A TALE OF TWO SISTERS
Directed & Written by: Kim Jee-Woon.
Produced by: Oh Kimin & Oh Jung-Wan.
Director of Photography: Lee Mo-Gae.
Edited by: Lee Hyeon-Mi.
Music by: Lee Byung-Woo.
Released by: Tartan Films.
Language: Korean with English subtitles.
Country of Origin: South Korea. 115 min. Not Rated.
With: Kim Kap-Su, Yum Jung-Ah, Lim Su-Jeong & Mun Geun-Yeong.

In the aftermath of their mother's death, two sisters (played by Lim Su-jeong and Mun Geun-yeong) become embattled with their shrew of a stepmom (Yum Jung-ah). Paranormal activity within the house makes the girls wonder whether something supernatural is lurking about or if they are merely being tortured by their father's new bride.

A Tale of Two Sisters is an overly-ambitious mystical thriller where cheap scares are substituted for character development. The stepmother is indeed wicked and the sisters are hopeful rebels, but the film quietly veers into narrative perplexity. The film is largely a plot-based workout for the mind, disguised as a horror film. Before the latest revelation can be grasped, director Kim Jee-Woon hits us with another scare followed by another a trickle of clues.

The film does deserve praise, however, for its lavish cinematography. We are at the least given the chance to appreciate what we are seeing even if we don't understand all that is happening. Light and shadow simply cannot be better used than they are during a tense dinner scene. And the performances are of the same caliber we have come to expect from the recent wave of Asian horror. Most notable is Yum Jung-ah as their father's deliciously restrictive new wife. But whether or not the film gratifies depends largely on the viewer's desire for complete clarity. Michael Belkewitch
December 17, 2004