The Handmaiden was born as an adaptation of Sarah Water's 2002 novel Fingersmith, a Victorian crime novel Park Chang-wook took the inspiration from, taking as a reference its investigation in repression and the limits of female empowerment. Despite of this, he was able to convert the story, the characters and the costumes and scenarios into the dynamics of the Japanese occupation of South Korea during the war. Thus, the film tackles themes as love, betrayal, conflicts on personal interests and liberation. With only four characters, the movie offers a magnificent story with several plots and twists, thanks to a successful choice of narrative style and form. The Handmaiden is an amazing movie that evidences the perfected style of a recognized director who surpasses himself with every movie he releases, that shows majestic combinations of quality cinematography, editing, sound and the perfect use of scenarios, a very well written and complex characters, along with an even more well developed story throughout the plot, thanks to the correct decisions made on form and style of the film. All of this brings together an amazing experience that makes this movie an outstanding work in the 7th art history.

A con artist (Ha Jung-woo) courts a wealthy heiress (Kim Min-hee) with the intention of marrying her and stealing her fortune. He enlists the help of a pickpocket (Kim Tae-ri) to act as the heiress' handmaiden. Unbeknownst to him, the women fall for each other. Another barrier is the heiress' evil uncle (Cho Jin-woong) who has dominated her for many years. The film is based on the novel "Fingersmith" by Sarah Waters and updates the story from Victorian England to Japanese-occupied Korea in the early 20thcentury.There are various plot twists to keep this movie intriguing throughout. The first two (of three) parts are the same narrative while the second is more of a revision of the first with a different perspective. These are the best parts of the film.The third part wraps things up well enough but with some difficult violent scenes. Also, at the risk of giving away a spoiler, the story has too many resemblances to the superb American indie film / lesbian love story "Bound" (1996).In addition to "Bound", "The Handmaiden" takes cues from another more recent lesbian love story "Blue is the Warmest Colour" from France. Both films had sex scenes between two women that began as erotic but ended by being (or at least bordering on) pornographic. The less-is-more approach would have been more effective.Overall though, director Park Chan-wook has crafted a fine film with a fine mix of great performances and stunning photography, settings, and music. The two and a half hours go by with the viewer's full attention.

Chan Wook Park RomanceA conman hires a bootlegger's daughter to help him convince a wealthy woman to marry him. As the woman and her maid come closer and closer the lines get blurred who's conning who ..P.S. :: There are graphic nude scenes, Japanese erotic-folklore--- "This is a movie for the perverted mind." - David Fincher10/10

Park Chan-wook is a master of blending multiple themes in his films. His newest film, The Handmaiden, further proves his mastery of balancing and wrapping every element together in an enjoyable way. The Handmaiden is many things at once; sexual, thrilling, violent, and dramatic. Brilliant directing along with excellent performances make this one of the best films in recent memory. The film is set in Japanese occupied Korea during the 1930s. Sook-He is a poor Korean nursing girl that must use her skills as a pickpocket to get by. Her con artist skills get her involved in a plot by Count Fujiwara (a fake persona used by a fellow poor Korean con artist) to steal the fortune from a rich Japanese book collector by marrying his naive niece. Sook-He is sent to the book collector's vast estate as a handmaiden for the niece, Lady Hideko, who is also the inheritor of the fortune. At first, Sook-He and the Hideko don't get along, but after some time they begin to get closer and more intimate. A romance and alliance forms, one that changes Sook-He's original plan. The Count soon arrives and immediately tries to win over Hideko. From this point, the film becomes a twisted game of cat and mouse between the four main characters. You never know who's on what side and who's conning who.Chan-wook presents the film in three equal chapters. Each part focuses on a central character from their point of view. The first follows Sook-He and Lady Hideko and how they initially act around each other. The second goes back in time to reveal Hideko's childhood and how it was devilishly mangled by her uncle. The third follows the Count and Hideko as they play a game of cat and mouse with each other.Each chapter intersects with another, creating a timeline where the sequence of events is presented out of order. Actions at the beginning of the film are revisited later at different angles and from different points of view, which reveal new information that is key to the structuring of the plot. This technique beautifully creates characters and events that complex and memorable. Layers upon layers of storytelling are given to us through different mediums. It keeps thing fresh as we are constantly piecing the timeline in our heads. One could knock Chan-wook for his overuse of gratuitous sex in a few scenes. The romance between Sook-He and Hideko results in intercourse, which ultimately lasts close to ten minutes and ends up feeling like softcore porn. However, the actual sequence is integral to the main story and is done with such care that it barely hinders the overall quality.Chan-wook is known for his outlandish films that are filled with deep storytelling and rich visuals. Here he has outdone himself as the plot gets more interesting as time passes and the grandiose visuals are candy to the eyes. He uses the Korean and Japanese languages as an element of his story as each brings its own symbolism and meaning. Characters flip between languages constantly and each shift is for a specific purpose. As we are the watching the film, we get a sense that the main theme revolves around female empowerment. At the start of the film, both Sook-He and Hideko are servants under powerful men. Their similar circumstances lead them to form their own destiny together, one that is without a master.The cinematography is gorgeous as we are treated to some of the most elaborate and pleasing shots in recent memory. Chung Chung-hoon uses his full arsenal to create a brilliant sense of atmosphere inside the convoluted mansion. Zoom, pan, and crane shots are used with a clear purpose. They frame the scenes perfectly, giving each actor the right amount of space for their performance. The acting, like the rest of the film, is wonderfully done. The standout performance comes from Kim Min-Hie as Lady Hideko. Her ability to immediately switch from a naive schoolgirl to a vengeful enchantress creates an aura of mystery around her. Kim Tae-Ri as the young Sook-He is amazing as well. She brings a sense of youth and acts as our guide for most of the film. We see most things through her eyes and her reactions and facial expressions are tied to ours as well. Finally, Ha Jung-woo as the Count and Cho Jin-woong as the uncle are a creepy pair of power-hungry men. Their methods may differ, but their results are the same. Jung-woo is confident and cool while Jin-woong is cold and menacing. Both share some great scenes with the lead women and have great chemistry.The Handmaiden is a film that carries multiple themes and things it's trying to do. It exceeds in every area possible, keeping right on track as Chan-wook delivers a story that is both challenging and pleasing. The Handmaiden is n feat in cinema that should be seen by all who want to witness a master at his best.