A TALE OF TWO SISTERS (2003)

2003 was a great year for Korean cinema, seeing the releases of films such as Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece ‘Memories of Murder’, Park Ki-hyung’s moving ‘Acacia’ and a ‘Best Director’ award at the Sitges International Film Festival for Lee Soo-yeon’s chilling ‘The Uninvited’. However, topping all of these at the Korean box office with a record $4 million in its first weekend was ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’.
This latest offering from director Kim Gee-woon is based on a Korean urban myth and set in a tense environment that softens you up before unleashing a terrifying assault on the senses. Additionally, in a similar manner to ‘Acacia’ and ‘Memories…’, ‘Tale…’ is at times aesthetically stunning, with creative cinematography, a beautiful setting and a dynamic and appropriately placed soundtrack.

The tale is based on the lives of two sisters, Su-mi (Im Soo-jung) and Su-yeon (Moon Geun-young) who have just moved into a new home with their father Mu-hyeon (Kim Kab-su) and his new wife Eun-joo (Yeom Jeong-a). The two girls hate their new stepmother and she in turn cruelly abuses them both, especially the weaker, Su-yeon. Su-mi attempts to protect her sister but her retaliation alienates them both from their father, who seems to be oblivious of Su-yeon’s presence. Indeed, the viewer is left guessing about Mu-hyeon’s role, seeming at times an unfortunate pawn, at others a benign co-conspirator with Eun-joo to torment his daughters.
As Eun-joo continues to violently traumatize Su-yeon, the ghost of the girls’ mother terrorizes Su-mi in some of the film’s most horrific moments. Throughout this time, the innocent and loving relationship between the two sisters lends real emotional power to the torments that they are forced to endure, and to the fact that ultimately, they are both alone. However, it doesn’t stop here, as ‘Tale…’ takes a major twist towards the end that throws the entire story on its head and leaves the viewer guessing about the outcome. The final truth of the tale is a heartrending end to a tragedy that moved even this cynical horror fan.

Score

8 / 10