Janghwa, Hongryeon (A Tale of Two Sisters) (2003)

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  April 11, 2012

  SirPant

  Although based on ancient Korean folktale "Jangha and Hongryun", A Tale of Two Sisters feels like a mixture of other films of the genres from that part of the world, such as The Eye, The Grudge and Audition (No, I'm not going to lazily say The Ring as it wasn't like it at all). A... read mores stylish as it is, the twist ending isn't enough of a payoff for having to watch an hour of not much going on. It has its moments here and there but they are too far and few between and a little predictable. I'm a bit disappointed to tell the truth, maybe because I was expecting something special but it does look good and is still worth a punt.

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  August 23, 2011

  lewiskendell

  The original South Korean movie that The Uninvited, an American horror movie from a few years ago, was based on. Both movies are about two sisters who have a very antagonistic relationship with their stepmother, who was once a nurse charged with the care of their sick (and now de... read moread) mother, and was the catalyst for a tragic event that happened in their lives.
  
  A Tale of Two Sisters has much more of a supernatural element than The Uninvited, which is a more straight-forward movie. The endings are very different, as well. Which one you prefer probably will depend on how much "psychological" you like in your psychological horror. A Tale of Two Sisters takes the concept seriously and may confuse the viewer a bit along the way, but it all ties together neatly in the end. I liked the movie, but it probably would have had more of an impact on me if I had seen it back when it was first released in 2003, or at least before I had most of the story spoiled from watching The Uninvited.

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  August 22, 2011

  blkbomb

  Eun-ju: There's something strange in this house. 
  
  "Every family has their dark secrets"
  
  A Tale of Two Sisters is anything but what I thought it was going to be. It's actually pretty confusing and until it was just ending I was asking myself, "What the hell is going on?" It has ... read morea few really scary images and scenes, but the scariest thing about the film is the tension that Jee-woon Kim creates. It's easily one of the best psychological horror films I've ever seen. I went into it expecting more of a straight horror, but this is definitely more of a psychological thriller.
  
  Right now I don't really have much more to say, except that I'm definitely going to watch again; probably this week. It's a movie that almost has to be seen twice. 

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  March 1, 2011

  WrenchLT

  Unfortunately I uknowingly watched the American remake called "The Uninvited" before seeing this original so that kind of took the shine off this viewing experience, but I still really enjoyed the film. As far as Asian horror goes it's up there with the best of them and it's cert... read moreainly one of the best Korean movies I've seen so far. It has a serious creep factor that's ever present and provides some decent scary moments. But there's more than just the supernatural element going on, there's some quite touching emotional drama that later descends into a psychological nightmare with the reveal of the brilliant plot twist. Well worth watching if you enjoy supernatural themed movies as this does deliver some genuine spine-tingling moments and a memorable story.

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  February 1, 2011

  ariuza1

  Non-Asian viewers tend to be hyper critical of Asian horror cinema; almost as if they have some kind of authority on the subject. It seems an odd contrast really, as Asian viewers very rarely feel the need to point out how derivative, or indeed, uninspired the vast majority Ameri... read morecan horror cinema is; with the continual reliance on lumberjack "serial killers" in masks, carrying knives - harking back to the more exciting horror/thrillers being produced in Italy throughout the 1960's and early 1970's (Correction some of my favourites as well) - or the popular motif of the innocent child placed in the threat of supernatural forces - which again, can be traced back to the Gothic, heavily-stylised horror films produced in Japan from the 60's to the present day. I also happy to be a "Korean" after viewing this film, we have "indeed" made nothing finer.
  
  The plot is slightly more complicated than many similar horror films of the last ten years here; with the film here stressing a more psychological and emotional aspect over the traditional "morality-tale" rendering of the supernatural forces of good vs. evil. Admittedly, there is still that element to it; however, the film uses such themes to go beyond the obvious and probe deeper into the background of these characters, so as to be more open to interpretation. It may not be completely original, drawing on the influence of a number of films that I won't go into for risk of spoilers, but at least it works well within the context of the film. It is also worth pointing out that "A Tale of Two Sisters" is a masterpiece of pure film-making. The cinematography, editing and production design all evoke the idea of hazy, idyllic nostalgia that is cruelly contrasted by the later events of the script; while the performances from the two young actresses at the centre of the film are light years ahead of the kind of hammy over-reaction found in recent films like "The Messengers "or the remake of "The Eye".
  
