Review: A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

I will freely admit: I went in to Ji-Woon Kim's well-reputed horror film A Tale of Two Sisters with an uneasy feeling. Why? Well, as a jaded horror fan I will also admit that I am not well-versed in modern foreign horror. Though I have seen dozens of Italian horror films from the '70s and '80s, I have only seen one film in the J-horror staple, and that's the original Ringu. The only other film I've seen that's even remotely tied to J-horror is the American remake of The Grudge which I surprisingly liked (don't worry, the original is on my list of movies to see, and I have no doubt that it's infinitely better).

So, the uneasy feeling was essentially the nervousness of not knowing exactly what to expect. Would I finally find a film that would terrify me silly? Especially the fact this was not even a Japanese horror film, but a Korean one. Would they find even new ways to scare the viewer? To anyone that might feel the same way, let me just begin by saying that if you've experienced just one well-known J-horror film (Ringu, Ju-on, etc.), then you are more than prepared to take on the scares in A Tale of Two Sisters.

Su-mi (Su-jeong Lim) and Su-yeon (Geun-Young Moon) are the two sisters of the title, and when we first see them, they are arriving at their father's house, where he lives with Eun-joo, the girl's stepmother. Right from the get-go, it becomes apparent that the girl's have a deep hatred for Eun-joo, and go out of their ways to avoid her. As if all this hatred and tension isn't enough, add in the fact that the house is apparently haunted, with Su-mi constantly seeing bizarre and creepy visions, and you have what turns out to be a rather complex tale of love, loss, and...ghosts.

A Tale of Two Sisters is often regarded as one of the scariest movies ever made, though I will nip that thought in the butt right off the get-go. While it certainly has a creepy atmosphere and is more than competently made (I would take this over any Hollywood horror film any day of the week), the scares are derivative of horror films made within the Japanese border. Just as true American horror is known for documentary-style camerawork and a minimalist approach that feeds on fears, J-horror films can be summed up with long-haired woman creepily crawling or walking around, all set to a soundtrack that sounds like household appliances are on the fritz. Sure enough, we get such a scene here, and the effect, while still creepy, is also starting to feel rather familiar. Aren't there other ways to scare audiences?

It should be worth noting, however, that the scares are surrounded by a genuine horror story, to the point that they almost take a backseat. Sure, there are thrills and chills, but the movie focuses on the twists and the turns, and the shocking revelations that throw the viewer for loop after loop. However, even after reading an in-depth explanation of everything that happened, I was still more than a little disappointed. It almost seems like they tried throwing in everything but the kitchen sink, as characters play different characters, and there's the constant blending of nightmare and reality. What is really happening? Who's who? Granted, there is a reasoning behind these scenes, so they aren't just thrown in for the sake of confusing the audience, but I just didn't buy in to what the film was trying to convey.

Again, A Tale of Two Sisters is not a bad film. In fact, there are enough thrills to keep the viewer hooked and, if you get sucked into the story, there are definitely some positive rewards. Again, just as American movies cater to their demographic by dumbing down the story for acceptance to the masses, at least foreign horror films often force their viewers to think; to pay attention. They realize that great horror films don't just consist of things jumping at the camera, but that constant, underlying feeling of dread and terror. Such intentions can certainly be felt throughout most of A Tale of Two Sisters, and it certainly gets points for trying. But in the end, much like a character in the film, it suffers under its own weight and, try as desperately as it may, it never succeeds in getting out.

Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)