Synopsis
Two women from strikingly different backgrounds foil a conman in this erotic thriller set in 1930s Korea.
Review
Originally released in 2016, The Handmaiden has recently made its way to UK Netflix. Directed by Park Chan Wook, the film is a psychological thriller – with characters manipulating each other and identities being switched at a moment’s notice.
The story begins with a con-man attempting to trick Lady Hideko (Kim Min-Hee), a Japanese heiress, into marriage so that he can steal her inheritance. He hires Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), a pickpocket, to became Hideko’s maid and help him to fool the naïve and sheltered Hideko. At nearly three hours long, the film keeps the narrative moving at a surprising pace, with new twists and turns delivered regularly.
The script is based on Sarah Water’s novel Fingersmith which was set in 19th century London, but this version moves the action to Japanese-occupied Korea in the 1930s. The new colonial context adds an interesting layer to the story. Everyone in the film is playing a different role, by choice or by force, and the mainly Korean cast speak both Japanese and Korean dialogue in the film (Korean subtitles are in white, Japanese are in yellow).
The visuals in this film are as stunning and inventive as the plot. Cinematographer Chung Chung-Hoon’s shots of the incredible mansion reflect this idea of manipulation and deception. Half of the house is built in a traditional Japanese style, while the European side of the building is more reminiscent of Downton Abbey. As the narrative progresses, sliding doors open to reveal some of the more strange and unusual rooms in the house. Clothing too is used as a plot device with plenty of inventive disguises and lush costumes to enjoy here.
Park Chan-Wook originally made his name with his ‘Vengeance’ trilogy including Oldboy. While The Handmaiden contains a lot of dark humour (and some scenes that will make the viewer wince), it is a lot less violent than much of his previous work. At the core of the narrative is the love story between Hideko and Sook-hee. Both women are trapped in a world where male sexual desire is at the forefront and have to use their own creativity and authenticity to subvert these tropes.
Verdict
A thrilling dive into Park Chan Wook’s crazily inventive world, The Handmaiden is dark, sexy, and melodramatic, but never cliched.
