Janghwa, Hongryeon (A Tale of Two Sisters) (2003)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Anthony L

  
  Although based on ancient Korean folktale "Jangha and Hongryun", A Tale of Two Sisters feels like a mixture of other films of the genres from that part of the world, such as The Eye, The Grudge and Audition (No, I'm not going to lazily say The Ring as it wasn't… More
  Although based on ancient Korean folktale "Jangha and Hongryun", A Tale of Two Sisters feels like a mixture of other films of the genres from that part of the world, such as The Eye, The Grudge and Audition (No, I'm not going to lazily say The Ring as it wasn't like it at all). As stylish as it is, the twist ending isn't enough of a payoff for having to watch an hour of not much going on. It has its moments here and there but they are too far and few between and a little predictable. I'm a bit disappointed to tell the truth, maybe because I was expecting something special but it does look good and is still worth a punt.

• Lewis C

  
  The original South Korean movie that The Uninvited, an American horror movie from a few years ago, was based on. Both movies are about two sisters who have a very antagonistic relationship with their stepmother, who was once a nurse charged with the care of their sick (and now dead)… More
  The original South Korean movie that The Uninvited, an American horror movie from a few years ago, was based on. Both movies are about two sisters who have a very antagonistic relationship with their stepmother, who was once a nurse charged with the care of their sick (and now dead) mother, and was the catalyst for a tragic event that happened in their lives. A Tale of Two Sisters has much more of a supernatural element than The Uninvited, which is a more straight-forward movie. The endings are very different, as well. Which one you prefer probably will depend on how much "psychological" you like in your psychological horror. A Tale of Two Sisters takes the concept seriously and may confuse the viewer a bit along the way, but it all ties together neatly in the end. I liked the movie, but it probably would have had more of an impact on me if I had seen it back when it was first released in 2003, or at least before I had most of the story spoiled from watching The Uninvited.

• Melvin W

  
  Eun-ju: There's something strange in this house.  "Every family has their dark secrets" A Tale of Two Sisters is anything but what I thought it was going to be. It's actually pretty confusing and until it was just ending I was asking myself, "What the hell… More
  Eun-ju: There's something strange in this house.  "Every family has their dark secrets" A Tale of Two Sisters is anything but what I thought it was going to be. It's actually pretty confusing and until it was just ending I was asking myself, "What the hell is going on?" It has a few really scary images and scenes, but the scariest thing about the film is the tension that Jee-woon Kim creates. It's easily one of the best psychological horror films I've ever seen. I went into it expecting more of a straight horror, but this is definitely more of a psychological thriller. Right now I don't really have much more to say, except that I'm definitely going to watch again; probably this week. It's a movie that almost has to be seen twice. 

• Lee ?

  
  Unfortunately I uknowingly watched the American remake called "The Uninvited" before seeing this original so that kind of took the shine off this viewing experience, but I still really enjoyed the film. As far as Asian horror goes it's up there with the best of them and… More
  Unfortunately I uknowingly watched the American remake called "The Uninvited" before seeing this original so that kind of took the shine off this viewing experience, but I still really enjoyed the film. As far as Asian horror goes it's up there with the best of them and it's certainly one of the best Korean movies I've seen so far. It has a serious creep factor that's ever present and provides some decent scary moments. But there's more than just the supernatural element going on, there's some quite touching emotional drama that later descends into a psychological nightmare with the reveal of the brilliant plot twist. Well worth watching if you enjoy supernatural themed movies as this does deliver some genuine spine-tingling moments and a memorable story.

