“The Old Woman with the Knife” Leaves Deep Cuts

A new Korean action-thriller, The Old Woman with the Knife, cuts deep with a fresh spin on the “seasoned badass” trope. Popularized by iconic action flicks like Taken (2008) and the John Wick series, and kept alive by recent films such as Nobody (2021) and Love Hurts (2025), this genre shows no signs that it will be leaving anytime soon.

Premiering at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival as part of the Berlinale Special program, this marks director Min Kyu-dong’s return to the silver screen after a five-year hiatus. Known for his diverse filmography spanning horror to romance, Min adapts Gu Byeong-mo’s best-selling novel of the same name to deliver an action drama that pairs high-octane sequences with a profound exploration of human emotion.

A Woman of Many Names

The film opens with a young Hornclaw (Shin Si-ah) collapsing in a dark alley during winter.  She is then rescued by a couple who take her in, feed her, and provide her with work. Through them, she is introduced to an organization calling themselves “pest control,” a group that believes they are the “good guys” eliminating society’s worst offenders. With that, they are selective in their assignments, only taking assignments they deem deserving and operating under a moralistic, albeit deadly, code.

Now in her sixties, Hornclaw (Lee Hye-young) is known by many names: Nails, Hornclaw, and Godmother. Her reputation as a precise and efficient assassin has made her a figure of fear, as she has spent decades exterminating the so-called roaches of society while choosing solitude over emotional attachments. However, age is catching up to her — her body weakens even as her mind stays sharp. Aware that any sign of vulnerability could make her a target, she keeps her declining health hidden from her superiors, clinging to her survival instincts in a cutthroat world.

Bullfight Turns the Tables Upside Down

Hornclaw meets newcomer Bullfight (Kim Sung-cheol), a teenage assassin who initially admires her but begins to disrupt her carefully maintained routine, serving as an unsettling reminder of her mortality. Despite her attempts to keep her distance, Bullfight reveals a shared history, recalling a moment of kindness she once showed him — a memory she has long forgotten. However, his admiration soon twists into resentment, turning into deceit and betrayal.

Kim Sung-cheol brings a captivating mix of charisma and menace to Bullfight, a trait that has become a hallmark of his performances. We see this in how his character’s interest in Hornclaw begins as mentorship, but evolves into a bitter rivalry. Their clash becomes a reckoning shaped by memory, regret, and time, forcing Hornclaw to face the ghosts of her past, no matter the cost.

Balancing Time and Tension

The audience begins to understand Hornclaw’s background and inner struggles through the alternating narratives between her past and present. Although these flashbacks add depth and complexity to the story, director Min Kyu-dong perfectly balances both timelines to make the past seem as pivotal as the present. 

While the buildup is slow, it culminates in a tense final showdown with intricate stunts and intense shootouts. Hornclaw faces a defining choice between her professional code and the fragile personal connections she holds, bringing the film into a high-stakes conclusion exploring loyalty, survival, and the realities of aging.

Adding to the film’s impact, cinematographer Lee Jae-woo and production designer Bae Jung-yoon strike a perfect balance between reality and stylization. The film contrasts Hornclaw’s past and present by blending calm, intimate moments with dynamic, fast-paced action. The surreal visuals of the past juxtaposed with the grounded, handheld approach of present-day scenes amplifies the film’s emotional impact and draws viewers deeper into her story.

Aging in the Line of Duty

Aging often brings a sense of decline, stripping away strength and relevance — a concept deeply explored through Hornclaw’s struggles in The Old Woman with the Knife. As she navigates through her life, Hornclaw faces the reality that her value is fading and the looming threat of failure and death is always on the horizon. The film highlights her emotional strain as she inevitably approaches the end in every scene.

Lee Hye-young’s portrayal of Hornclaw brings this internal battle to life with raw authenticity. Every tremor in her movements, even during still moments, conveys the relentless fight she endures against both external enemies and her own deteriorating body. Hye-young’s unglamorous and gritty performance, especially as an older woman in an assassin role, challenges the typical portrayal of action heroes, making her performance a new concept in the film world.

Combine all that with impressive performances, and The Old Woman with the Knife is an action-thriller that will keep you both on the edge of your seat and thinking about it long after the credits roll.

The Old Woman with the Knife opens in theaters across the US and Canada starting May 16, 2025.

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