Park Chan-wook has proven himself to be one of the most dynamic directors in recent history, directing such acclaimed films as Joint Security Area, Thirst and the The Vengeance Trilogy, (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance). His latest film, The Handmaiden, furthers to concrete Chan-wook’s reputation as a filmmaker.
The Handmaiden is Set in 1930’s Japanese occupied Korea, and tells the story of a female pickpocket (Kim Tae-ri) and a con man (Jung-woo Ha) who attempt to swindle the fortune from an heiress (Min-hh Kim). Tae-ri possess the heiresses new handmaiden, while Ha poses as a con-man who is promising her a better life.The plan gets complicated when Tae-ri starts to develop feelings for Kim. The film is adapted from the novel Fingersmith by Welsh writer Sarah Waters (which was adapted into a BBC TV mini series). While the setting is changed from the Victorian era Britain, to 1930’s Korea, The Handmaiden is set, by enlarge, in a Victorian era mansion, which seems appropriate for the story.
The film is told in three parts, retelling the story three times, each focusing on slightly different aspects of, and adding slightly to, the narrative. The structure of the story brilliantly keeps the audience wondering what’s next, as the mystery of who is conning whom unfolds. Park is masterful in his ability to build tension, aided by composer Yeong-wook. The tension is more subtle here than in his previous films, but incredibly effective nonetheless. Like Chan-wook’s previous films, every frame of The Handmaiden is a work of art. Adding to the perfect lighting and framing is the gorgeous backgrounds and costumes of the early twentieth century, resulting in a stunning looking film.
It should be noted that the film is explicit to say the least. As the story is told three times, we see one particularly erotic sex scene played out a few times, each with increasing detail. While the scene itself is crucial to both the plot and character development, one could argue that it becomes a bit gratuitous. The audience could have definately arrived to the same understanding had it been trimmed down a bit. That said, it’s shot both realistic and sensual, standing it apart from something you’d come across on late night cable.
The Handmaiden is a mesmerising erotic thriller, and ranks among Chan-wook’s best work. This might be harder to find the the theaters, but I would suggest seeking it out.