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Cast:
Lim
Soo-Jeong
Moon
Geun-Yeong
Kim
Kap-Su
Yum
Jung-Ah
Lee
Seung-Bi
Writer:
Kim
Ji-Woon (screenplay)
Producer:
Oh
Ki-Min
Oh
Jung-Wan
Director:
Kim
Ji-Woon
Score:
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A
TALE OF TWO SISTERS
AKA:
A Tale Of 2 Sisters ||
Two Sisters
Year:
2003 Reviewer: Hannah
Lin
In
2003 South Korean director Kim Ji-Woon delivered one of the
greatest examples of Asian Horror with his slightly re-told
version of the 200-year-old folk tale, Jangwha-Hongryeon
(literally, Rose and Lotus). While gore fans and those looking
for 'actual' demons (rather than metaphorical ones) may be
left out in the cold, 'A Tale Of Two Sisters' must surely rank
as one of the best written, directed, acted and most unnerving
psychological thrillers' ever made.
Su-Mi
(Lim Soo-Jeong: 'Sad Movie',' ...ing') is returning home from
an un-explained stay in hospital with her younger sister Su-Yeon
(Moon Geun-Yeong: 'My Little Bride', 'Innocent Steps').
Arriving at the house, they first explore the beautiful garden
and journey down to the small, nearby peer to dip their toes
into the lake. Neither girl appears to be in a rush to enter
the house. Finally they are called by their father and
hesitantly, they make their way inside. There, a woman, their
stepmother to be precise, greets them. We can tell instantly
that all is not right. After a bitter argument with the woman,
Su-Mi leaves the dinner table to head for her dark, lonely
room. Slight goading and a shade of spite from the stepmother
leaves younger sister Su-Yeon following suite. The sisters'
father seems oblivious to all this however, and remains sat at
the dinning table like nothing had happened. Later that night,
ghostly noises can be heard throughout the creaky hallways of
the house, scaring the younger sister into her elder siblings
bed. But as Su-Yeon sleeps, a ghostly apparition appears
before Su-Mi, climbing onto her bed and reaching down to
strangle her. Both sisters are awakened by their father
knocking at the door the next morning, only to find that they
are safe and well, but the bed sheet is stained with blood.
Su-Yeon had had her first period, and the girls are shocked to
find that both they and their stepmother, all started on the
same morning. What connection can this have to the eerie
goings on in the house? Did Su-Mi really see what she thought
she had that night? And why does the father seem to neither
react nor respond, to any of this?
The
questions posed all lead to answers that are probably best
left buried. Tension mounts in the house as the two sisters
try to unravel just what is going on, avoiding their evil
stepmother as they go. If all this sounds anything like a
fairytale, be prepared for a not so 'happy' ending. 'ATOTS' is
a horror movie with a Difference. Yes, it does shock and scare
the viewer, but it does something else that you'll likely not
expect: it also touches you. Underneath the horror is a story
of a broken family whose members are at war with not only each
other, but also themselves. Their tale is a delicate puzzle,
which is mysteriously pieced together by the audience under
the guidance of master director Kim Ji Woon. For every time
you jump, something will happen which will make you question
the intention of all involved and, while the shocks are woven skilfully
amongst the narrative, less patient viewers may be left
itching for blood, guts and that creepy looking girl with the
long black hair. I only hope that those people do find the
merit in a different type of horror picture. In fact, as
stated earlier, 'ATOTS' is more of a psychological thriller
than straight out spook-fest. This is a film, which not only
leaves you sweaty-palmed but also broken hearted at the pain
and suffering of this once happy family. Personally, this for
me leaves it running rings around, well, Ring.
Another
area where 'ATOTS' stands head and shoulders above many other
recent Asian horror films is in its design. The house itself
is a beautifully constructed set, which has been designed and
lit with remarkable detail. It almost takes on a life of it's
own in it's brooding shades of purples and greens. Each area
has been lit differently and so each room has it's own
characteristics which are perfectly exploited by the wonderful
cinematography. Many unique camera tricks and special effects
are also used, though you'd be hard pushed to tell. These
aren’t effects which are used to create 'otherworldly'
sights, but rather to give the camera better movement and
heighten pivotal moments. A moving pattern on an eerie piece
of wallpaper is one such example, as is what is probably the
most important revelation of the picture towards the end. It's
a 360% camera movement in a confined space, which reveals the
perpetrator of many of the wicked events, something that could
have not been done if not for special effects. The music also
follows the standard of these elements with a score which is
both haunting and sad, but is never over used or simply
‘abruptly increased’ to scare the audience.
A
film like this, where so much relies on character and
interaction, lives or dies by its cast. Though not a large one
(there are four main cast and only two other cameos) the cast
of actors here are simply superb. Both sisters are very
different in nature and though very young, come across
strongly. 16-year-old actress Moon Geun-Yeong portrays the
gentle Su-Yeon, perfectly capturing the essence of a helpless
girl who is a pawn in the power struggle between her elder
sibling and their evil stepmother. Lim Soo-Jung, who was also
brilliant as the young girl with a terminal illness in '...ing',
shines through with a performance showing skill beyond her
years. She perfectly portrays the struggle of juggling her
vendetta against the step-mom with wanting to care for and
protect her sister. As the stepmother, Yum Jung-Ah is a wonder
to behold, acting above her age and giving a suitably chilling
performance of a woman who seems cold, vicious and
manipulative one moment but rather helpless and fragile the
next. She manages so much with the little screen time she has
and is surely an actress we will see much more of in the
future.
Kim
Ji Woon brings all the various elements together into an
intelligent, thought provoking whole. At it’s heart it is a
story of a girl who was too petty minded to think of anything
but her own silly grudge, and a family torn apart by the pain
of change. Child abuse, suicide and mental illness are the
real demons here and while that may put true horror fans off,
'ATOTS' more than makes up for lack of otherworldly goings on
in beauty, intensity and a real sense of fear. If you are
willing to substitute blood for brains and real heart for
cheap scares, this movie will be one you will remember long
after you see it.
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