The Handmaiden (2016)

Riveting thriller movie, quite disturbing: a "must-see" but an unlikely "rewatch"

I enjoyed the film, it was a riveting thriller to follow and I was surprised by some of its twists. The movie is set up in Japanese-occupied Korea, which provides an interesting background to the story but is unfortunately not that exploited. I must say that I preferred the first part of the movie to the rest which required quite a bit of suspension of disbelief given the overall context of the plot.

The cast did a good job playing multiple-layered roles from various perspectives. Some of the characters were truly repulsive and I felt physically ill watching some of the scenes featuring the craziest sides of the antagonists. I would have appreciated a bit more nuances from some of the characters, but I'm convinced that the actors did exactly what was expected from them (especially in some of the over-the-top, oversexualized and violent scenes).

The soundtrack was enjoyable but it is foremost the overall production value which is praise-worthy. The majority of the story is set in an enclosed space: a very remote manor mixing strangely UK and Japanese building styles. The decors, costumes, accessories and directing choices worked great all-together in conferring to the movie an oppressing, dark and creepy atmosphere.

I would recommend this to people that love movies directed by acclaimed director Park Chan Wook or even enjoy thrillers in Victorian-era Britain (as the film is an adaptation of a novel set up in that time). If you have watch any works from Park Chan Wook, you know that there might be some triggering aspects...It is for sure the case here, so be mindful of that if you have any trigger.

Leer más

this film does have dark themes , nsfw scenes and nudity

AMAZING, this movie absolutely exceeded my expectations ! if you are someone that is look for a well written story that is also a cinematographic masterpiece this is for you. the actors did a near perfect job of executing each role and the movie starts of well but the plot thickens more and more as time goes by. it is a movie that will definitely leave you dazed after youre done watching it.

i would give it extra points since it depicts a very fascinating story behind both the female leads that end up falling for each other. its also rare to find an lgbt+ movie that is a period movie and also has a happy ending. the characters are very well written and developed. kudos to the writers, directors, crew and the cast. this truly is a masterpiece

Leer más

This film blew me away. It was by chance that I even watched it (saw a few gifs on Tumblr and decided to watch it, bearing in mind it was 3AM at that point lol). No regrets.

Story:
The story is different from anything I'd ever watched. Usually, I'm not a fan of films or dramas set in a historical-like time period, because I tend to find them boring (and yet despite this I have like 3+ dramas of this kind on my 'To Watch' list lol), but the twist in this film made it so much more interesting. A girl agreeing to go work for an heiress under the pretence of helping her, but only to accomplish a plan set by a swindler to take the heiress' money. I mean, that alone got me hooked, but the layers in the story that will be revealed are fantastic.

Cast:
Honestly, a huge kudos to all the actors in this film because they were brilliant at all of their roles. Ha Jeong Woo was a convincing swindler, and honestly the comedic element at times for me. Kim Tae Ri played out her mental battle of acting the part of an honest handmaid and plotting to betray the heiress really well. Jo Jin Woong creeped the fuck out of me. Kim Min Hee made me question my sexuality. I mean, they were all fabulous.

Music:
If you've read my other reviews you might sense a pattern here.... I do not remember the music well lol. Actually, I watched this recently so I do remember bits, but nothing particular. I remember not hating it, so a 7 it is lol.

Overall:
Doesn't start off slow. You will genuinely want to skip parts because of the creep factor (I mean you won't, but the fact that you MIGHT means it's just that great). Kim Min Hee. A def must watch.

Leer más

The Handmaiden is a movie directed by Park Chan-wook, set in period of Japanese occupation in Korea.

Plot:
A maid named Sook Hee is hired as handmaiden in an isolated estate for a Japanese heiress called Hideko. The Lady lives secluded in the estate away from the society since she was a child in company of her autocratic uncle Kouzuki.

Under the maid's veiling Sook Hee keeps inside a dark secret: she's a young crook who's been enrolled by a conman posing as a Japanese count, Fujiwara.
His plan is to steal away the heart of the young Lady, and, after robbing her of her property, lock her up in a mental hospital.

