Review of The Handmaiden (2016) by Ian T — 26 Apr 2017
The Handmaiden is a fine-tuned film, immaculately orchestrated, exquisitely performed and near-enough impossible not to admire.
The ever-cunning Park Chan-Wook plays with expectation and distorts anticipation, reimagining ideas from Sarah Waters' English-set novel The Fingersmith as a distinctly Eastern whirlwind of pitch black wit and untouchable mistrust.
The visionary director whips up a curious concoction of sexually-charged savagery and ghostly misgivings, delivering a unique tale which is quite literally constructed, deconstructed and torn apart before our very eyes, in such a way that demands our attention and captures all corners of our imagination. Few films offer such a showcase of pure cinematic dexterity.
This review of The Handmaiden (2016) was written by Ian T on 26 Apr 2017.
The Handmaiden has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
