200th Review: The Handmaiden (2016)

The Handmaiden; or, The Game of Deception
     My aunt said when you hear that guests will come, drop everything and go bathe the children. The guests like the smell of a clean baby. Miss, you are my baby. My aunt also said, give the babies candy when they bathe, to teach them that bath time is sweet.
I have been aware of Park Chan Wook’s erotic thriller The Handmaiden, inspired by Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith novel, since the moment when it hit the Cannes Film Festival in 2016. I was eagerly waiting for the premiere in my country, but work obligations and health problems prevented me from going to the cinema. Later on, having heard a great deal about the plot, I was reluctant to check it out due to evidently dark tone of the picture and NSFW sequences, which are not my cup of tea. However, after grabbing the DVD version for peanuts, I finally caved in. Similarly to Park Chan Wook’s other popular motion pictures, The Handmaiden is undeniably a masterpiece in terms of cinematography and storytelling.

Release Info

Directed by: Park Chan Wook Starring: Kim Tae Ri, Kim Min Hee, Ha Jung Woo, Jo Jing Woong

Language: Korean Original Title: 아가씨 Runtime: 145 min

Synopsis
Korean peninsula when it was occupied by the Japanese. Nam Sook Hee (Kim Tae Ri) is a young girl raised in the environment of scoundrels and smugglers. She is recruited by a certain “Count Fujiwara” (Ha Jung Woo) who wants her to assist him in his con. That is to say, the Count wants to seduce Japanese noblewoman Lady Hideko (Kim Min Hee), then marry her, and commit her to an asylum so as to steal her inheritance. Nam Sook Hee’s job is to act as Lady Hideko’s maid and persuade her to marry Count Fujiwara. While initially things go as planned, Nam Sook Hee suddenly realises that other participants of the con have ulterior motives.

What We Do in the Shadows
As Park Chan Wook stated in an interview, he was presented with Sarah Waters’ novel in the early 2000s and immediately wanted to adapt the book to film, transplanting the storyline from Victorian England to Korea in colonial times. The Handmaiden is divided into three separate parts, each focusing on the perspective of one character; and in order to reinforce this uncanny feeling of witnessing the events from different angles, the director really wanted to shoot the film in 3D, but he was prevented from doing so due to limited budget.

Nevertheless, technological limitations enforced advancements in scenography and cinematography. The Handmaiden is a tragic tale about personal traumas, unfulfilled desires, and deception. The characters roam through the house of Uncle Kouzuki which is divided into two halves: the Japanese-style wing and the Western section. In this artificial homeland within a homeland, the protagonists engage in a play of false identities and false intentions while withholding true feelings for each other.

Without giving away any spoilers, the safest way to describe The Handmaiden is to call it a reflective drama about forbidden love with lots of plot twists in the course of which the villains are repeatedly outwitted. The beginning may be a bit confusing and slow-paced (I actually had to rewatch a few scenes repeatedly to understand the exposition), but the viewers’ patience is rewarded half-way through the film when Part I transitions to Part II.

With regard to performances, I absolutely love all of the main leads. Kim Tae Ri and Kim Min Hee had amazing onscreen chemistry and the presence of Ha Jung Woo was a class-act. In addition, I liked Jo Jin Woong as a creepy uncle. His role may not be as pronounced as the others, but the actor steals the finale!

The DVD version I have does not come with any special features, apart from a stylish booklet which has photos from the set, cast and crew biographies, and an extensive interview with Park Chan Wook, from which I shared some pieces of trivia.

Recommendations
All things considered, if you like period pieces sprinkled with suspense and eroticism, then The Handmaiden is the choice for you. However, please be aware that the movie has a few NSFW moments which are not suitable for family viewings. Apart from this, The Handmaiden is yet another great motion picture crafted by Park Chan Wook.Overall score: 7/10

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Tunnel (2016) [Film Review]

Tunnel; or, No Easy Way Out

     You're saving urine in the empty bottles, right? Urine is sterile, so you can drink it.

