Don't bother
Ok, this is an easy one. Based on the synopsis, I was reluctant to watch it. And I had the "great" idea to check the reviews.Well, the movie is meh at best. Lots of plotholes. I can't say much 'cause I don't wanna spoil anything, but when the movie ends you will (or should) start asking questions as to why the events happened that way because, knowing what we know about her, she could've taken more easier and more logical moves.
Besides that, the acting is mostly meh, with some cringe moments when they are trying to portray "madness". Besides the "Bond villain" exposition dump, the script was barely ok (plus those plotholes, so maybe not that ok), and by that I mean not so broken as the usual k-drama. The pacing is ok, the slow pacing is needed to build stuff. Character development, no. You get the characters, they do stuff, thats it. Low/medium production value. Not that great vfx for the impact scenes, but the fighting ones are ok. The soundtrack is ok, I guess. It tries a couple of times to guide you in believing some scenes will happen, but mostly you won't be bothered by it. The cinematography is boring, nothing interesting.
Oh, don't believe the other reviewers. Unless you have a medical problem about seeing blood, its safe to watch. No gore involved, the bloody scenes look cheap. On this movie's page, between the "Cast" and the "Reviews" sections you can see the "Photos" one. The bloody shots appearing there? Thats what you'll get. The usual amount. So if you don't get sick from seeing a paper cut, you'll be fine.
It gets a 6 (barely) from me. Nothing special to hook you in. Definitely, no return value. Have a lovely evening.
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This review may contain spoilers
Fell asleep in first half but second half took a 180 turn
I watched this movie in four parts... lol the first three times, I kept falling asleep. Nothing was really happening, it was boring, and I had to get my friend to recap for me. Thank goodness my friend kept prodding me to finish it, because halfway through the movie literally goes from 0 to 105. It's all action, gore, fighting, and the main lead being OP af. If you like seeing the protagonist beat up foes, this one's for you. Story-wise, though, there's a lot missing.(Also, one of the reasons she made me watch was to see Da Mi and Woo Shik before Our Beloved Summer aired lol. I like both actors - they have young faces and bring refreshing emotions to the screen.)
PROS
❀ Good introduction to the actors | I haven't watched Itaewon Class but Kim Da Mi left an impression on lots of people and she did a good job in this movie too. Even though her character was written very lazily, she still managed to give off very intelligent and savage vibes for her character. Woo Shik was great in Parasite and in The Witch, he plays the lunatic working for the evil scientist quite well. Honestly, I'm impressed with how well he expressed the character because his lines bordered on cringe sometimes. The Witch is a testimony that movies can be successful, despite poor writing, due to the execution of the actors and the producer.
❀ Fun action, especially towards the end | Once everything gets out in the open by the middle of the movie, the action is non-stop. You basically watch the main character Goo Ja Yun beat all the bad guys up in a very satisfying way. The production quality for the action was eye-catching and vibrant, which makes up for all the boring scenes in the beginning. Like I said, the movie goes from 0 (nothing big happening) to 105 (a LOT of things happening) lol. So if you're struggling while watching, try to push through to reach that middle part.
CONS
✕ Really sloppy writing | This movie takes the idea of "genetically engineered superhuman children" and... that's it. Lol. It doesn't progress past the vague idea of one of the superhuman children turning against the researchers and nothing is deep. Main character Ja Yun wants to live and protect her foster parents. That means getting rid of the people after her. Solution? Kill those people. I'm a huge fan of sci-fi and have seen this vague storyline done 10+ times through Western books/movies/etc. The Witch: Subversion doesn't offer anything new, unfortunately, nor does it stand out against the myriad of stories with the same theme. The story doesn't have depth, the characters barely have depth, and the superhuman plot is not used to its potential. Everything about this movie just screams "shallow."
OVERALL
Honestly I feel like you shouldn't watch it until Part 2 comes out. Part 1 ends in a cliffhanger, there's barely a storyline going on, and the characters felt like caricatures. The reasons I kept watching were 1) my friend basically forcing me and 2) the main actors. The action towards the end and the female lead kicking ass make it worth the watch, but everything else is a hazy memory in my mind.
(Note: My rewatch value is set to 5.0 always as a default as I'm not the type to rewatch dramas EVER. Thus, I do not take it into account when calculating overall score.)
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Très bon Film
Un 10/10 pour la partie un . c’est un très bon film, si vous aimez bien les films d’actions je vous le conseille. Tout était parfait , les acteurs, les scènes d’action et de de combats rien à dire . Coups de cœur pour l’actrice principale Kim Da Mi ( elle joue tellement bien ) et Choi Woo Shik , meilleure duo. si vous aimez bien les deux acteurs je vous conseille de regarder ( our beloved Summer ) une pépite .j’espère que la partie deux sera aussi intéressante comme dans la partie 1
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Intense
I'm obsessed with psychological, serial killer, murder etc flicks so I welcomed this movie with open arms and wasn't disappointed! Keep in mind, this is only part 1 so don't be upset by the 'ending'. As always, the more graphic the better and if you want some brain matter, throat slits and snapped bones LOOK NO FURTHER! It's a little basic with the 'child test subject' theme but it's definitely worth the watch. I got hyped af and was ready to karate chop someone, so there's no denying the quick, swift, awesome action lolWas kinda sad/disappointed with one part, but I won't spoil it.
Enjoy...
