It is a pity that not many people have seen or even heard of South Korean film "Ag-O"/"The Crocodile" which was directed in 1996 by a freshman named Kim Ki Duk who got trained in France as a painter.This is a wonderful piece of cinema from a person who did not know much about cinema.All viewers desirous of taking a critical look at Kim Ki Duk's cinematographic career by watching "The Crocodile" would be aptly rewarded as this first film has all the characteristics with which his films have been identified both by critics as well as astute viewers.We get to see violence in South Korean society especially in the backdrop of male/female relationships.In "Ag-O", Kim Ki Duk's vision as a contemplative painter is also evident in many scenes which are easy to draw but almost impossible to direct.Many of these scenes happen in water which occupy a special status in Kim Ki Duk's films.By making "The Crocodile",Kim Ki Duk has revealed that he is a genius as all his films are about oddball characters who deserve love and respect despite all their perceptible misgivings.This is something which the lead character appropriately titled "The Crocodile" played by Cho Jae Hyun portrays all along the film.