  Without wishing to oversell the experience, "Ji-woon's" film is simply beautiful to look at; something that perhaps comes as a shock to a large number of western audiences expecting horror cinema to be somewhat darker - grittier even - with the presentation of violence and gore. If we look at recent horror films coming out of the US, Great Britain, Australia and France, they're mostly extraordinarily ugly; filled with violence, rape, home invasion, torture and abuse (Even though some are good). You could also see it as being emblematic of the culture that i lived in. However, A Tale of Two Sisters is mostly devoid of such violence. Its horror is psychological; relying on a level of empathy and compassion between the viewer and the characters in order to place ourselves within the context of this situation and its tragic ramifications. It should be seen as the most heartbreaking of horrors; the personal and domestic, directed at children and dismissed by parents as pure fantasia. You could perhaps read more relevant social concerns into it, again, going back to the notion of domestic abuse and its disconnecting effect on children who escape into their own carefully constructed fantasy world, or developing odd relationships with siblings as illustrated here.
  
  So, there's a hint of the silent twins going on, as the film creates this strange and beguiling world of summer heat and floral-print interiors, where ambient noises and a wardrobe motif combine to create some occasionally very frightening moments that linger long after that first, initial viewing. The ending of the film is a confusing one, but also beautifully handled by the director and of course the prolonged abstractions of "Takeshi Miike's" horror works, "Audition" and "One Missed Call" in the scene of the story folding in on itself; presenting us with images that could be fact or fiction (it could be "Gozu"), and all building to a frenzy as we approach that ultimate revelation at the end. The characteristics are all here - long silent passages of slow-building tension, a wandering pace, and faces in the dark and pallid spectres half-hidden by tresses of black - however, there's much more to the film than those more immediate elements might suggest.
  
  The psychological depth of the film is ultimately as rewarding as the more recognisable horror aspects; with the fantastic performances from the two lead actresses, "Su-jeong" Lim and "Geun-yeong Mun", as well as the fine support from "Kap-su Kim" and "Jung-ah Yum" as the parents (father and step-mother respectively) lending an air of prestige and commitment that goes way beyond the level of performance that we might normally associate with the usually quite lurid horror genre. Nevertheless, it is the direction of" Kim Ji-woon" that really makes this a must-see for fans of pure film-making bravado; as the filmmaker creates a tone similar to the work of director Guillermo del Toro, and in particular his films "The Devil's Backbone" and The Labyrinth of the Faun, AKA "Pan's Labyrinth", with the creation of a stark and otherworldly atmosphere that is beautiful and oddly compelling, whilst simultaneously existing within this incredibly dark and bleak horror story. Without question, A Tale of Two Sisters is a fascinating film; perhaps not the kind that would be be easily understood after a single viewing, though certainly one that is worth coming back to again and again.
  
  Ariuza Ki-hyeong

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  September 25, 2010

  3niR

  I thought this will be scarier than "The Grudge". Not that it's not. But a tiny bit less. I liked the story and the twist at the end. It was touching. For some reason I find Asian horror movies more frightening. Don't watch it at night (especially if you're alone). The creepy sce... read morenes will scare you to death.

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  May 11, 2010

  flixsterman

  Cerebral thriller that blurs the line between the psychological and the supernatural. Very nicely done.

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  December 9, 2009

  ScoopOnline

  Asian Horror Movies are very Random. You never know is it a Thriller or Horror, sometimes they begin as Horror and end up with some weird stuff and leave you thirsty behind. This Movie is one of them.

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  November 26, 2009

  blacksheepboy

  Sometimes a movie needs to be straightforward in order to work effectively, and though this Asian horror is truly unpredictable and sinister, it fails to scare for being rather confusing up until the end.

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  May 4, 2009

  76Majikat

  Very slow moving at first, then everything seems to happen really fast. Having watched this just the once, I?m still placing pieces together, so am not sure if I totally got it.
  
  I know this is a well liked film and my rating reflects my lack of understanding of the film at ... read morethis stage and is definitely worthy of another watch.

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• Lim Su-jung as Su-mi
• Jeong-Ah Yeom as Eun-joo
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