One night, curious about the charismatic Count Fujiwara, Hideko decides to ask to her maid what is it the men do search in women after marriage.
Sook Hee is reluctant but after more insistence decides to show her what passion is about, given her Lady is practically a child who didn't have the occasion to learn about said things.

Personal thoughts:
The story is really well written and combines dark setting with erotic romance with some luminous scenes framing lots of greenery and vivid panoramas.
The ambience is mostly gloomy and presents some outright scenes such as violence, torture, nudity and BDSM. (Not recommended for family watching nor for minors!)
All the main leads are interesting and well-described, in fact, the first part of the movie is dedicated to Sook Hee's point of view, second part is about Hideko's past and outlooks and the third part is an epilogue for everyone.
The three parts are made in a way to complement each other bit by bit, replenishing the empty spaces in the story.
Presents some interesting plot twists and I recommend it to psychological & mature drama enthusiasts.

Leer más

This film will not disappoint you

Inspired by the novel Fingersmith by Welsh writer Sarah Waters, The Handmaiden tells the story of a young woman entangled in a grand conspiracy after being hired as a handmaiden for an heiress. The plot was beautifully written with surprising twists. As the sneaky plan of conning an old man is being executed, two women from the opposite sides of society fell in love, causing another twist in the story.

Kim Min-Hee and Kim Tae-Ri did not disappoint either. Given that the film has erotic scenes, their chemistry and skills have made their characters instantly likable. Ha Jung-Woo, delivered an astounding performance as a con man trying to swindle a Japanese old man. Props to these stars for pulling off such wonderful acting.

I am not really someone who admires cinematography a lot, but I can say that the Handmaiden is one of the few films that made me say wow within the first few minutes of watching.

I've seen a few of Park Chan-Wook's films before (Thirst, Vengeance Trilogy, Joint Security Area), but this is probably one of his best works and the best one I've watched.

Leer más

Last 2017 I am searching for a Korean Lesbian movie but I always overlooked this movie due to the movie poster. It was like a wife vs mistress Joseon Korean movie at the first look so I tried to watch the trailer but still I ignore because, it was too focus on the Count and Izumi. So I skipped the movie and watched some lesbian (Thai Lakorns) instead. It was 2019 and I search again for a Korean lesbian movie but The Handmaiden always popped up, so I give this movie a try and I was amazed because, of what I've expected it is giving me some vibes of Painter of the Wind (sad ending) but this one is a happy ending. While watching I observed that Sook hee has some mannerisms and personality as mine. We also have almost the same voice pitch although hers is a little bit deeper. Hideko shows the attitude of my ideal woman to be with tbh, I like women who are smart, "woman of few words" , mysterious, sexy, "rich" and a little bit older than me (Note: Is this kind of woman in real life exist?) Everything on my mind seems already on this movie because, I connect myself to the movie. So my regret is I didn't watched it on 2017 and I just watched it on April 2019.

Leer más

I thought I liked it, and I don't hate it, but like what did I just witness?

First of all, this movie had me experiencing whiplash at least 2 to 3 different times. It strangely feels like I went through some type of trauma even watching the movie in its entirety. And yet it really was nearly perfect.

I think the only thing I would have to reprimand it for is the fact it probably did not need to be almost 2 and a half hours. Just when you thought everything was over and wrapped up, they really said but wait there's more.

I would say if you're curious about this movie, know that it is dark (trigger warnings for attempted rape and extreme violence), it is gritty, and you might be confused for at least part of it. However, everything slowly starts making sense and you'll be able to get a better grasp on what's happening from there.

As for the ending, regarding the grandfather, uncle.. whoever the fuck he was...I did not expect him to be that much of a psychopath. It really took me aback. And as for what's his name, even with him being an attempted rapist, a liar, a con artist, and a weirdo, I still thought his ending was a bit extreme. But to each his or her own.

