A Tale of Two Sisters (KR) (V)
| release date | March 29 2005 |
| studio | Tartan |
| director | Ji Woon Kim |
| writer | Ji Woon Kim |
| starring | Su-jeong Lim, Geun-yeong Mun, Jung-ah Yum |
| tagline | Our sorrow was conceived long before our birth |
| site | films.tartanfilmsusa.com/ataleoftwosisters |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |
3 Comments
Really great interesting movie. I thought it was very very well done and deserves a watch for anyone who will watch a subtitled flick. Very Strongly recommended.
Beautiful film! Kept me on the edge of my seat and the edge of my nerves. Cinematography is mesmerizing and helps pull you in. The PG-13 American remake will most likely be another turd to add to the hill of beans that is Ameriacan remakes. Just watch this gem and forget that American remakes even ever happen.
i am not much into asian thrillers and what not cause Ju-on is just lame, but this movie gave me the creeps and is a must see for fans of asain cinema.
Absolutly fabulous! The story was amazing and told in a way that keeps you pondering forever.
Excellent movie! The scares slowly build up to a very memorable end of revenge and a well organized plot twist. I bring this one out frequently when guests want something intelligent and creepy-as-all-get-out. This one won’t scare you all the way through though, it makes you think about what is occuring, then it pays off rather nicely in the end. Check it out and see for yourself!
An excellent horror movie.
Before I pessimistically reveiw A Tale of Two Sisters, or even start talking about the predictability of the horror genre, let me start by saying this. Have you ever watched a comedy and thought “Hmm, that was pretty clever, I guess . . .” after a joke, but didn’t laugh? The reason so many comedies simply aren’t laugh-out-loud funny anymore is because they just repeat the same jokes over and over again. You may have not heard that EXACT joke before, but you’ve likely heard a thousand others that deal with the same subject matter and have a similar punch line. Likewise, that’s also the problem with A Tale of Two Sisters, with a horror plot rather than a joke. After it was over I thought “Hmm, that was pretty clever, I guess . . .” but more than that I was just thinking how utterly dull it was. You see, A Tale of Two Sisters has a clever ghost story plot that I’ve personally never seen done before, but I’ve seen hundreds of other movies with plots almost EXACTLY like it. It had very little creativity, and absolutely zero originality.
There are a lot of major problem with the statement that horror fans everywhere seem to be agreeing on: “Asians are the only people making real horror movies.”
Here are some. (1) Asian horror cinema, with the exception of maybe Ringu, has never once made a horror movie as creative or well-done as American horror like The Shining and Alien. (2) Asian horror cinema has never once made a movie as gory as American mainstream releases, such as the Saw series. And yes, I’ve seen Ichi the Killer and all the other supposed “gory” Asian movies. Simply put, the camera is always staring at the wall while gore happens somewhere else. Gory? Are you joking? (3) Asian horror mainly just repeats the same plots over and over again, never once useing any kind of originality or diversity. Example: Mirrors, Ringu, and The Eye all follow the same exact plot. (4) A lot of Asian horror rips-off American horror. Example: Dark Water is pretty much The Shining . . . with water. (5) The majority of Asian horror isn’t really horror at all, but drama. (6) I could go on for another page listing things, but do I need to? A lot of horror fans are catching on by calling most Asian “horror” not horror at all.
A Tale of Two Sisters falls into every one of those categories other Asian horror movies have created. Why couldn’t the movie just be as good as the poster?
Bad:
- Slow, boring, and then tries to hold your interest by using clichés (such as the bag scene in the end).
- Characterization, to be blunt, doesn’t even exist.
- The entire story has a “I’ve seen this a thousand times!” feel.
- Clichés around every corner (such as the asylum opening, and the under-the-sink scene).
- In the end, some of the over-the-top acting from the adults adds a thin layer of cheese.
- The “intelligent” thinkers will love this movie because it has the trite, cliché psychological structure that is used in every movie just like this.
- As I’ve said four times now, the entire movie is completely devoid of anything even remotely original or different from the Asian norm or the ghost story norm in general.
- There is little, if anything, scary about this movie. It’s drama.
Good:
- The cinematography and production values are both beautiful and crisp.
- It understands childhood fear, and presents it well to the audience.
- The two bed scares near the beginning are very, very well-done.
- The young girls play their parts very well.
