Written and directed by Min Kyu-dong, aging assassin Hornclaw has seen it all, but she never expected to mentor a reckless rookie like Bullfight. As their unlikely bond deepens, cracks form in the underworld they navigate together. When Hornclaw discovers someone wants her dead, she’s thrust into a deadly game of deception. With enemies closing in and trust in short supply, survival means staying sharp—both blade and mind. Starring: Lee Hye-young, Kim Sung-cheol, Yeon Woo-jin, Kim Moo-yul, Shin Sia, Kim Kang-woo, Choi Moo-seong, Ok Ja-yeon and Lee Hyun-gul.
Immediately, The Old Woman with the Knife gets a lot of credit for making its leading character a kickass assassin who’s a woman in her sixties. To take a world that is not only typically dominated by men but does not often feature women over forty and make a sixty-five year old woman the protagonist, and a fantastic one at that, is highly refreshing. Although the credit for that really does have to go more to Gu Byeong-Mo who wrote the book that the film is based on.
Hornclaw (Lee Hye-young) is a terrific character, she gets the classic origin story opening which kicks things off strongly then as times goes on you see even more how sharp, intelligent and morally steadfast she is. Leading to the other great element of this story which is that their agency is not simply offering killers for hire, it’s dedicated to eradicating the scourge of society. They have a particular set of skills but don’t want to use them to simply gain power and money, but to right wrongs and prevent them happening in the future. Admittedly, it’s not an entirely new concept but it’s the way it’s employed in The Old Woman with the Knife that makes it such a strength.
The killing is undeniably a key part of the story and yet it’s always driven by the characters and their connections, not the violence. The purpose never becomes the thrill of the kill and yet there’s plenty of it to be found. Min Kyu-dong strikes a really great balance, there’s an emotional side without it becoming sentimental, there’s violence but it’s never gratuitous, and it’s coming in at just over two hours but doesn’t feel slow. The aesthetic has a superb sharpness, capturing that feel of constantly being alert. The direction has the essential movement to match its action, and the fight sequences are both well-choreographed and edited.
Overall, each of those elements, along with the performances from Lee Hye-young and Kim Sung-cheol, allow The Old Woman with the Knife to build an enthralling energy. It’s not in your face or brash, it’s considered, agile and a little dark, much like Hornclaw herself. Lee gives everything you could possibly want from this performance. In the same way as the direction, she captures a perfect balance, she’s harsh and unforgiving when she needs to be but there’s also a tenderness hidden beneath her spiky exterior. The morality of her character gives her a compelling confidence, an assuredness in her missions and the life she has led, she never comes across regretful or plagued by her past, while still using it to drive her.
Kim Sung-cheol then gives us a more familiar character, the young, reckless and obsessed threat. Appearing out of the blue to throw chaos into the mix and he does it excellently. He taps into that quintessential maniacal feel, with unpredictability and a viciousness. Yeon Woo-jin is a great addition, capturing the everyday side of things and adding a wholesomeness. Ok Ja-yeon creates another terrific character in Cho-yeop, she’s in the killers’ world but not one herself, it’s a shame we don’t get to explore her background, she’s tough yet not hardened like the rest, she has an unexpectedly caring nature.
The Old Woman with the Knife is a fantastic twist on your classic assassin thriller, taking the familiar elements but melding them into something new. Both the character of Hornclaw and the performance from Lee Hye-young are superb, she’s effortless to watch. The direction and cinematography are both strong and keep things moving at a great pace. The story is captivating and ultimately adds a surprisingly sad tone, there’s a slightly twisted quality but in an emotional manner rather than a gory or dark way. It’s an excellent piece of entertainment, well shot, written and casted, and does sincere justice to one of the toughest old broads to ever step onto the screen.
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