CPIFF 2025 Indie Film Review “Justice Devil” A tale of tragic loss, bitter revenge, and the weight of conscious

Author OneFilmFan

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First, the Recap:

What really are the burdens of our choices? Do we take from granted that the places that life takes us will always be to our benefit? Or, do we sometimes find that choosing a certain path out of innocent intent can end up exposing us to elements we’d much rather have avoided? Indeed, if the latter becomes the case, are we willing to maintain holding on to what we first desired in it, even at the cost of our own basic ease, or face the more dire results of trusting in that which is inherently evil?

A young woman named Ellen (Ris Low Yi Min) had what she believed was a match made in Heaven in having met the enigmatic and charismatic Ben (Kai White). But, what she hadn’t counted on was his association with an unscrupulous and violent gang lead by Andrew Wong (Michael Chua) and his crew of Max (Ernest Seah), James (Daniel Chen), former best friend Goh (Rio Taylor), and newest recruit George (Jullius Eddy). Trying to escape them when things go south, a terrible price is paid by Ellen’s daughter Mikka, sending a grieving, angry mother on a path of harsh revenge.

Next, my Mind:

There is a highly distinctive styling and overall execution when it comes to the crime thrillers from Southeast Asia, very much setting them apart from so many of the Western world’s standard offerings in the genre. This critic freely and honestly admits not being overtly familiar with all the classic films of this area, nor claim to be ANY form of “expert” in this particular region’s filmmaking efforts. But, that is precisely why the opportunity to take in this new indie feature film project from Singapore-based writer/director/composer Harva Raj, producer Sennivalavan, and associate producer Bardroll Hisyam was so unique and filled with a fresh excitement to see what it’s all about. What we are given by this young, first-time filmmaker is a well-fashioned, raw, taut, unflinching journey into the black heart of the evil that exists in the world being confronted by, and dealt with, through the eyes of unbearable pain, crushing loss, simmering retribution, incontrovertible justice, and the foundational desire to stand against that which seeks to do nothing but push you down and manipulate you for its own gains…no matter the cost.

Suffice it to say, this isn’t some quiet, soothing walk in the park, folks. Through the narrative that sees the turbulent and devastating circumstances that force a young woman to take the path of vigilanteism to quell the hurt she’s endured on a multitude of levels, the film’s utilization of flashback and present day sequences adeptly helps to flesh out the entire tale, but do so in a manner which KEEPS you watching in order to truly find out ALL of what’s transpired and why. With a visual look that maintains a relatively uncomplicated aesthetic in order to focus on the story in play, what stands out here is the music score that truly acts AS a storyteller in itself, using the fluctuating rhythms and tones to amplify the settings and events that are occurring throughout the film. This also allows for the film to communicate its intent without constant dialogue, the notes “speaking” for the characters and what’s unfolding before us as the viewer. Don’t get me wrong, there IS still plenty OF spoken parts to fill us in, but it remains almost equal to the amount of music that is used to draw us along and hence FEEL the sea of volatile emotions that are conveyed.

Additionally, the sheer visceral impact of the violence here actually gets what I felt was an interesting treatment in that we don’t always directly see what happens in given moments, rather glimpses or quickly passing frames that make you comprehend it, but not necessarily have to WITNESS it in its fullness. I feel this works quite effectively, and again, there is plenty of indicators of what HAS come about when seeing the aftermath of it. I will only say that there ARE lighter moments in this effort, but will refrain from expanding on it for the sake of saying SEE THE FILM when it is available to do so. Thematically, the depth of love that is motherhood, the merciless nature of criminality, cycles of violence and the cost it engenders, conflicts of conscious when really facing actions you’ve taken that aren’t what you wished they had to be, the ugly “politics” of money, power, and fear in the scope of illegal endeavors, seeking faith to justify our decisions…or attempt to find absolution, and being a product of our surroundings all find their way into this narrative, and appropriately so.

What might be the most unsettling about all of this is the fact that when we look at our current world and the state of being that it’s in, there’s the hard reality that violence, self-serving attitudes, the use of anger and menace to achieve “goals”, and the disheartening consequences innocent people DO end up experiencing really makes for the societal statements the film does put forth all the more potent in their verity. But, OVERCOMING what tries to come against us, showcasing the willingness to NOT just “lay down and die” when things seem unrelenting and unconquerable ultimately becomes the primary gist, and the finale of the film assuredly makes this point more than adequately, unavoidably emphatically really! Ris Low Yi Min is a completely believable and affecting portrait of all-consuming grief, rage, and deadly determination through her role here as Ellen, a woman who’s more than driven to complete the mission of vengeance she’s on in the wake of unimaginable loss.

Encountering the weight of her own choices, some completely innocent in initial nature, as she pushes to get her own idea of reparations from those who took from her all that she loved, Ellen’s path will prove to be an exercise in what the real ramifications are for pursuing it all in the manner she is. She’s a character you, of course, more than can’t help but root for, empathy for her inward and outward strife unquestionably strong. Yi Min’s performance just oozes with energy and intentionality that befits the character of Ellen solidly. Chua arrives as crime boss Andrew Wong, the leader of the gang whose dissatisfaction with Ellen goes to extremes..and to their own detriment. Chua certainly plays the character well so as to elicit that “person we love to hate” mentality when watching him depict a vile man. Seah is likewise the epitome of intimidation and pure maliciousness through his performance as Max, Wong’s second hand and utterly corrupt soul whose penchant for violence might only be matched by his quest for more power and dominance. It’s again one of those characters you just revile, a total credit to Seah’s intensity and acting here.

Chen is James, the brains of the operation who still can more than hold his own should trouble come calling…unless perhaps it’s in the form of Ellen! Taylor is Goh, a now-former best friend of Ellen’s who may or may not have done his own damage to get her in trouble with the gang, inadvertently or not. Eddy is George, the gang’s youngest and newest member who makes the most fatal decision which leads to Ellen’s road to equally fatal retaliation. White appears as Ben, a man who will become both a blessing and a bane to Ellen’s actuality. Additional supporting turns arrive from Lerynn Eng as Mikka, Ellen’s daughter whose the real catalyst of the events, Danny Teo Yong Song as a local pastor Ellen knows who tries his best to make her think about faith in times of hurting, and Samantha Chong is Hellen, a friend of Ellen’s and Goh’s fiancé. Other appearances are made by Tony Lim, Aaron Tan, Lyon Sim.

So, in total, “Justice Devil” is a striking first effort, unwavering, uncompromising, unrelenting, and steadfast in its purpose to illustrate, at its core, good prevailing over evil, though not always without the sacrifice of spirit, mind, and soul, even when the motives in itself seem unequivocally merited. Plainly, when it does come down to it, violence is NEVER the true answer to any problem. Real justice is right, needed, and far too often not achieved. May we strive to always take a higher path and hope that those responsible for heinous acts will get what’s coming, but in ways that don’t cost US who we are.

STAR RATING (4 OUT OF 5):