REVIEW: ‘The Old Woman With The Knife’ Cuts Deep

The Old Woman With The Knife presents a different take on the familiar. Based on Gu Byeong-mo’s novel of the same name, the film wastes little time thrusting us into the fraught, action-packed world the titular old woman lives in. While the aging hitman trope is nothing new, Lee Hye-young’s Hornclaw is refreshing in the frankness of her existence onscreen. With death always around every corner, the constant uphill battles she faces make The Old Woman With The Knife hard to look away from.

Hornclaw (Lee Hye-young) is reminded of her mortality everywhere she turns. From her bodily tremors to her weakening strength, the day she finally meets her end seems to be rapidly approaching. And the people around her almost relish the idea of her departure. This looms into focus with the arrival of the reckless newcomer Bullfight (Kim Sung-cheol), who seems bent on challenging her at every turn. In an industry that cannot afford weakness, Hornclaw is running out of time to hide hers.

Unfortunately, a stranger’s (Yeon Woo-jin) kindness awakens memories and a strange vulnerability in the woman she had long since denied. This weakness is easily exploited, painting a larger target on her person and those around her. As the vultures start to home in, events spur Hornclaw closer to the edge. It is a race against time to not only save herself but also confront the consequences of her life choices.

The Old Woman With The Knife attacks the idea of aging head-on.

Aging is a sin none of us can escape. It disables the body, easily rendering us less useful to society. Everywhere Hornclaw turns, this message is inescapable in the comments made by characters throughout the film. While none too subtle in delivery or execution, the point is clear. Hornclaw is outliving her usefulness, and it is only a matter of time before she messes up. All possibilities lead to death.

The Old Woman With The Knife embraces this in its writing, with the script constantly teasing when the titular woman may get hers. As the noose draws tighter around Hornclaw’s potential end, so does the anxiety induced by the actions onscreen. Through Lee Hye-young’s performance, none of us can dare look away. To look away would do a disservice to the compelling, fully realized character fighting her way into relevance.

Hye-young’s performance sells the image of resiliency. The physical body tremors she embodies in even the most stagnant moments are constant. They remind us that the fight never ends. If she’s not fighting the enemy outside her home, she’s fighting it internally and not winning the fight anytime soon. Throw in the fact that we seldom see visibly older women as assassin-type characters, particularly in unglamorous attire, and what Hye-young is achieving here is weirdly revolutionary. It really shouldn’t be, but it is.

Mortality manifests itself in many ways, including as Kim Sung-cheol’s Bullfight.

Yet, Hornclaw carries on, even if some of the most excruciating to watch fighting scenes. The choreography is designed to show the woman’s skill, but it’s clear she’s not at the top of her game. It makes it all the more believable that the young upstarts surrounding her in the community question this character’s legendary status at every turn. But Hornclaw is used to those underestimating her, including the newcomer Bullfight.

Bullfight is a looming harbinger of Death throughout The Old Woman With The Knife. Ever patient and watchful, he is never far from Hornclaw’s side. While the character remains an enigma until the film’s final act, Kim Sung-cheol radiates a natural charisma and danger that belies the killer within. This magnetism has become a staple for the actor over the years, but it conveys much even when he’s left to stare stoically from afar.

This cat-and-mouse game between Hornclaw and Bullfight is compelling enough. The addition of flashbacks to Hornclaw’s past, coupled with her present physical conflicts, creates an undeniably fascinating protagonist. One can almost forgive the mostly bland stranger that Hornclaw finds herself drawn to. When the flashbacks fill in the gaps of her reasoning, it strangely comes together. However, the stranger likely could have been anyone, given how generally forgettable the character is.

The idea of an aging hitperson is nothing new in the action genre. Yet, in The Old Woman With The Knife breathes fresh air into the familiar with Lee Hye-young’s Hornclaw. Every ounce of her struggle to survive reverberates off the screen, and her internal and external struggles prove compelling enough to hook even the most coldhearted. It’s a must-watch.

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