Su-mi and Su-yeon have always been very close as sisters. Su-mi, being the elder of the two, is very protective over her young sister Su-yeon. Since the death of their mother, the stepmother has ruled the house with an iron fist. Su-mi has always managed to confront her stepmother, but Su-yeon, being a very calm and fragile girl, could not defend herself against the psychological and physical abuse of her evil stepmother. Su-mi has tried many times to explain the situation to her father, but his relationship with the stepmother and his disbelief has insured no result.
Su-mi and Su-yeon are now back from a mysterious absence and being back home doesn’t seem to please the two sisters very much. Having to live under the same roof as the stepmother is a nightmare for them. However, during the following days, strange incidents will occur. Another presence can be feel within the house, is it the step mother trying to scare the girls, or a spirit trying to take revenge?
A Tale of Two Sisters is not your conventional supernatural horror movie. The scares maybe few, but the movie will haunt you long after the credits have passed. Not only will the clever story catch you off guard, but the tense atmosphere and beautiful cinematography will get you hooked for sure. Kim Jee-woon, director of two other KFCC favourites, The Quiet Family and Foul King, has surpassed his previous works without a doubt.
I hope you like movies that make your brain work as the story unfolds, as this one has had everyone interpreting key plot points in many different ways. That same aspect of varying possibilities insures that most viewers will have the desire to re-watch the film with hopes of unravelling the mystery even further. That rare aspect also makes this film special when one considers the present tendency of the “disposable film” where you watch the movie once and send it off to the DVD graveyard to rot.
This kind of movie is also perfect for multiple viewing as there are a lot of subtle hints and suggestions in the movie that you might not catch the first time. Don’t be too impatient as the answers wont come so fast during the development of the story, but don’t worry, you will find what you are asking for eventually, well at least most of the answers. In fact, not since Save The Green Planet and Ichi The killer do I remember so much thought provoking conversation occurring discussion occurring on the KFCC Message Board. People have had many different impressions on the story, and most of them can actually make sense, considering the clues the film makers leave in the movie. For those who already saw the movie, I included my personal analyse of the events in a chronological order at the end of the review. The story will not leave you indifferent, and the mix between the fantasy/supernatural element, and reality, is perfectly harmonized to create an atmosphere rarely achieved in cinema.
The performances of the actors are also up to the level of the story. It is really fascinating to discover the intricacies of the two sisters and their relationships with both themselves, and their parents. They both have a totally different personality and during the development, if you pay close attention, you will notice some key changes in their emotions and behaviour, which were marvellously played. Not only did the two young actresses perfectly fit their roles, but the character of the step mom is also frightenly well played by actress Yeom Jeong-A, who also appeared in other Korean thrillers such as Tell Me Something and H. However, this time her character was much more interesting than her previous roles and I’m sure that we can expect to see her more often in Korean thrillers, after the success of this one.
Even one week after the viewing, some elements were still floating in my mind. Trying to find the key elements is one of the best parts of experiencing this movie. Don’t expect a fountain of gore and guts, as everything is on the psychological level here. You have a few great scary moments here and there, but like most Asian ghost movies, certain traditional imagery is present, such as the involvement of spirits and frightening ghosts. This time the effect works very well, fortunately, and the great atmosphere will help you to feel like you are right in the movie. Fans of psychological horror will be delighted for sure.
It is not surprising to see that an American company has already bought the rights for a remake. Whether or not the remake will compete against the original, I don’t know, but A Tale of Two Sisters is with a doubt one of the best Korean movies of this year and I strongly recommend it for a great midnight viewing.
End of Review:
Chronological Explanation
*****WATCH OUT! SPOILERS*****
Take note that this is only my personal interpretation of the story. The following time line is not in the order in which the viewer originally perceives it, but instead, in a “reality based” chronological order. Also, bear in mind that parts of the following will make little or no sense to those who have not seen the film.
As I said, this is only my personal interpretation of the movie. In fact, there are so many different ways to interpret the movie that it is very easy to come up with different ideas on the matter and still have those views completely fit. That is why this movie works so well.
Chronological Explanation by Brandon Fincher and Janick Neveu.
Nothing can beat Korean Special Edition. This one comes in a digipack with two DVD, one for the movie, second DVD for the numerous extra. The movie features a perfect anamorphic widescreen transfer with the original Korean language in DTS 5.1 ES and DD.5.1 EX. The English sub are also of excellent quality, except that they didn’t translate the writing in the movie, such as the paper sheet that Su-mi find in her room. The movie also features a commentary audio only in Korean with no sub. The second DVD contain a Making Documentary Film, Mun Geun-Yeong and Im Su-Jeong Movie Essay, Introduction to the Movie, Test Shooting, Interview with Casts, Interview with Staffs, Open Set and Location, Psychologist’s View, Still Gallery, Theatrical Trailer, Music Video.