• Ariuza k

  
  Non-Asian viewers tend to be hyper critical of Asian horror cinema; almost as if they have some kind of authority on the subject. It seems an odd contrast really, as Asian viewers very rarely feel the need to point out how derivative, or indeed, uninspired the vast majority American… More
  Non-Asian viewers tend to be hyper critical of Asian horror cinema; almost as if they have some kind of authority on the subject. It seems an odd contrast really, as Asian viewers very rarely feel the need to point out how derivative, or indeed, uninspired the vast majority American horror cinema is; with the continual reliance on lumberjack "serial killers" in masks, carrying knives - harking back to the more exciting horror/thrillers being produced in Italy throughout the 1960's and early 1970's (Correction some of my favourites as well) - or the popular motif of the innocent child placed in the threat of supernatural forces - which again, can be traced back to the Gothic, heavily-stylised horror films produced in Japan from the 60's to the present day. I also happy to be a "Korean" after viewing this film, we have "indeed" made nothing finer. The plot is slightly more complicated than many similar horror films of the last ten years here; with the film here stressing a more psychological and emotional aspect over the traditional "morality-tale" rendering of the supernatural forces of good vs. evil. Admittedly, there is still that element to it; however, the film uses such themes to go beyond the obvious and probe deeper into the background of these characters, so as to be more open to interpretation. It may not be completely original, drawing on the influence of a number of films that I won't go into for risk of spoilers, but at least it works well within the context of the film. It is also worth pointing out that "A Tale of Two Sisters" is a masterpiece of pure film-making. The cinematography, editing and production design all evoke the idea of hazy, idyllic nostalgia that is cruelly contrasted by the later events of the script; while the performances from the two young actresses at the centre of the film are light years ahead of the kind of hammy over-reaction found in recent films like "The Messengers "or the remake of "The Eye". Without wishing to oversell the experience, "Ji-woon's" film is simply beautiful to look at; something that perhaps comes as a shock to a large number of western audiences expecting horror cinema to be somewhat darker - grittier even - with the presentation of violence and gore. If we look at recent horror films coming out of the US, Great Britain, Australia and France, they're mostly extraordinarily ugly; filled with violence, rape, home invasion, torture and abuse (Even though some are good). You could also see it as being emblematic of the culture that i lived in. However, A Tale of Two Sisters is mostly devoid of such violence. Its horror is psychological; relying on a level of empathy and compassion between the viewer and the characters in order to place ourselves within the context of this situation and its tragic ramifications. It should be seen as the most heartbreaking of horrors; the personal and domestic, directed at children and dismissed by parents as pure fantasia. You could perhaps read more relevant social concerns into it, again, going back to the notion of domestic abuse and its disconnecting effect on children who escape into their own carefully constructed fantasy world, or developing odd relationships with siblings as illustrated here. So, there's a hint of the silent twins going on, as the film creates this strange and beguiling world of summer heat and floral-print interiors, where ambient noises and a wardrobe motif combine to create some occasionally very frightening moments that linger long after that first, initial viewing. The ending of the film is a confusing one, but also beautifully handled by the director and of course the prolonged abstractions of "Takeshi Miike's" horror works, "Audition" and "One Missed Call" in the scene of the story folding in on itself; presenting us with images that could be fact or fiction (it could be "Gozu"), and all building to a frenzy as we approach that ultimate revelation at the end. The characteristics are all here - long silent passages of slow-building tension, a wandering pace, and faces in the dark and pallid spectres half-hidden by tresses of black - however, there's much more to the film than those more immediate elements might suggest. The psychological depth of the film is ultimately as rewarding as the more recognisable horror aspects; with the fantastic performances from the two lead actresses, "Su-jeong" Lim and "Geun-yeong Mun", as well as the fine support from "Kap-su Kim" and "Jung-ah Yum" as the parents (father and step-mother respectively) lending an air of prestige and commitment that goes way beyond the level of performance that we might normally associate with the usually quite lurid horror genre. Nevertheless, it is the direction of" Kim Ji-woon" that really makes this a must-see for fans of pure film-making bravado; as the filmmaker creates a tone similar to the work of director Guillermo del Toro, and in particular his films "The Devil's Backbone" and The Labyrinth of the Faun, AKA "Pan's Labyrinth", with the creation of a stark and otherworldly atmosphere that is beautiful and oddly compelling, whilst simultaneously existing within this incredibly dark and bleak horror story. Without question, A Tale of Two Sisters is a fascinating film; perhaps not the kind that would be be easily understood after a single viewing, though certainly one that is worth coming back to again and again. Ariuza Ki-hyeong

• Dead A

  
  I thought this will be scarier than "The Grudge". Not that it's not. But a tiny bit less. I liked the story and the twist at the end. It was touching. For some reason I find Asian horror movies more frightening. Don't watch it at night (especially if you're… More
  I thought this will be scarier than "The Grudge". Not that it's not. But a tiny bit less. I liked the story and the twist at the end. It was touching. For some reason I find Asian horror movies more frightening. Don't watch it at night (especially if you're alone). The creepy scenes will scare you to death.

• Randy T

  
  Cerebral thriller that blurs the line between the psychological and the supernatural. Very nicely done.

• Wahida K

  
  Asian Horror Movies are very Random. You never know is it a Thriller or Horror, sometimes they begin as Horror and end up with some weird stuff and leave you thirsty behind. This Movie is one of them.

