The Handmaiden (2016)

Quite memerising. The non linar storytelling threw me for a loop as I didn't expect it at the time but I thought it added depth to the twists and turns that would follow. The ambguity set up by the first act had a pay off once all was revealed. This was a pure artistic filmmaking at its finest.

The erotic vibes are heavy. Perhaps a bit cliche but served their purpose. One thing I found fasinating is how the the story was able to be protrected through these acts. Anything more will be spoilers.

Kim Tae-ri continues to impress with every performance. Hopefully that leads to stardom. Cho Jin-woong was wonderfully eccentric, making the perverted Uncle role his own. The subtle movements, the eyes,. The acting all round is up to par.

I'm intriuged by the rewatch value this has. I may need to watch the directors cut. That's a first.

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Summing it up in two words: brilliantly crafted.

To be honest, I didn't expect this to be that explicit. I wouldn't normally watch films like this so I was really uneasy at first but I gotta admit, that was one astounding cinema. Every little thing from the plot, the score, the shots, the characters and all other elements this was comprised of was just topnotch. You'd know there were some genius and creative brains who worked behind this because this was an actual masterpiece. Phenomenal. I am especially blown away by how this film was divided into parts and in each part, the whole story shifts. You think you know what's happening, but really, you don't.

I watched this because of Kim Tae Ri and yes, I wasn't prepared for what I have seen. I didn't expect that she'd actually have scenes with nudity. I first saw her in Twenty Five, Twenty One so seeing her in scenes like that made me a bit uncomfortable. That doesn't change the fact that she has proven her range and prowess in acting and she is exceptional. Kim Min Hee was also amazing in this. They were both sensational.

Sex and eroticism are major themes of this film. That may seem off-putting but when you get a grasp of the whole picture and what's it's trying to tell you, you'd realize that this film is sending a strong message. Females are often regarded as objects of sex and desire and no matter how disgusting that may seem, that's the reality of this world which prevailed even during the modern times. This film has strongly and bravely presented women rejecting this sickening belief that they are obliged to serve men and satisfy their pleasures all the while discovering their own desires and allowing themselves to actually enjoy their bodies and sexualities.

Well, okay, I don't think I would rewatch it simply because as I've mentioned, I am not a fan of watching heavily sexual films especially in Korean media in which I am used to watching wholesome Korean series and dramas. However, I won't deduct a point because that wouldn't really be fair to this work of art. This was perfect in every sense of that word.

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The Handmaiden: The Plot Twist Of The Fucking Plot Twist

1st impression: "Aww, I hope they stay together..."

2nd impression: "I don't believe you're doing this..."

3rd impression: "Wait, so you too?"

912498148th impression: "I give up........... Just show me the truth already.... Please..."

Story 10/10

The story is amazing, you'll be shivered and entertained from start to finish.

Acting/Cast 10/10

The acting is well done, you'll go from love to hate and hate to love with the movie characters in each twist of the plot.

Music 10/10

The soundtrack is well chosen, just adding thrill to the thriller.

Rewatch Value 7/10

Well, the magic of the movie is in the plot twists, so once you know what will happen it kinda loses a bit of its entertaining value, but I'm not one to rewatch any movies at all so maybe I'm not suitable to give my opinion at this. I'm giving 7 out of 10 because this movie is almost perfect and I really can't give a score below 7 for this masterpiece, but in reality I'm not watching this again.

Watch the movie yourselves, you'll not regret it I promise. The plot is so well done that you'll be shivered and entertained from start to finish.

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Wow. Just wow. What an impeccable movie.

Watching this now, four years after it came out, I realize how many movies might have been inspired by this one, but none of them did this story as well. This movie is a masterclass of film making.

The script is exceptionally written, with twists, turns and moments of intrigue that fit together like a well-crafted puzzle. It's hard to describe the story without spoiling anything important, I suggest going in with as little information as possible and letting yourself be guided by the storytelling. Jung Seo Kyung did the best job in the entire movie with that script, but everyone played a part in making it shine.

The acting is mostly good, especially Kim Min Hee in a sublime performance. Her role is probably the most difficult to pull off efficiently, to tie in the suspense and the narrative of the story as it is, and she did an amazing job at it. My only problem, which is why this is not entirely a 10, is that some of the actors didn't fully convince me when it came to portraying the Japanese characters, but it didn't ruin the experience.

The movie is explicit, in different ways. There's a contrast between two different kinds of scenes that involve explicit content, and the way in which they are shot and performed, as well as written, weaves in a message that is super intense, in many ways.

It's absolutely, in my opinion, one of the best lgbtq+ films of the 2010s, I have no doubt about that. I had heard a lot about it and I had expectations, especially after having seen other films compared to it, but the expectations were met and surpassed. There is a love story between two women in the heart of this film that upholds and maintains the plot at all times, and everything is built upon showcasing that story, not only of love but also of redemption and empowerment.

All in all, great movie. Wow.

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I advice anyone to watch that movie, it's such a great movie.

First of all, I've only watched one other of Park Chan Wook's films, Old boy, but it's worth watching cause it's also a really great film.

