I Saw the Devil

I saw the Devil is a very effective example of how the serial killer figure is used to activate human fears and anxieties. These fears are universal but some are more prominent and widely held in specific cultures, drawing upon cultural experiences and political and economic issues. The fear of the hidden monster that could suddenly appear and pose a threat is a very frightening real-world one, as opposed to a more unrealistic supernatural threat. We could face our fear in reality and although it is unlikely that fact that it is possible, makes for a more frightening experience. The thrill of being scared in the safety of a cinema, with the end result being the return to our safe, comfortable lives is attractive to us. The thrill and the adrenaline rush that comes from watching a serial killer hunt his victims, kill and then evade law enforcement comes from a deep and often hidden desire to explore taboos and briefly escape from the moral code that we live by day to day. The serial killer, as a horror character draws upon the long held human fear that is the fear unknown. In the case of a serial killer this is the unknown quantity of who it is, as on the surface they could and indeed do, look ‘normal’. The idea that we could encounter a morally corrupt killer who cannot be reasoned with, who is physically capable of inflicting catastrophic damage or taking away from us that which we hold most dear, is completely terrifying.