A TALE OF TWO SISTERS

Director: Ji-woon Kim
Stars: Su-jeong Lim, Geun-Young Moon, Kap-su Kim, Jung-ah Yum
Year: 2003
Rating: R
(in Korean w/English subtitles)

It's films like A Tale of Two Sisters, from South Korea, that really tend to put most American horror films to shame. Smart, inventive, surprising, and never fully quite what it seems, this is the tale of a pair of young women - sisters named Soo-mi (Su-jeong Lim) and Soo-yeon (Geun-Young Moon) - who come home after a lengthy stay in the hospital after the death of their mother, to live with their father (Kap-su Kim) and the woman he's now married to ... the girls' stepmother (Jung-ah Yum).

Soo-mi, the older of the sisters, is outspoken and opinionated - and fiercely protected of Soo-yeon, who is shy and introverted and walks around looking like a deer trapped in some one's headlights. And those headlights, as the girls move back home, seem to be those of the stepmother, whom the girls both fear and Soo-mi in particular loathes. From the time they practically enter their old home, the girls (again, Soo-mi in particular) seem angry at their father and resentful of their stepmother, leaning mostly on each other for support. But soon into the film, even on their first night back in their old beds, the girls find there's even something more going on in the home they grew up in; another presence in the house, presumably that of the girls dead mother, seems to haunt the girls in their sleep - and some strange, very creepy sightings and incidents start happening in the house. Tensions between the girls and their father get more tense - between Soo-mi and her stepmother in particular grow even more strained - and soon viewers learn just why the girls probably resent their stepmom so much; she was the nurse hired to care for their mother when the woman grew ill - had been a part of the household until their mom had died, and now has taken over the house for good.

Or has she?

That's about as much as can be said about the film without going too far, or giving away too much. A Tale of Two Sisters builds tension beautifully, director Ji-woon Kim only revealing just what you need to know, bit by bit, to get you through each scene of the film ... until close to the end, when you realize exactly what IS going on, and then have a freak out when you finally "get it" - and realize, if you were paying attention, that some hints were there all along.

And that's the main issue to remember here; you really, really have to be paying attention as you watch the film. That's no problem - the film grabs you in and holds you firmly throughout. But this isn't the kind of film where you can make constant stops for food or the phone or the john. Nope, this films deserves to be watched without interruption, and if you don't ... well, then don't be surprised if you are a bit confused when it all goes down.

But that's okay too, because the film is most assuredly worth watching a second time (which you may want to do anyway, to make sure of what you got out of it). Hell, even a third time. Building more on suspense and fear and creepy apparitions than blood and gore, A Tale of Two Sisters is brilliantly conceived and filmed - and very well-acted by a talented and wholly believable cast.

Steer clear of possible spoilers in other reviews, and catch this marvel for yourself instead. It has more intelligence and ingenuity than 90% of American "horror" films (especially those made today), and deserves to be seen for its sense of drama, suspense, and style. A wonderful, wonderful film. ****1/2 - Reel Awesome-Reel Must-See