Movie Review: The Old Woman with the Knife

Hornclaw (Lee Hye-yeong) is considered a legend by her coworkers at Sacred Disinfection, a shadowy organization that sends its employees out on “pest control” missions which entail killing people they deem bad for society. While that does obviously open up some major ethical questions around just who should be allowed to decide that and whether the agency’s violent form of justice is really warranted, that isn’t what director Kyu-dong Min and his co-screenwriter Kim Dong-wan are interested in tackling in their adaptation of Gu Byeong-mo’s novel.

For as respected as Hornclaw may be by her peers, she is also now in her 60s and beginning to experience the physical effects of aging, causing some to question her utility in such a bloody, dangerous, and demanding line of work. One who seems intent on challenging her is new hire Bullfight (Kim Sung-cheol), a brash young man with little respect for authority. Hornclaw struggles to figure out why Bullfight seems to have it out for her, but she knows she’ll need to get answers quickly, before he is able to destroy everything she holds dear.

A stylish, action-filled thriller may not seem like the most obvious means to examine the loneliness that can come with aging, but The Old Woman with the Knife proves to be more than up to the task. As Hornclaw fights to keep doing the only thing she’s known for decades she finds herself increasingly isolated from the world around her and struggling to convince herself and others of her own continued usefulness. Using her actions and those of Bullfight to look at the ways past missteps and traumas can come back to haunt us further adds to the surprisingly emotional throughline that drives the story.

Hye-yeong and Sung-cheol both prove as adept at the impressively choreographed and visceral fight scenes as they are at portraying their characters’ inner turmoil. Min’s direction is stylish but grounded, ensuring the world of the story feels real and he displays a keen eye for violent set pieces, especially evident during the final showdown at an abandoned amusement park. Deeper than your average actioner, The Old Woman with the Knife is smart, engaging, and exciting filmmaking with a finale that will get you on the edge of your seat before it breaks your heart. ★★★★½