But overall, A Tale of Two Sisters is only half the masterpiece everyone seems to think it is. It is essentially the Asian copy of The Sixth Sense, in terms of quality and overall structure, and they would be about on par with each other if it didn’t feel like A Tale of Two Sisters was just trying to redo it with Asian style. But both are just average-at-best ghost stories. It’s sad to see so many people mindlessly praise a movie because of the style and not the story.
Let me put it this way: if A Tale of Two Sisters didn’t have the production value and nice directing it did, it would be on par with The Haunting of Molly Hartley and I Know What You Did Last Summer in terms of originality.
Movie was fantastic and deeper than what it may seem. I personally was slightly confused after watching it but after thinking about, the movie made a lot of sense and it gave me the chills. There are many elements of this movie that may seem very trivial but in fact, play a great role in understanding the entire film properly. The actresses mostly, did a brilliant job portraying their characters.
Definitely worth a watch.
Very cool movie, watched this at work tonight (I know tough job). Very creepy. The story kept me involved even during the slower parts. Very satisfying watch.
boring, dull and seriously darn stupid god i f_cken hated this piece of sh_t because i read the review here and on alot of pages and it was said that this was one of the scariest movies on the planet i was like pleeeeeeeeaaaaaase FIRST. theres the caracter development oh please i didnt gived a f_ck about those girls and their stupid father cause sincerely for me the character development iswhat less cares in a movie i mean it matters but not that much SECOND. the music was making me feel sad borned like if i wanted to sleep or something THIRD. the ending was the most disastrous and stupid ending i have ever seen in my whole life THIS MOVIE SCREAMS FOR AN UPDATE THANK GOD THE REMAKE IS LIKE 2 WEEKS AHEAD AND I DONT CARE IF THE REMAKE SUCKS CAUSE IT CANT SUCK AS HARD AS THIS ONE.
DIS MOOBIE IZ GOOD. LUK HOW ARTICULATE I AM
excellent film.
beautiful imagery, great acting, creepy and moody.
i want 2 see this one just need 2 find it
It’s sad when people mistake things like drama, suspense and character development for boring or stupid or uncool. Sorry this movie isn’t about some guy in a mask brutally murdering people left and right. It’s about SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT and those of you who can’t contemplate that don’t deserve to enjoy such an amazing, thought provoking movie such as this in the first place.
Dark, moody and horrifying. Kim Jee-Woon’s Tale of Two Sisters is truly and masterfully executed psychological thriller, under the guise of a horror movie.
This movie takes us into the convoluted and remorseful mind of Yeom Jeong-ah. This psyche that is so full or remorse and sorrow, sets the tone for this movie, which is not only intellectually stimulation but also horrifying. This dark masterpiece will take you through several twists and turns, and every bit of it is as enjoyable as the next. Another excellent movie by South Korean director Kim Jee-Woon.
movie kept me thinking the entire time. very dark and emotional. take it from someone who isn’t crazy about Asian horror, I really liked this movie!
A high concept but overwrought slightly creepy horror film. It’s a bit drawn out and seems a bit forced but there are some really creepy moments.
This is a slow paced film at first. The directing is stunning though.
The film keeps you guessing on what is going on. The beginning gives you a big hint, and the plot doesn’t have any holes, so it is pretty refreshing. This mixes supernatural with psycho thrills. There is some pretty terrifying moments, but over all the film gets you with it’s uneasy moments and that satisfying ending.
This was the best psychological thriller i have ever seen. I put it up there with “psycho”. it was everything i look for in a horror movie: scary, compelling, beautifully shot, made me think, and has a surprise ending. i highly recommend it.
loved this film!! the twist may be a bit much but the beautiful cinematography and wonderful performance steered it where it had to be. definitely in my top 10.
This is an excellent film as others have said, I really didn’t find it creepy more darker then anything, the acting was great and it hooked me in until the dying minutes enough said.
very strange creepy film
…and a movie that every budding horror movie director should watch. I’ve always found that the movies that scare me the most dispense with any kind of soundtrack, and let the props and the actors do their work. This movie presses all the right buttons with its use of shape and shadow, and naturally sound, creating a palpable sense of dread that lurks in every corner of the movie…and your mind. More than any other horror movie I’ve seen, this is the one that reminds me most, of being a kid, and how going to bed, was, on occasion, a flipping terror.