• Carlos M

  
  Sometimes a movie needs to be straightforward in order to work effectively, and though this Asian horror is truly unpredictable and sinister, it fails to scare for being rather confusing up until the end.

• Lady D

  
  Very slow moving at first, then everything seems to happen really fast. Having watched this just the once, I?m still placing pieces together, so am not sure if I totally got it. I know this is a well liked film and my rating reflects my lack of understanding of the film at this… More
  Very slow moving at first, then everything seems to happen really fast. Having watched this just the once, I?m still placing pieces together, so am not sure if I totally got it. I know this is a well liked film and my rating reflects my lack of understanding of the film at this stage and is definitely worthy of another watch.

• Arash X

  
  I wanted to see this for a long time & my expectations were too high specially after watching A Bittersweet Life but I'm pretty dissapointed, To me it was like a simple shallow story told in a tricky way to make it seem more interesting & more profound or maybe I'm… More
  I wanted to see this for a long time & my expectations were too high specially after watching A Bittersweet Life but I'm pretty dissapointed, To me it was like a simple shallow story told in a tricky way to make it seem more interesting & more profound or maybe I'm missing something

• Craig S

  
  <u><b>Directed by:</u></b> Ji-Woon Kim. <u><b>Starring:</u></b> Kap-su Kim, Jung-ah Yum, Su-jeong Lim, Geun-yeong Mun. <i><< "You know whats really scary? You want to forget something, totally wipe it off of your mind,… More
  <u><b>Directed by:</u></b> Ji-Woon Kim. <u><b>Starring:</u></b> Kap-su Kim, Jung-ah Yum, Su-jeong Lim, Geun-yeong Mun. <i><< "You know whats really scary? You want to forget something, totally wipe it off of your mind, but you never can. It can't go away you see and it follows you around...like a ghost." >></i> I will try my best here to not give anything away, so in advance: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD. I'm hearing about many people labeling this as a horror film...it isn't by any means, its a drama and a character study, with some horror elements thrown into the mix to act more as a curtain. The story follows two sisters, who after spending time in a mental institution, return home with there father and there cruel stepmother. As they try to slowly recover, they have to deal with there stepmothers obsessive ways and a ghost, who seems to be stopping there progress. As I mentioned before, it isn't a horror film as such, it focuses deeply on the relationship of these sisters and how memory and trauma can be difficult to move on from. To help create a sense of no hope for these characters (and to cover up any answers), the filmmakers have created Mystery and Horror elements to keep the audience guessing right up until the end and to slowly chill you during the film with amazing tension, beautiful and creepy atmosphere and spine tingling scares. The score fits into the story so amazingly well, its both tragically beautiful and hauntingly chilling. What also surprised me was how great the acting ensemble was, with some strong, captivating performances from Im Sun-yeong and Mun Geun-yeong. The film to me, is a beautiful and complex masterpiece. It studies trauma, memory and the human nature of these characters and all the while, creating a sense of suspense and mystery to add a sense of hopelessness to these characters and to cover the answers up and keep us guessing right until the end...even then you might feel like your viewing of the film is incomplete, don't hesitate to watch it again, as you will find many scenes to study. A rare gem of a film that is to be remade by American's next year...and we all know they will not get the point of the film and make it into a cheap PG-13 'scarefest'. Do yourself a favor and see this now! <p><b>90/100</b> <i><< "As much as you hate it, I'm the only one in this world you can call mother, got it?" >></i>

• Gordon A

  
  Crafted with icy precision this Korean horror superbly brings to life the fears chikdren face when faced with a new step parent. Slightly tired of the Asian child horror genre now though.