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This review may contain spoilers
Occasionally kooky `~but thoroughly entertaining thriller
A good female-fronted actioner....Its cramming so much into the narrative dat it stumbles over itself on more than one occasion; it very often forgets its own internal logic and drags the final showdown out to the breaking point. The sequence’s style, energy and Kim’s coiled glee save it from tipping into overkill. Falls into a “tell” instead of “show” trap for character and narrative momentum; If a second part is in the pipeline, as the title suggests, there was no need to rush key revelations.Pounding, atmospheric score stands out among impeccable tech specs across the board.
The deadly charisma of the key performers, notably Kim Da-mi as the teenage Ja-yoon, and Choi Woo Shik should be well appreciated !!!
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Stranger Things, but darker, grittier, and bloodier.
Ko Ja Yoon is a fascinating main character, and she makes the film intriguing despite the world-building being sort of thin and the plot being generally predictable. I think the most impressive thing is that nobody in this film is stupid. When strangers are creepy and weird, characters — both side and main ones — recognize it and act accordingly. It was refreshing.In fact, I'm pretty impressed with the more down-to-earth elements of this film actually; the dynamic between KJY and her family and friends were really interesting, and I want to give a special shout-out to Go Minsi, who really sold her role as the spunky best friend.
On the other hand, while Kim Dami and Choi Wooshik have fantastic chemistry together — the fight scene between them is one of the best moments in the film — I feel like I didn't feel fully convinced by the main scientist or the other "powered" people. Going back to the thin world-building, I think the environment of the government facility, the motivations of the people in charge, and the backstory of other experimented people were just not altogether there.
Overall, it's still a quick, engaging watch and I can see why it got so popular.
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The Witch: Part 1: The subversion
Choi Woo Shik and Kim Dami first project together - good thing that they decided to work together again - they really did great job here. We even have Go Minsi here.More important here - we have action, suspense, mystery, supernatural and great plot twist - what more to ask?
Warning - it is a little brutal.
If you love this then check second movie The witch part 2 the other one and the drama The tyrant.
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Sharp, Simple, and Solid
«마녀» («The Witch 1: The Subversion») is a 2018 Korean film that sticks to what Korean storytelling does best—build around the human first, and then let the plot follow. It’s a familiar formula, but when done right, it works. And in this case, it definitely worked.The opening was dark and brutal. A failed secret government experiment. Standard sci-fi setup. But instead of staying in that lane, the film quickly shifts gears and zeroes in on the life of the main character. This shift is exactly where the difference lies. A lot of Western productions would’ve stayed focused on the government or the science. Here, it becomes personal—and that’s where it hits harder.
The action isn’t loud or showy. It’s paced just right. It fits within the story and doesn’t try to outshine it. When the fights start, they feel grounded. Even with the superpowers in play, they didn’t go over the top. No unnecessary flips, no overacting. Just enough to make sense for the story and the characters.
One thing I really appreciated: the fights didn’t turn into full-on conversations. That’s a habit a lot of Asian productions fall into—talking too much in the middle of battle. This one kept it tight. Minimal dialogue during combat, but everything said still mattered. It respected the viewer’s time.
Set design, props, locations—solid all around. Nothing felt out of place or rushed. You can tell they paid attention to detail and didn’t cut corners.
And the story? It’s not just about powers or conspiracies. It’s about control. About what happens when someone is stripped of their choices and made into something for someone else’s benefit. And how that person decides to take that power back.
It’s clean, clear, and had no unnecessary extras. Just a good, well-made film that stayed true to its direction.
Easy 10 for me.
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License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC By-SA) 4.0 International
By: Yohan Yukiya Sese Cuneta 사요한 (YourOnly.One)
Date: 2025-05-29
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This review may contain spoilers
The other kind of witch
Action film that is regarding a girl that grows up in a testing place for gifted special children. One day all the test objects were to be eliminated but she fought her way out and escapes .She gets found by an old couple by chance in a field.
10 years later, her parents are not well and she is trying to win money on a tv talent show … and there it is, were it all starts ….
Good film, entertaining and good storyline even so it is predictable.
Rewatchable, yes would watch again.
Great acting all around, the train scene was very good . Fighting scenes are good and executed.
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I definitely have to praise the editing and transitions, it was really great, but otherwise not much for me. I was expecting something much, much more than just this. We're not going to lie, it was interesting and there was a great plot twist, but I just didn't think it was enough for so many people to praise it. But as I say, maybe it's because it's only the first part, so we'll see what the second one is like.
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Slow burn, but worth it for the twist and action.
The Subversion starts off slow and almost feels like a simple drama, but halfway through it flips into a dark, violent, action-packed thriller. Kim Da-mi is outstanding as Ja-yoon, shifting from innocent to terrifying in a way that makes the movie unforgettable. The action is sharp and brutal, though the pacing in the first half may test your patience. The ending sets up more than it concludes, but as a stylish, gripping origin story, it absolutely delivers.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
For me personally, I like the story behind the drama. It certainly got some twist in there that I didn't catch on early in the movie. I really liked how the main actor Kim Da Mi portray her character as Ja-yoon. I would certain would rewatch this when I need to watch something action. I am certainly hope they would make part 2, since the title has part 1 in it.I guess why I didn't rate it higher would be that there was alot of pausing and talking through out the fight scene. Scene keeps on switching and it took me awhile to get what was going on. I'm hoping that it because it's the first part hence all the explaining. And if there is a second part, there would be alot of more action scene. Kim Da Mi fighting in this movie was freaking bad ass. Love it!!
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