FANTASIA 2021: The Devil's Deal
FANTASIALee Won-tae's third directorial effort – after the underground hit The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil – arrives in another aesthetically and thematically compelling feature: The Devil's Deal. After taking aim at the underbelly of a criminal society grappling with its own ideology and partnership with law enforcement in order to take down a mutual threat, Lee Won-tae's latest feature equally explores a similar dynamic, albeit orchestrated within the world of politics. The two films are similar in tone and topic, with each feature exploring and introspecting the nature and compelling portrait of underground entities, showcasing each respective power and influence throughout the country of South Korea in a much heightened but compelling fashion.
In each of Lee Won-tae's features, the director explores the immersive and enrapturing emotion of fear, which is wrapped up in genre convention. It is perfect harmony and fluidity to substantiate mood and thematics upon an atmospheric genre. If The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil is the horror thriller, then The Devil's Deal is the conspiracy thriller. The induced partnership is wonderfully crafted as not only does it create an immersive experience but allows an easily digestible immersion through its screenplay from writer Lee Su-jin, and thus the features narrative. The interest of political power throughout the context of this feature is given more precedent and acknowledgement in the enrapture of its story. The more minor details are acknowledged, and the sheer scope of names and characters has a more substantial interest in the said immersion of its genre.
Granted, this thankfully does not mean that one has to pour one hundred and ten per cent of time and energy into this absorbing feature, and the feature knows that with its expression of tone. Lee Won-tae's film brilliantly incorporates moments of brevity and comedic sensibility to dilute and craft an even more accessible nature towards proceedings. Admittedly, it is not just the tone and screenplay that help this but the performance as well.
Cho Jin-woong leads the way as congressman turned double agent Hae-woong. A morally inconclusive and elusive portrait of modern politics. Yes, even set in 1992 and starring itself as a period piece of sorts. The world’s past and present collide in a morally ambiguous and dirty exploration of political power. Cho does a fabulous job of projecting this very nature of greed while establishing the nature of political manipulation wresting inside. In essence, it is a remarkable indoctrination into the shoes of this person and world. However, the depth and range Cho showcases do undeniably heap the thematic weight and manipulation upon its audience. Crafted and curated in bubbly and effection nature, his community crafts a likeable approach on the surface as a bumbling idiot of sorts who wants to prosper. Thus making the inevitable downward spiral and rabbit hole the more fascinating and intense to witness. A few other faces return with the likes of Kim Moo-yul in the crossfire, giving a significant differing of range in Lee Won-tae's film. While, the actor does not have a great deal of depth to work with, he is superbly effective in the screen-time he is afforded and leaves a lasting impression upon the audience.
Equally as effective and lasting is the cinematic landscape on offer. Like The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil, the image presented is gritty, often cast in elusive dark lighting, and crafts effective atmospheric tension throughout. Nevertheless, much like the tonal change, Won-tae's film opens up its lifeblood with what is curated to effectively showcase the slow but assured internal thematic changes inside the morality of the character played by Cho Jin-woong. To strengthen the feature, the score from the composer Cho Young-wuk of whom delivers a stirring and atmospherically rich sound to conduct a perfect mood appropriately.
All in all, while detractors from Lee Won-tae's previous exploits will once again push away from the directors work, fans and curious viewers will undeniably find The Devil’s Deal a compelling and morally inducing character study, and yes, while the thematics and aesthetics are not too dissimilar to The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil, it does in fact further Lee Won-tae's assessment of both sides of the coin, even though they are far removed on the social spectrum, and class structure, the ideology of a gangster is not too far removed and dissimilar from each other – a thought that in the current present standings offers a frightening precedent.