Leer más

Not for Square People

First of all, the plot twist was crazy. I really loved it. The acting was great, and the cast performed very well. Kim Tae Ri looked so pretty, and the film looked pretty realistic and raw, and that's something I absolutely loved. Everything was good except the erotica. I just jumped out of my seat when I first watched it, plus it weirded me out. I don't know why they added so much intensity to this film; it just looked extra. Not even needed.
Probably added more scenes of Count about how good of a conman he is, Kim Tae Ri's past, or the Uncle's past, but nah, Lesbian Love was added. I am just not comfortable watching that kind of thing on screen.
The Handmaiden is a cinematic movie, probably a blockbuster movie if launched today, but not my cup of tea. The fetish and erotica are probably for coomers, not for normal people who watch movies for plot, characters, story, and acting.

Leer más

The only thing I knew about this film was that it had lesbian content, and it was a really nice ride to watch the whole story with its twists and turns, that go much beyond that.
I'd only say that it is a con-story set in Korean during the Japanese occupation and that you should be prepared for adult content, but that this film is much more than that. Indeed, it has the right mix of mistery, humor, erotism and romance, all with a gallery of weird characters and breath-taking sets, costumes and photography.
My only criticism would go to the explicit sex scenes, beautifully staged and filmed, but that feel a bit exploitative toward the actresses, especially because one of the characters is precisely trying to escape an exploitation situation... In my opinion, the film would be equally interesting without such explicity.
But all in all, it's an outstanding film!

Leer más

An art masterpiece

This film blew me away. It is very rare to find movies, and even novels for that matter, where the sex scenes were accurate, realistic, and is part of the story. Most of the time when sex is incorporated into movies, it was dead and porn and won't make a difference if removed--in other words, just there as a filler. In "The Handmaiden" it's the total opposite. It was an art. It was about building relationships and how it should be valued and respected by the couple.

The two lead females--Kim Tae Ri and Kim Min Hee--showed how they mastered their craft in acting in this film. From their facial expressions to their emotions and to their actions. I would not be surprised at all if the spark they showed in this movie was actually real. While there were a few scenes Kim Tae Ri felt uncomfortable … which was showing on her face and movements … she quickly relaxed. It was evident that Kim Min Hee helped Tae Ri overcome her uneasiness, they did prepare for this.

From what I understand, this was an adaptation of an English/British novel. That said, I am praising the director and writer, Park Chan Wook, in picking the perfect era in Korea for the adaptation. It could have been set in the modern era or in an even distant past but the impact would have been far less because of the distraction the other eras would bring into the scenes. It also flawlessly opened up a lot of their settings which made the plot deeper and resonate with the audience.

I also liked how they naturally switched between Korean and Japanese. In most movies where there are other nationalities involved, shortcuts are always made by making everyone speak the same language after establishing a character's "foreign"-ness. I frown on such shortcuts and I am glad I did not see it in "The Handmaiden". I was also amazed how the characters mixed the two languages to form one sentence, the way bilinguals actually speak in real life. Great addition to this little detail but equally important in building up the film.

I hope everyone who will watch (and watched) this film will see the deeper message of this film instead of focusing only on the obvious ones. Look beyond the surface and you'll see the important reminder and lesson behind "The Handmaiden". What is it? Better watch it. If you've seen the movie, watch it again and look for it.

10 over 10 in all categories for me. Congratulations!

Leer más

Quite memerising. The non linar storytelling threw me for a loop as I didn't expect it at the time but I thought it added depth to the twists and turns that would follow. The ambguity set up by the first act had a pay off once all was revealed. This was a pure artistic filmmaking at its finest.

The erotic vibes are heavy. Perhaps a bit cliche but served their purpose. One thing I found fasinating is how the the story was able to be protrected through these acts. Anything more will be spoilers.

Kim Tae-ri continues to impress with every performance. Hopefully that leads to stardom. Cho Jin-woong was wonderfully eccentric, making the perverted Uncle role his own. The subtle movements, the eyes,. The acting all round is up to par.

I'm intriuged by the rewatch value this has. I may need to watch the directors cut. That's a first.

Leer más