Anyone that saw this and loved it should see another film by the same studio. “Cinderella” This film, however, was creepy and very sad. It tells a story that makes you want to re watch it to understand the second side of the film. If you watch it, the story can be told by three different point of views. Brilliant! I never saw a film that made me want to watch three times just to get the different feeling of each character. You will only understand this afer first viewing.
It’s very interesting and I highly recommend!
This movie was a bit slow but the story was very strong and kept my attention throughout. One of the more original movies I’ve seen.
Great film… Korean’s rule…
Great movie
Another amazing Korean movie.
Maybe I’m missing something. Saw all the stellar reviews and rented this thing with very high hopes. What a piece of crap. Slow, boring, confusing, not scary other than a few creepy scenes. I wish I could get those 2 hours back. No more Korean films for me.
Such a slow film but still worth a watch.
worth watching, but it just seemed so slow to me. pretty much figured it out after a few minutes into it. it’s an ok flick, not near as scary as it’s made out to be.
beautifully haunting and well worth the watch. i love asian horror so my view may seem biased but seriously watch it, a very clever film if anything.
An intriguing plot that keeps you glued and guessing right up to the end. A perfect blend of creepiness and jump scares keep the intensity just right! Loved it!
One of my favorite films of all time. Love it to death.
It’s well shot, well acted and definetly creepy. The story however is very, very confusing. But it’s solid asian horror right here. Definetly worth the watch.
5 Skulls for this great film. Super atmospheric, amazing cinematography, very very creepy, with a few excellent scares. Dont look under the sink!!!
Sooo this movie was a little confusing at points but nonetheless a good movie.
This movie was confusing at times and could have been better in some aspects, but it was an overall good movie.
Whilst A Tale of Two Sisters isn’t quite the masterpiece I was hoping for, it shows off what makes Asian cinema so good. A Tale of Two Sisters has the power to linger in your mind a long time after the credits have rolled. Not least because the film becomes confusing beyond belief leaving me not knowing what the hell was going on throughout most of the second half. However, after reading a long post explanation on IMDb I can now appreciate just how intelligent, powerful and tragic this film is. Most viewers probably won’t give the film a seconds thought, however it truly is worth it, in the same way that Mulholland Dr offers you a narrative puzzle, yet solving it allows you to appreciate the thought and care that has gone into the film. This is when film becomes art.
One problem I had with A Tale of Two Sisters is that it dragged. Especially in the first half, which was very slow. However, I fear that I may only be saying this because the slow pace took me by surprise. Especially after seeing Kim Jee Woon’s fast-paced masterpiece, I Saw the Devil before-hand. A Tale of Two Sisters takes a much lower gear, and I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I had known that before. The slow pace is also a strength however, as the film builds up quite an oppressive atmosphere where something doesn’t feel quite right. A lot of the film relies on atmosphere so if you’re immune to that, then you might be bored to death!
The film is beautiful to look at however, with some perfectly framed images and a perfect set design. The house looks eeriely beautiful with its flowery wallpaper, however as things take a darker turn the house starts to appear more mennacing and appears exactly like your classic haunted house. It’s important to note that A Tale of Two Sisters isn’t actually a ghost story. I mean, it does have incredibly creepy moments (ghost on the bed *shivers*) but the film puts intense drama first, which I liked, but perhaps some people wouldn’t. I loved the whole tension between Su-mi and her evil step-mother, and the film is driven by this frosty relationship.
The ending offers a revelation which left me as bewildered as the end on Mulholland Drive. However, just like Mulholland Drive there is a perfectly reasonable and highly intelligent explanation which I urge you to read if you’re unsure. Now I can appreciate the incredible writing skills and just how powerful this film is. It demands a second viewing as you’ll be able to see the film in a completely different light due to its complex multi-layered nature. It’s, for me, what raised A Tale of Two Sisters to an atmospheric 8/10 to a 9/10 and makes it a film which I can’t wait to see again.
A Tale of Two Sisters is a very creepy film, which turns out to be something very sad and more intelligent than you could imagine. I can imagine that the remake (The Uninvited) would’ve completely butchered A Tale of Two Sisters by sucking out the atmosphere and making it more dumb like the Pulse remake (I’ve not seen the Pulse remake, I’ve seen enough from the trailer!) A Tale of Two Sisters is superior horror which battles a lot of themes and also has a lot of memorable characters. The film does drag in places, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. If you go in expecting a slow, psychological drama with a ghost or two then I can’t see why you wouldn’t enjoy it!