it sells the real danger the performers are in during the stunts.
THE VERDICT

The Villainess is a must-watch for fans of action films. While I was let down by certain aspects of the plot, the characters are well acted and the fights are something else. This is an excellent example of Korean filmmaking.
The Villainess is available now on disk or available to rent on YouTube