Did it ever occur to you how much are you drinking or how much food are you eating during the day? Are you saving the battery in your cell? How often do you think about your loved ones? Would you help out a person in need in a life-threatening situation? A 2016 Korean summer hit Tunnel makes you think about such issues, and even more, as it presents a one man's survival drama and the politically-charged rescue operation.

Release Info

Directed by: Kim Seong Hun Starring: Ha Jung Woo, Bae Doona, Oh Dal Su

Language: Korean Original Title: 터널 Runtime: 127 min

 

Synopsis

Lee Jung Soo (Ha Jung Woo) is a successful car seller who is on his way from home to work. Taking a gas at the station takes a little bit longer, an elderly employee gives him two bottles of water; finally, Lee Jung Soo resumes his journey. He drives into a newly built tunnel leading from Seoul to Hada. All of a sudden, the whole construction collapses right in front of his eyes as he’s still driving through it. From this point on, the rescue team led by Captain Dae Kyung (Oh Dal Su) steps in in order to save Lee Jung Soo, who is trapped inside his car under the slide of dirt and concrete. However, due to a series of horrendous mistakes and political pressures, the government actually considers aborting the rescue operation. This is unbearable not only to trapped Lee Jung Soo, but also his wife, Se Hyun (Bae Doona).

Daylight: Korean Edition

After seeing the trailer for Tunnel first, I was prepared for a rehashed remake of a not-so-memorable disaster flick with Sylvester Stallone. Thankfully, as soon as the film started, I realised my mistake. As it can always be expected from Korean productions, even such a disaster film as Tunnel is not at all about epic action and larger-than-life heroes. In fact, it is about careful insight into human drama and objective examination of an extreme situation. Yet, don’t feel disappointed! There is still action and it neatly blends together with the story. The whole collapse sequence, though done mostly in CGI, is impressive and Captain Dae Kyung’s wild drive in reverse through the tunnel kept me on the edge of my seat, not to mention the brilliant third act as Lee Jung Soo survives the aftershocks caused by nearby explosions. Nevertheless, as I have stated earlier, the film is primarily a one man’s survival story.

Very much as in Bear Grylls’ Ultimate Survival, Lee Jung Soo has to ration his water and food (daughter’s birthday cake) in order to make it until the rescue arrives. Surprisingly, things spin out of control very quickly for our protagonist. Meanwhile, on the surface, the absurdity of the situation hits the politicians. Is it worth spending millions of dollars every day in order to save one man? Well... get real! Of course, it’s worth it. This is the only moment in the entire film where my suspension of disbelief shatters completely. In real life, no sane politician or party would voice such objections due to possible re-elections. Still, I understand that politicians were made outright hypocritical villains of the story, because the characters of Lee Jung Soo’s wife and Dae Kyung needed their own drama and obstacles to overcome.

Se Hyun has to deal with social ostracism when the public starts believing in her husband’s death. Even she is full of doubts after Lee Jung Soo’s phone finally goes dead and ruthless politicians are pounding on her door. In turn, Dae Kyung has to cut through a lot of red tape in order to keep the rescue mission going. He is the only one who makes an effort to save Lee Jung Soo and firmly believes he’s still alive, though it’s been weeks since the collapse. Lee Jung Soo himself undergoes a life-changing experience underground and, at one point, attempts to get out of the tunnel on his own.

In terms of performances, all of the three main actors give their best. Ha Jung Woo authentically portrays the survivor in a trap, whereas Bae Doona complements his performance as a wife desperate to have her husband back, but (a word of warning for the fans) there's not a lot of her in this picture. Oh Dal Su is a joy to watch as he fights degenerate politicians, journalists, and administrative workers in order to get things done. Also, the music score by Mok Young Jin and Vitek Kral deserves an honourable mention as it conveys some great action cues as well as soothing, slow-paced themes.

Recommendations

Highly recommended to anyone who is into disaster/survival films. Although the film lasts slightly over two hours, it doesn’t feel that much. A very well executed story with great three acts will keep you engaged, not forgetting about a decent cast. Tunnel is a fine entry in the disaster genre and a definite highlight among the rich set of 2016 Korean cinematic hits.

Overall score: 8/10