Ssa-woom

And I say "variation" because the two main characters here are already divorced, not married, when the main story begins. Other than that, "Venus and Mars" follows the same pattern of a couple whose initial minor misunderstandings and differences of character gradually escalate into an anything-goes physical war. So the material is kind of derivative, but the director tries to make it look as original as possible, mostly by blending in memories and fantasies of the characters along with the "real" narrative. The film is largely a matter of taste, as both characters are neurotic, obsessive and loud, and their feelings for each other go through more swings than the pendulum that the man is desperately searching for. One sequence that doesn't really work is the car chase - it's all too obviously "computerized". The female lead, Tae-hee Kim, is gorgeous to say the least. **1/2 out of 4.