The movie is really well written, it's divided in three parts that are following one character each, and each of those part is really well written and mind blowing. The whole film is mind blowing actually, form plot twist to plot twist, the suspense is here.

The pictures are very beautiful also, it's what I call great cinema: even before I had the chance to see it, I knew I would like it cause the pictures and the music that are shown in the trailer really set what you are going to see, which is georgeous images of the Korean countryside or the city, and the music that is just perfect. Also the actors are really talented and they were all really good in their role.

But there's two things I actually really really liked about this film:
- The whole story about Japanese occupation. I didn't have the chance to see much about that precise period, and the fact that Korean are able to talk about that difficult situation is very important I think (on that subject, I advise you the Korean drama Bridal Mask, it's really good). Listening to those two beautiful languages is also a plus for me. I liked that the historical part is here, but not in a central place, cause the story between the characters is way more important, and that's really weel done.
- Strong lesbian characters. As queer female myself, I'm thrilled to see such strong characters. Finding good gay male character is quite difficult in Asian cinema, even though it's getting easier each year fortunatly, but lesbian characters are always absent (especially in Korean films and dramas), just search "gay" and "lesbian" tags on the site and compare by yourself. So these girls are really important to me, and as well as the historical side, it's here, but it's not like "queer propagandia", theur queerness is just natural.

Some scene can be, not difficult to watch, but quite "disgusting" (I don't really know what word I should use), but they don't feel useless, I feel like everything is here for a reason. The film is relativly long (144 min) but, I promise you won't be bored.

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Definitely not for everyone but a fantastic movie

I just finished the handmaiden and to me it was a truly magnificent movie. It can get pretty graphic and leaves little to the imagination. Going into the movie i knew very little about it but I would say that you can go into this movie without knowing too much as long as you´re aware it is 100% for a mature audience.
The relationship between the two female leads is shown very well especially given the time period the movie is set in. The twists and turns the story takes throughout its 3 parts (it says which part the movie is at in the movie itself) was everything i could have hoped for. The acting is phenomenal in my opinion, the story very well written and the music ties it together perfectly.
I give this a highscore for everything else but i wouldn´t say it has a lot of re-watch value. It is very much a one of those experiences that is fantastic once but would just not hold the same magic the second time around.

It really isn´t for everyone and if there are certain topics that you are sensitive to I would suggest doing your research on the movie first.

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I remember googled "best Korean movies" and this movie is always on every list. That convinced me there must be something since people raved it as "perfect movie". Turns out those people aren't wrong, this is indeed a perfect movie.

The Handmaiden is divided into three parts and we will get different impressions for each part. We don't know where the story is going and the plot itself is already perfect and satisfying. The atmosphere in this movie is really unique, sometimes it feels lunatic then shifts to thrilling then digusting. It's psychologically intriguing.

As for the casts, everyone performed greatly. I have to mention Kim Min-hee stands out the most, she showcased her acting skills here. Remember I told you there are three parts with different impressions? Kim Min-hee is able to give off various vibes throughout the movie. I'm a fan.

Seriously folks, perfect plotting adds to flawless acting performance equals to a perfect movie. I'm grateful they made The Handmaiden.

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Tesoura com tesoura

Vei, simplesmente perfeito, o melhor filme da vida isso sem dúvida alguma. Plot Twist atrás de plot twist, já reassisti tantas vezes que nem dá pra contar. É uma das melhores se não a melhor produção sáfica da história. TE AMK A CRIADA!!

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gag

estou fascinado com esse filme aqui. tem uma atmosfera tão hipnotizante que eu não queria saber de nada além do aconteceria nos minutos seguintes. tem algo que torna ele extremamente sensual e eu aposto na melancolia que rodeia não só os personagens mas o próprio ambiente. é muito interessante acompanhar o modo como o filme escala pois vem sempre algo de surpreendente na história, e todos personagens são tão intrigantes que você sabe que pra onde o passo andar vai ser bom de se acompanhar.

p.s. a sookhee destruindo a biblioteca foi uma das coisas mais sensuais e românticas que eu já vi.

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BE GAY, DO CRIME AT IT'S HISTORICAL FINEST~~

Much sexy, much love, much wow.
Nothing beats having two lesbians happily in love and a happy ending.
do...

The sound of bells and the peaceful moon at the end do justice to the storyline, a beautiful way to drop the curtains. Although yes the movie should be tagged mature for the content.
When you start the movie you feel like a simple con movie? That's it? But at the end who gets coned for real is the real deal. In the end, you feel like no I can not continue this but pleasant it has been.

The complicated nature of humans comes to the surface in this stellar movie. Respect for the actors.

If you think about it, LOVE was what saved them, if both of them continued their initial scheme, they wouldn't have ended up together, if both of them viewed money as their ultimate goal, either one of them would've died. But they chose LOVE in the end, despite the odds, they believed in each other and I think... that's really beautiful. :') ♡

Plot twists at its best. :')

I would definitely recommend this to my fellow LGBTQ+ but only if they're above 21. ;)

To the people who made this film possible and my new women empowerment queen Jung Seo Kyung, kamsahamnida!

Sincerely,
Your gay mind blown viewer

Final Rating: 10/10

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