A Tale of Two Sisters

Every family has its dark secrets and the Bae clan are no exception...

A Tale of Two Sisters is the latest offering of Ji-woon Kim who directed and wrote the screenplay for the piece, thus creating one of the best Asian films of the year. A Tale of Two Sisters tracks the relationship of Bae Su-mi and Bae Su -yeon, detailing their tumultuous relationship with their stepmother and how they struggle to cope with the loss of their mother. The film gives a tremendous insight into the psychological impact of grief and how it can inadvertently affect our lives, in some ways this movie is quite similar to the upcoming Colin Firth feature, Trauma.

It is like a headrush to the senses, hitting you like a flood as the waters slowly build before ultimately colliding with you like a wall of concrete. Ji-woon Kim's movie opens quite slowly and gradually condenses as the viewer gets a picture of the family's past before the frenzied conclusion comes rushing home. There are lots of moments in between that will have your heart in your mouth and while it may not be an out-and out horror flick, A Tale of Two Sisters runs rings around plenty of its rivals when it comes to playing with the viewer's mind.

A Tale of Two Sisters is set at a far slower pace than most similar Asian films because there is an overriding ambiguity that hangs over the movie. The director gradually sows seeds of doubt into the viewer's mind and he is often left contemplating what direction Ji-woon Kim is taking rather shutting his eyes in anticipation of the next scare. Kim cleverly breaks up what might become a monotonous affair with the eerie going-ons in the household, switching the film's tempo like a race car driver might change gears going through a corner. Like a master puppeteer the director plays with our heart strings, gracefully leading us in one direction and then changing to another; it all builds for a fantastic final ten minutes.

This sense of confusion is further compounded by the claustrophobic feeling of the set, the director opts to avoid open spaces for the majority of the film and despite the family home's grand size his clever choice of shots give that closed in feeling. Ji-Woon Kim elicits some wonderful performances out his small cast which further compliment the tremendous atmosphere that surrounds the movie. The thing I enjoyed most about the film was that unlike a lot of other Asian horror flicks it didn't close in a rather open-ended fashion, there was little doubt left in the viewer's mind because the director makes use of the early ambiguity that surrounds the movie to draw it to a resounding conclusion.

This film is full of twists and turns and just when you think you know where the director is taking the film, he completely flips the movie on its head. It's not quite Fight Club standard but needless to say you'll let out a big 'Ahhh!' when it suddenly all falls into place. Like I said before though, there is more than one shocking revelation and the film almost gets caught in it's own tangled web but thankfully the director calms down and doesn't make it one twist too many. Ji-woon Kim plays upon the ambiguity surrounding each of the characters, dropping subtle hints left, right and centre.

There are some secrets which the viewer will probably uncover himself, but the director saves the best until last and makes A Tale of Two Sisters worth every penny of the admission fee. One of the main reasons why this film really succeeds is that it puts more emphasis on psychology rather than breaking out the blood and guts, there are times when you could be mistaken for thinking that A Tale of Two Sisters is a family drama rather than a horror flick. All credit is due to Kim for breaking with tradition somewhat, sure there is still the scary girl in the film but thankfully she is used sparingly and the family turbulence gets a chance to shine.

The cast of A Tale of Two Sisters is quite small, there are only a handful of actors involved and the majority of the film takes place in the Bae family home. The four family members are the primary actors of the piece as it mostly focuses on the relationship of the two sisters and their stepmother. All four actors excel in their parts and give the movie a realistic edge, as the film progresses the building tension is wonderfully transposed from the screen by their fantastic expressions and reactions.

The constrained environment of the family home adds to their performances as tiny beads of sweat begin to form on their brows, as the film reaches its climax Su-mi and Eun-joo's constant fidgeting really drives the claustrophobic atmosphere home. It's quite uncomfortable to watch at times as the tension really drives home and you can't help but squirm and twist in your seat with the actors on screen. There is a brilliant intensity that accompanies their performances despite the ambiguity surrounding each role; the actors deserve to take credit for bringing Ji-woon Kim's vision to life.

Some people don't enjoy Asian cinema but this was a far more accessible piece of work than some other recent offerings form the Orient. It differentiates itself from similar films by focusing on the psychology of the piece rather than resorting to gore, because of this I think it is a resounding success. The movie sees some wonderful performances from an unfamiliar cast; they build upon Ji-woon Kim's script and create a fantastic atmosphere. This might not be everyone's cup of tea since it is quite different from your typical Hollywood movie, but it is yet another sign that you don't need big bucks or star names to make a great film. Ji-woon Kim leaves you guessing right up until the very last minute and is the next step in a chain of films like The Eye or The Sixth Sense.

Piaras Kelly
Editor, Kikizo Movies