A Tale Of Two Sisters
There is something special about the Tartan Asia Extreme films and whether it is from the brilliant Battle Royale to the weird and wonderful Itchi the Killer, they have always set the bar in horror cinema. However, for me, there is one film that stands out above the rest; A Tale Of Two Sisters.
This 2003 South Korean based on Korean Folklore follows Su-mi and Su-yeon, sisters who come back home after a spell in a mental institute following the death of their mother. Greeted warmly by their father and taken home, the girls soon discover that home may not be how they remember and strange things around the house begin to happen. Doors coming alive, footsteps on the stairs and strange apparitions soon appear. Something is happening, but what? Could the girls be slowly becoming unstable mentally? Is the step mother playing cruel tricks? Or is there a supernatural presence in the house? The truth is more sinister than expected.
First of all, A Tale Of Two Sisters is visually astounding. The stylish shots of the views around the tiny house , the lake, the decorated home and flash back scenes create a breathtaking set. Instead of opting for cheesy fun thrills, director Kim-Ji Woon brings beauty that many other films of this nature can only dream of. And with that beauty, the contrast of the terrifying events makes it even scarier as you are lulled peacefully into a false sense of security.
The thrills work too; from downright jumpiness to creepy characters that plague the house. Your heart wont stop raising throughout as you try to fathom the truth as it leads up to a finale that, though it has been used many times before, you will be pleasantly surprised. And whilst the explanation works, there are some unexplained moments that will plague and haunt you for a very long time.
The acting is brilliant too from such young stars Im Soo Jung and Moon Geun Young who convey a strong yet damaged relationship between two loving sisters and as they battle against the evil around them, the stars bring a depth and maturity. Their adult counterparts excel as well particularly the evil step mother Euo Joo (Yeom Jeong-Ah.) Just watch below the seriously intense dinner scene as her emotions switch from over joyed to anger, the swift but subtle change is scarier than any of the ghosly apparitions.
As I have said before, no film is without its fault but honestly, it is hard to find one in A Tale Of Two Sisters. The father is under-used despite the anguish he must have and his character is barely explored to all its might. Though, as mentioned, the ending has been used countless times before, it still works wonderfully and the way it is revealed is simply genius.
Overall, A Tale Of Two Sister's is a stand out film and a sensational independent film. The twists and turns create shocks and scares that will be the perfect for that horror movie night in. Just make sure you get this film and you don't get The Uninvited (the shocking American remake of the film.) Otherwise, I will eat you. And you just don't want that.
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