The Old Woman with the Knife

"The Old Woman with the Knife" tells you from the opening title its not going to stand on ceremony, stripping away all pretence, about ageing and death.

The theme of this film, is as much about how older people are "devalued" by society, as it is an action thriller, about an assassin in her twilight years.A skilled woman facing replacement, by more youthful, ruthless, competitors. A reality she rails against. To paraphrase her, "you don't throw something away because its old, even if it has no value". As we come to see, being old is no impediment to remaining a capable killer.

This is an above average film.The script is creative and intricate, with a dysfunctional proxy mother, son back story that sits side by side with the reality of ageing in a society, like many, driven by the promotion of youth.

Action is excellent, if rather implausible, with the usual frenetic, over the top, death and destruction, I've come to associate with Korean cinema. To top this off there are down to earth, capable performances, from the cast.

In summary, if Hollywood wants a template for quality, engrossing action thrillers, all they need do, is look East. "The Old Woman with the Knife" is how you make a clever, enjoyable and addictive action thriller. A recommended watch.