장화, 홍련 ( A Tale of Two Sisters ) : South Korean movie review

This movie is based on a fourteenth-century Korean folktale. Apparently this folktale has been adapted into many movies over the course of time. This is a psychological thriller / horror movie. When writing about "The wailing", I mentioned how I do not like horror movies. So why would I watch this one? Because I knew this would similarly change my perception of what this genre can be. And of course, because this is a South Korean movie. Master director Jee-woon Kim gives us another masterpiece.

In this movie we see a young girl who is released after treatment in a mental health institution. She visits her family's home in the countryside with her younger sister and father. The young sisters have a forced and awkward reunion with their stepmother. What follows is what this movie takes us through.

 

Image courtesy IMDB

Things start normally, and then as we progress we keep noticing eddies in the space - time continuum. The indifferent attitude, the overzealous talking, interactions between only one set of people at a time. There were multiple such details and sequences which made me think what the hell is going on. Be patient, focus and remember that each piece of detail is included for a reason, and the reason will be revealed in the end. This movie is a slow burn, so some people will definitely feel that nothing's happening, and there lies the beauty - silence and stillness have been used to create the dark world this movie inhabits, and for us to delve into the minds of the characters. 

Image courtesy IMDB

From the colours to the make up to the time to the behaviours of the characters, the tiniest of detail has been thought out to perfection. This is such an intelligently - made movie that I was completely in awe, in a reverie from the amount of thought that has gone into everything.  Each shot in the movie is like a painting. A major portion of this movie is shot inside a house, and to watch the interplay between light and shadow is a pure delight. The tone of the movie is mostly dark, and masterful use of natural light is used, for truly stunning sequences. There are multiple shots where the camera moves from bottom up, and the effect was breathtaking. The camerawork is out of this world. There were several shots which I replayed to watch again and again, just to understand how the hell they achieved it. As usual, I do not reveal the movie plot but aim to write about how the movie felt. I watched this movie twice to soak in it , and to admire the sheer brilliance of each and every aspect of the movie.

There are only 4 main characters in this movie, and each one of them has acted out their weight in Gold. It's heart warming to watch the sisters love and care for each other. The vulnerability and fear in the younger sister Soo-yeon Bae (Geun-young Moon) and Soo-mi Bae's (Soo-jung Lim) fierceness to protect her little sister is delicate. Soo- mi always watches over Soo- yeon's every step and their relationship is portrayed in the most beautiful way. The archetypal stepmother is played by Eun-joo Heo (Jung - ah Yum) and she is brilliant in all phases of the movie, oscillating between different moods. Moo-hyeon Bae (Kap - su Kim) plays the stoic father. The background music accentuates the already tense visuals to stratospheric heights. Each note of the OST is distilled in pain, longing and loss. It can melt the hardest heart. Listen to the OST here and here. The writing, screenplay and direction is by the maestro Jae - woon Kim, who also directed the iconic "I saw the devil".

Image courtesy IMDB

A couple of things aided me in appreciating the true depth of the movie (SPOILER ALERTS. PLEASE SKIP/ read after watching this movie).

1. This explanation of D.I.D.

2. This explanation of what the movie actually is. (chick knows what she's talking about)

These things made the second viewing so much more memorable. 

The last 20 minutes are a roller coaster of emotions when things are revealed. I was torn to shreds towards the end of the movie.  I'm exhilarated. This is not a movie. This is art, of the highest kind.