Review of The Handmaiden (2016) by Reginthorn — 30 Dec 2016

Park Chan-wook is one of the most versatile directors around. Sure, Park seems fixated on tales of vengeance but never does the worn theme feel like a detractor in his films. Oldboy and Snowpiercer add intricate layers which transform the initial quest for revenge into other issues entirely.

The Handmaiden is a movie that keeps the best traits of the South Korean director. Sure revenge underlines the narrative and yet the film is not entirely about revenge. Likewise, the Handmaiden is an erotic thriller and isn’t an erotic thriller.

A lesser director would hone in on the pornographic but the film never undercuts one of the meta-messages found within the film. Without spoiling Handmaiden, a Clockwork Orange is a film with a similar meta-commentary directed at the audience.

Instead, the erotic scenes give the intended effect without going full throttle. The result is a lesbian love story which accentuates emotion over physicality. Male directors have a tendency to get a little excited with lesbian love stories and turn an otherwise amazing movie into pornography.

Blue is the Warmest Color is a recent example of a film which could have utilized a little restraint required of its subject matter. The central “love triangle” in the Handmaiden is given an air of realism due to the level of restraint.

Most characters are never who they appear to be throughout the film. In fact, the three chapter structure of the film allows for the rare successful attempt at having more than one plot twist. Film veterans are likely the only group of people who can put the puzzle pieces together early on.

The twists never come across as cheap gimmicks thanks to the cinematography. The gorgeous mise en scene is spellbinding with the amount of variation found in limited locations. In spite of the lavish designs, the camera never hides character ticks one can begin to hone in on.

The Handmaiden contains a lot of the admirable traits one might in a Stanley Kubrick film (the Clockwork Orange reference is not entirely pulled out of a hat). However, the middle-aged Korean director is able to separate and maybe transcend Kubrick in his use of overt dark humor.

Manchester by the Sea is another serious film which also successfully utilizes humor to create a humanistic story. Kubrick usually utilizes dark comedy for an entirely different effect. The Handmaiden is an absolutely must-see for those who appreciate cinematic greatness.