• William S

  
  The Ring? - forget it. The Blair Witch Project? - don't even bother. The Exorcist - don't even get me started on that one! ("your mother sucks cocks in Hell!" that's not scary. I just thought "Why wait??") There is a scene in A Tale of Two Sisters… More
  The Ring? - forget it. The Blair Witch Project? - don't even bother. The Exorcist - don't even get me started on that one! ("your mother sucks cocks in Hell!" that's not scary. I just thought "Why wait??") There is a scene in A Tale of Two Sisters that is possibly one of the scariest scenes I have ever seen in a film. A scene that is so scary and thrilling it still makes me a little breathless after four viewings. But that's the thing here - there are many such scenes - what's under the sink, in the fridge, in the closet, behind the door, crawling on the floor?? In fact, EVERYWHERE! But to say it's only about the scares would do it an injustice. It's a deeply moving and multi-layered story of guilt, grief, family values, paranoia and schizophrenia all wrapped up in a haunted house story. With the best ghost stories, it's always better to leave a bit of mystery to keep us wondering. But with A Tale of Two Sisters, it goes a step further, not only confounding us and challenging our expectations right to the very last frame but making us come back a second and even a third time trying to unravel all the plot strands. There are at least two major plot twists that I never saw coming and after each one I was left gob-smacked, more confused but, most importantly, thrilled and excited. Even after seeing it four times there are still things that remain a mystery - who is under the sink? What IS in the fridge?? But that's what is so great about the film. It's also an incredibly beautiful and cinematic film - a wonderful use of the primary colours green, blue and most shockingly red (not always blood). The camera plays some nifty tricks - great close-ups that bring the emotions of the protagonists right into our laps! At one crucial scene the camera seems to subtly quiver which highlights the character's (and our?) incomprehension and distress. The use of sound is also exploited to very scary effect - scratching, clawing, banging, scraping and screeching. If you want an easy ride then see the dismal remake of The Haunting. If you want a thrilling, exciting, deeply moving, slightly troubling, very confusing but ultimately quite rewarding scary horror then check this one out.

• Stella D

  
  creepy psychological thriller with some asian horror thrown in

• Luke B

  
  Ji-woon Kim presents us with his own take on the ever growing and ever popular Asian horror. The film does of course encounter comparisons with 'Ringu', 'The Eye' and so forth, many unfounded. Of course there are similarities between this and any psychological… More
  Ji-woon Kim presents us with his own take on the ever growing and ever popular Asian horror. The film does of course encounter comparisons with 'Ringu', 'The Eye' and so forth, many unfounded. Of course there are similarities between this and any psychological horror. The psychological isn't just code for 'only scary when you think about it', the film has a strong grip on perception and sanity. 'A Tale of Two Sisters' builds up nicely and offers a wide variety of horror, from the unexpected to the classics. It also likes to tease the audience by showing some classic shots, such as the opening of the bathroom cabinet and closing it again. This time no cheap shock is standing in the reflection. The two young actresses are excellent, and really seem threatened by both their stepmother, and the forces within the house. It is a film the audience must invest in, and give it time so it pays off well. After seeing so many horror films, so many films with twists in, it is surprising that this film does have something new to offer. The film has had many interpretations, but can also just be enjoyed for its dark atmosphere and beautiful cinematography, which really shows off in the beginning with the wonderful scenery. Some moments are quite scary, such as the bedroom nightmare that reminds of 'Ringu' but is different enough to avoid immediate comparisons.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Full on plot holes and screenplay traps/bad twists. the only meaningful things about it are a few eerie moments and some performances. sad ending.

• Saskia D

  
  Great Atmosphere. You have to watch it a couple of times before you get it, and then you still don't get it :)

• Drew S

  
  I just watched A Tale of Two Sisters for the second time and, as I predicted, I took a hell of a lot more from it this go around. The first time I watched it, it was with a friend on a television that's older than she is - I probably wasn't paying the most attention. On my… More
  I just watched A Tale of Two Sisters for the second time and, as I predicted, I took a hell of a lot more from it this go around. The first time I watched it, it was with a friend on a television that's older than she is - I probably wasn't paying the most attention. On my high-definition screen and speaker system, however, I got so much from this film that I thought I would pass out. As an aesthetic whole, A Tale of Two Sisters is nearly unmatched. The soundtrack is impeccable and the cinematography and set design are just breathtaking. Rewatching the film with its ending in mind, it absolutely jolted me to see how creatively and thoroughly the plot had been constructed. It's like the Korean equivalent to The Sixth Sense. And unlike so many other pretenders with cheap, stupid twist endings, A Tale of Two Sisters does not tack it on arbitrarily; it constructs its plot around it. It gives you that perfect kick-in-the-pants sensation when you see that all the pieces of the puzzle you've just witnessed fit so flawlessly. Now all we have to do is wait for the American remake to utterly butcher it.

• Kylie B

  
  Incredibly confusing, this film twists and turns all over the place. However, with this film it isn't necessarily a bad thing, it keeps you guessing far longer than most, more straightforward plots - giving the final revelations far more of a punch. It also has the creep factor… More
  Incredibly confusing, this film twists and turns all over the place. However, with this film it isn't necessarily a bad thing, it keeps you guessing far longer than most, more straightforward plots - giving the final revelations far more of a punch. It also has the creep factor evident in many asian horror films, which gives it a thumbs up from me.

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