Are you a fan of erotic thrillers (which were prominent in the ’80s-’90s)? Though this is a historical drama, you’ll find elements of the erotic thriller genre. As you may’ve noticed from ads/trailers, there is a love triangle (yet w/ an unexpected twist). This is one of those films where the less you know going in, the better! It is truly unlike anything I’ve seen before; some viewers said they needed to watch it 2x to get everything that’s going on. The story is divided into 3 chapters w/ each told from a different character’s POV. The film may be 2.5 hrs. long, BUT I hardly moved from my seat! The themes are quite relevant to our world: greed (lust for money), gender/sexual repression, women’s desire, and the (potential) dangers of porn. The Handmaiden was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at Cannes (2016). It was released in South Korea on June 1st 2016, to critical acclaim and grossed $38M worldwide. At the 71st BAFTAs, it won Best Film Not in the English Language.

This movie is inspired by the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (2002) which is set in London during the 19th C. The Handmaiden is set in Korea in the 1930s under Japanese colonial rule. Before filming, Park Chan-wook (an auteur w/ an eye for beauty) sent the completed script to Waters for comments. She liked the script, though felt that it is more appropriate to say that the film was ”inspired by” her novel. The film title in Korean (Ah-ga-ssi) means The Lady, referring to Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee); the English/international title is The Handmaiden, referring to Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri). Both Japanese and Korean were spoken by the (mainly Korean) cast. Before shooting, the Korean actors were all assigned Japanese teachers to study the script and learn to speak Japanese. For the theatrical release, the subtitles were color coded to differentiate the two Asian languages spoken in the film: white subtitles were used for Korean, while yellow subtitles were used for Japanese.

[1] What the film does with this basic plot is enjoyable and engaging. The narrative is solid, holds the interest without effort, and is very well paced and structured. […]

The direction, production values, and general pacing of the film, all work together to give it a beautiful appearance and tone. It is quite sensuous to watch, with such great colors, sets, costumes, and designs.

[2] Adapting Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith, a Victorian tale awash with all manner of Dickensian motifs, Park spins an engrossing tale that ebbs and flows with a Hitchcockian suspense; it withholds as much as it discloses; it is an erotic tale that beats with raw fervour.

[3] If the plot and the direction weren’t amazing enough, the movie is as beautiful as they come. From the darkest moment, the most violent, to the most intimate, beauty transpires in every frame, and every scene comes to life and threatens to pop and break free from the screen.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews