A decent plot plagued by eroticism . Other than that, only the dirty-minded will like it! Couldn't they make this film without erotics ? :expressionless:
I'm speechless.
"The Handmaiden" was in my Watchlist for a long, long time - and sometimes I thought I'd never watch it because I was genuinely afraid of how "life changing" this movie supposedly was.
Now that I finally watched it, I'm speechless. There are no words to explain the rush of emotions throughout the whole 3 hours experience and more than that: there are no words to explain the JOY in the deepest of my heart. Seeing these two women end up together is exhilarating, warming and I couldn't ask for anything else.
I didn't think I could like a film as much as I liked Old Boy, but this film certainly comes close. We'll have to see how it survives the test of time in my eyes, but for the present time this is phenomenal.
Awesome movie. Didn’t expect it to be like this, but it’s very enjoyable. Amazing storytelling with some nice twists and some steamy scenes. Don’t watch this with your parents. Lol.
Well… I was totally unprepared for how erotic this was, In equal parts twisted. It’s not going to win any awards for painting men in a favourable light. The writing for this was superb. The twists in each of the 3 parts were so very clever. I give this film an 8 (great storytelling) out of 10. [Thrilling Drama]
A really interesting and non-linear way to tell a story. The cinematography and sound design are all great, and the acting is also very good. This isn't Park Chan-wook's best work as I feel the story wasn't all completely there but still very good.
So, I just got around watching it, yes I know 6 years too late. In my defense I watched the British version first (the Fingersmith series) and thought they are one and the same. That was my mistake. It is based on the book and yes there are almost the same emphasis on the almost. But this one is by far the better one. Some think are explained better in the British version for example the reason around wearing gloves. But still for me this one is better. There is a plot twist within the plot twist. The movie is separated in three consecutive chapters and you go from one plot twist to the other, that leaves you in stun. Let's say it's a sweet revenge of the two leading ladies on all the men that have wronged them, while falling for each other . I definitely recommend it, is a Masterpiece everything is done perfectly from the two leading actresses who are amazing and have great chemistry to the sick son of a bitch uncle. I watched the extended version, it's 2 hours and 48 minutes the normal cut is around 2 hours and 24 minutes. To tell you the truth I don't know the deference between them and which scenes are cut or shorten . I would have gone without the last scene or a lighter version of it. Perfect end!
it's only after watching one of those film-explaining videos for this movie that i've had my appreciation for it begin to rise;
the subtle details that were explained in the video have opened my eyes and made me actually love the movie a little more, but nonetheless i'd like to add that i've loved it's subtle details, even though the movie was quite unsettling at parts, the cinematography, performances and that one OST were beautiful
also the set designs, beautiful
I very much did not expect this at all. The trailer suggested something completely different. It was good, but watching the extended version was probably not a good idea. A bit too complicated at times to follow all the details, but still enjoyed it quite a bit.
Went into it mostly blind, and I was mindblown.
This is the second Park ChanWook movie I've seen and both have left me thinking for a few days after, they're really great and disturbing.
A unique mystery-thriller/romance, with an engaging and unpredictable narrative, mesmerizing direction and great performances.
Where it could be watched?
The first twist was great. The second one was a little meh in execution. Good movie overall.
The original title of the film is Ah-ga-ssi
I love everything about this movie, except for the sex scenes. They were so obviously made for men and what they think sex between two women is like that it ruins what could have been a great movie.
Somehow I managed to come into this movie blind besides 'gay' and 'involves a handmaiden', and I am so glad I did. I thought it was just a straightforward if idiosyncratic love story through part one, so when parts two and three hit... I was floored. It balances so many tones so well- as a caper it had me on the edge of my seat trying to piece things together and hollering when a plan comes together, as a black comedy it had me chortling, and as a romance I was all in for these two. Hideko and Sookee are wrapped in layers of obfuscation and deception, but they find a connection anyway, getting to know each other and then getting to know each other all over again.
Kim Min-hee and Kim Tae-ri are both phenomenal, playing each part to perfection, from the masks they put up to the cores underneath. Tae-Ri a romantic trying to be a scoundrel and failing at first sight, endeared more and more with every moment. And Min-hee's a frozen, damaged soul who's given up on the world and putting up a perfect facade of naivete disguising cunning, but is slowly defrosted by Sookee's heart. She comes to warm life before our eyes while never losing that intellect. Cho Jin-woong is as disgusting as required, and Ha Jung-woo keeps up with the leads, running the gamut from 'smug snake not half as clever as he thinks' to 'actually much smarter than he seems and just projecting incompetence' to 'Still outplayed and wryly accepting defeat'. He finds the humanity in the character while never sugarcoating him either.
And the direction, script, and cinematography blend into a perfect whole. The usage of doors as a symbol of class, the little hints at the edge of the camera, how it gives you just enough information while holding back the answers... And for my part, I thought the sex scenes were very tasteful and artfully applied. The desire and lust is built up very well, the character work is never forgotten in the scenes themselves, and it captures that giggly, euphoric rush of trying something new that you both enjoy. And that's the key. The mutual enjoyment and delight the two have is always there, contrasted against the selfish lust of the men around them. They find sanctuary in each other, and the result is a fairy tale that's inspired, smart, and romantic in equal measure.
Holy fuck this was incredible.
This is the first movie I see in almost a year, I just don’t have the patience to sit through a movie anymore but I will binge watch an entire show for hours (yes I’m calling myself out here). I recently finished watching Mr. Sunshine and Kim Tae-ri was fantastic in it so I looked up her filmography and found this movie. The director seemed to be very well known and respected so I knew I picked the right movie to break my movie slump and boy was I right. It is split into three parts and each part adds a layer creating a rich and intricate story. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the movie takes a turn I was not expecting. It was fascinating to watch the plot unravel like that. Great costumes, cinematography and acting, the soundtrack is laid back and perfectly compliments the story. However, it did drag in some parts and I found the nudity to be a little excessive
Story = 8
Cinematography = 8
Soundtrack = 8
Production Design = 8
Acting = 8
Overall score = 8/10
The same story can be told in countless ways, and "The Handmaiden" could have been yet one more erotic thriller if it wasn't directed by Park Chan-wook. The fascinatingly decadent mood, the quirky way he mixes opposite genres, the sharp black humor and sarcasm even in the worst situations, the visceral depiction of sex and sensuality, the way he keeps adding more and more to the plate and stop right before it overflows. Despite the demanding running time the pacing is consistently tight: there is always a lot going on on-screen both aesthetically and narratively, but never to the point it becomes overwhelming.
The only thing that could have been better might be the ending, as the twists in the middle inevitably lead you to set even higher expectations for the finale. You get mindblown the first time, but everything starts to become quite predictable after you grasp the general tone.
The film clearly plays with gender roles, but one more concept explored is Korea's identity during Japan's colonization. We see a lot of Koreans who try to imitate the Japanese lifestyle, but at the same time Japanese are under the strong influence of western countries. The mansion Hideko lives in is a hybrid of Japanese and British architecture, owned by a Korean who pretends to be a Japanese man of letters. Count Fujiwara is another example of Korean aspiring to be a Japanese gentleman dressed in British fashion. They both flaunt their Japanese language skills while Hideko, who is supposed to be an actual Japanese, doesn't like to speak her own language as it represents the readings imposed by her uncle.
The use of two languages generates some interesting situations, even though sometimes the actors' Korean accent gets so thick that it was hard to understand some of the Japanese lines. It's understandable for Kouzuki and Fujiwaraas are supposed to be Korean in the story, but Hideko was not so believable as a Japanese.
I cut 1 points because some transitions made my screen look like it was shrinking. outside of that remarkable movie:star_struck:
What a movie, where each characters is arguably worse than the other. In the end they're all bad crooks.
Wholly engrossing and highly satisfying. Could honestly watch this a hundred more times lol.
Fantastic film. Nothing to do with that ITV rubbish series.
I laughed out loud when I saw the calssical and old-fashioned Tentacle Hentai picture! then I felt weird because I know what Tentacle Hentai is!
2 / 2 directing & technical aspect
1 / 1 story
1 / 1 act I
1 / 1 act II
1 / 1 act III
1 / 1 acting
1 / 1 writing
0 / 1 originality
0 / 1 stays with you
-.5 / 1 misc (gratuitousness)
7.5 out of 10
Park is in form once again. Everything the best director on earth should be.
Halfway through the movie I thought "Wow, this is the first movie I've ever scene where the sex in the movie actually added to the story." A half hour later, I had changed my mind, and by the end of the movie, it was really taking me out of his usually flawless storytelling. I understand what was meaningful in each of the scenes, but they went on too long, and looked (maybe purposely) like a male's idea of what lesbian love is.
Having said that, everything else about this movie was perfect, as expected from Park. His work is unparalleled. This just isn't his best.
(second viewing)
2 / 2 directing & technical aspect
1 / 1 story
1 / 1 act I
1 / 1 act II
1 / 1 act III
1 / 1 acting
1 / 1 writing
.5 / 1 originality
0 / 1 stays with you
0 / 1 misc
8.5 out of 10
I get it now, I must've slept through parts the first time. Still not his best work though. When my average for his movies is 8, he has a lot to live up to. I need to rewatch his perfect 10s now.
honestly,, this was astounding in every way and even though some things were predictable it was SO ENJOYABLE and all in all a great experience
Watch it if you love reading novels
simply perfect, a true masterpiece!
This film was a neat little story about ambition and desire. The central story line and conflict felt like something that might come from Shakespeare or the like. The story was told in a rather interesting way - there are a series of plot twists that result in the story being told over again. The odd thing about this (without saying too much) is that certain twists don't appear at the end of the movie. If you pay attention (and look at how much time is left in the movie) you can pretty much guess how the movie is going to end. . Couple that with everything else that the film brought to the table and the result is a unique and full viewing experience.
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Great movie. I wasn’t expiated this kind of story (didn’t read or watch anything on it before watching). A very good moment to spend here. Beautiful photo, great acting and great story.
When I think about the experience I had with this movie a few words come to mind: refreshing, passionate, chaotic, exciting and last but not least sensual.
Whether it is the compelling story, the acting or the narrative structure, It hooks you up and fascinates you to the extent that time seems insufficient and you are left with the sensation of wanting more.
Truly a masterpiece and simply delightful.
An absolute must-see, but best seen without paying attention to any plot synopsis or spoilers for maximum effect. This is one of the best films I have seen in quite some time, and certainly one of the most surprising. Don't let the long running time or subtitles put you off. I'm saying nothing more in fear of giving something away - consider me spellbound!
Good plot-twist. The scenes are blunt and frontal tho, kinda like watching Game of Thrones lol. Love the wardrobe and settings.
I'm so glad I came across this movie, it's one of my all time favorites now! I watched it with my roommate, who isn't much of a fan of foreign movies due to the captions she would have to follow. This movie literally converted her to watch more foreign films. It's filled with dark secrets, even darker characters and keep you on the edge of your seat.
This picture is a true marvel.
It defies romanticism, it defies comedy, it defies drama. This movie is entirely in it's own league and level.
It's sexy, and interesting, and captivating all at the same time.
It touches taboos, makes them feel completely normal. It drives the watcher to feel included.
This is a movie that everyone should watch.
Beautiful and raunchy, with plenty of plot twists, but doesn't make a perfect 10 because of its 2.5hr run time
Since the beginning of the month when I watched "The Handmaiden", I couldn't stop thinking about it.
It’s so hard to talk about this movie without give anything away. Everything in “The Handmaiden” is meticulously well done. Chan-wook Park did a terrific job directing this movie. It’s like a mix of good flavours that combine in your favourite ice cream.
The three lead actors (Kim Min-Hee, Kim Tae-Ri and Ha Jung-Woo) give some of the best performances of 2016. Despite Cho-Jin-woong doesn’t have the screentime of the others, everytime he is on screen he adds a lot to the movie.
The visuals of “The Handmaiden” are beautiful, some of the shots of this movie are perfect. And the soundtrack fits very well the environment of “The Handmaiden”.
Although “The Handmaiden” is almost two hours and a half, it felt like only one hour. Especially bacause of the story that is so fresh and well crafted. There are also a lot of delicious twists and turns that never felt out of place, mainly because of the way these characters evolved throughout the movie and are presented to the audience. Nothing feels forced.
“The Handmaiden” might be my favourite movie of 2016.
A character in the movie says (slight paraphrase) "all beauty causes pain". That more or less sums up the film itself. The score and cinematography are near flawless and the acting is exceptional. The subject matter, however (and Chan-wook Park's characteristically graphic style) will have a lot of viewers cringing in some spots. If you don't mind some fairly explicit stuff in your movies, I highly recommend it.
Chan-wook Park kicking it out of the park again (sorry). Beatiful and dark, it's easily recommended!
Breathtaking, Park Chan-wookesque cinematography akin to "Lady Vengeance" and "Cut." Despite its erotic theme, I personally could have lived without the amount of female nudity shots and sex scenes; however, it's still a beautifully directed film of romance with a compelling plot.
I don't normally comment on movies but I'll make an exception for this because it was astonishing. Chan-wook normally makes you sit up and take notice of his work and this was no exception. I think it's a masterpiece. I was open mouthed at both the beauty and the way the plot unravelled. An absolute must see. 9/10
YES. YES. YES. YES. YES.
thank god i'm alive to watch this masterpiece over and over again
BEST ROMANTIC COMEDY IN YEEEARSSSSS
It's been some time since I've seen a movie that I had the feeling I should/could/would watch again and again and again but this... I definitely will.
A marvel on so many levels... the cinematography alone! And the soundtrack... and the acting. I adore this movie. It has not left my mind since I've seen it and it will be there for quite some time I think.
Shout by nicky of house targaryenBlockedParent2016-09-09T05:11:12Z
☼ a masterpiece ☼