As directed by Jung Byung-gil, a former stuntman, the film mirrors the experience of playing a video game. The camera whips to each new focus with the confirmation of somebody who knows every one of the blends and has instinctive, practiced access to every code and cheat. The only sign of conscious, unautomated humanity is the sound of the protagonist’s ragged breathing — an affirmation of the depletion that comes when a person is pushed to wind up noticeably an activity symbol.

Such is the situation of Sook-hee (Kim Ok-canister), a prepared professional killer who is the concentration of this convoluted spine chiller. After executing the movie’s opening slaughter, she is caught by the police and recruited as a sleeper agent by an intelligence agency, which promises her freedom following 10 years of service. As “The Villainess” jumps between Sook-hee’s past and present, it becomes clear that she is trapped in a dizzying world of violence, where neither law nor outlaws can be trusted. Yet despite her despair, every action scene is as queasily pristine as the first, leaving “The Villainess” caught in paradox. It’s hard to enjoy the action when you witness its emotional cost, but once Sook-hee starts slashing goons from atop motorcycles, it’s equally impossible to root for the violence to stop.