A Tale of Two Sisters

 

 

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I thought nothing could ever top something as memorable as Miike's Audition, but this one gets really close. I think the movie should be categorized as some sort of mini-masterpiece. This is a cut above other movies of the genre: genuinely suspenseful, intelligent, brilliantly acted and visually stunning. The film tells the story of two sisters living with their seemly emotionally unstable stepmother (Jung-ah Yum gives an award caliber performance) and a well-intentioned, but distant father. The family is one big ticking bomb, ready to explode at any given time. Adding gasoline to the fire, the girls may or may not be seeing paranormal manifestations. If you've seen other modern Asian horror films, I don't have to tell you that nothing in the film is as it appears to be. At some point, there is even a fabulous twist that would make David Lynch very proud.

Most of the previous reviewers has advice to watch this film twice which I too agree. Simply because you'll get a greater affect, almost as much out of watching it when you know the twist than you do from watching it the first time. While there are elements of the film that are culturally specific, the underlying themes are all too universal - guilt, anger, loss, madness and retribution. All of these are handled superbly by Lim Su-jeong as Su-mi, the lead character. Also worthy of particular mention is Yum Jung-ah, who delivers a deeply creepy and unsettling performance as the stepmother.

While it has its scary moments, this is not really a horror flick as most people would imagine it. It's more a psychological suspense story with an element of mystery. It grips you from the start and will keep you guessing until the end - and possibly beyond! If you are a fan of the surreal and macabre, or you just simply enjoy dark fairy tales, this is a film for you.

A Tale of Two Sisters is billed as a horror movie, but please don't confuse this fascinating, multi-layered story with the sort of simple-minded horror films coming out of Hollywood. The stigma attached to horror movies in the West doesn't apply when you talk about Asian horror - solely because Asian filmmakers continue to develop horror as an art form built upon subtlety, complexity, and the deepest of human emotions. A Tale of Two Sisters is high art indeed. There are some genuinely creepy scenes in this movie, but that is not where the true horror of the story lies - and that is what makes this such a mesmerizing movie.

This isn't a simple tale, as it starts you out feeling a little unbalanced and compels you to figure out what is really going on as reality and fantasy begin to blur more and more. You might be confused at more than one point. And then, once you've had your Aha moment, the film continues to pull you down dark, twisted paths. This is truly an unforgettable film that virtually compels you to watch it through a second time. Then, if you still have questions, there are two distinct commentaries on the DVD (I only watched the one with the director and the actresses who played the two sisters - but it was everything a commentary should be).

When you see this film - and you really should see it - it's important that you leave your Westernized expectations behind you. This isn't about things that go bump in the night - although, as I've said, several scenes are deliciously creepy. This is a tragic and exceedingly human story about the love between two sisters, terrible events that shatter the lives of their whole family, and the debilitating effect that regret can have on a person. I am not even going to describe the plot of the film here because it should be seen without any expectations by the viewer. The film is so complex and beautifully structured that every little thing that happens is important. That's why a second viewing leaves you even more impressed than you were after the first viewing. Kim Jee-Woon is a true craftsman of the art of moviemaking, and young Su-jeong Lim and Geun-yeong Mun are really quite amazing in their portrayal of the tragic sisters.

Some seem to find the film too confusing, and I'm not sure why this is. It's true that the story invokes flashbacks at times, but there are plenty of clues along the way - and the main revelations are quite forcefully presented. In a sense, the movie moves forward in order to take you backward, back to a beginning in which all things are made clear. It's a rich and amazingly moving way to tell a story, especially when that story resonates with as much emotional power as this one.

I loved the movie, from its colours to its complex and surprising plot. The acting was great, and the behind the scenes interviews and footage are a treat. This movie is suited to those with a taste for morbid suspense and moody style. One of my favourite horror movies.

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4.0 out of 5 stars A Tale of Two Sisters is absolutely fantastic
This movie, when you first watch it is really quite mind blowing. I had to watch it a few times to fully understand what was going on, but once I did, I still love it. Read more

Published on Aug 13 2005 by K. Fleming

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