Movie Review: The Handmaiden

Park Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden is for lovers: of others, of South Korean cinema and, most importantly, of psychosexual mind games. Finally, something for everyone.

There is no way to predict where Park Chan-wook’s peccadilloes will lead him next.

In the decade since his “Vengeance Trilogy” (containing his international breakout, Oldboy), he’s concocted a vampire movie about a randy priest (Thirst), made an English-language debut about incestuous murder pacts (Stoker) and, now, in The Handmaiden, adapted the salacious Fingersmith saga – just ‘cos.

It’s a mostly faithful retelling of Sarah Waters’ original novel, though the setting has been transplanted from 19th century London to 20th century Korea. His 145-minute movie – lusciously filmed, as you’d expect - dutifully explains how a young pickpocket is recruited by a con-man to fool an heiress into marrying him and sharing her riches.

For a moment, you wonder what about this tale in particular took Park’s fancy. Perhaps it was the complicated racial dynamic between Japanese aristocracy and the Korean underclass (particularly during this period of Japanese occupation); it would certainly be of a piece with an earlier project of his: Joint Security Area (in which North and South Korean soldiers found companionship amid an uneasy truce).

But then, The Handmaiden unpeels itself – and its characters’ clothes – revealing its true form: a deliciously filthy tale of quadruple-crossing betrayal and repressed sexual obsession. His favourites!

Newcomer Kim Tae-ri plays Sook-hee, the Korean swindler recruited by the nefarious Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo) to play the part of obedient body woman to Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee, personally embroiled in a romantic controversy of her own back home). The delicate Hideko, step-daughter of the cruel Uncle Kouzuki (Cho Jin-woong, in absurd old age make-up and fake eyebrows), has never stepped beyond the walls of her giant estate, making her vulnerable enough to fall for Fujiwara’s scheme – especially with Sook-hee constantly in her ear, convincing her to submit to his advances.

The trouble comes when Sook-hee and Hideko’s surprise, simmering feelings for one another boil over and threaten to unravel Fujiwara’s long-con. Or so we’re led to believe. After the first hour, the movie – adapted by Park and his co-screenwriter Chung Seo-kyung – contorts backwards to show us who is playing who, only to do so again in the third and final act. The Handmaiden and its twists are many-tentacled - and the tentacle reference is not one I make lightly.

(If you’re wondering where else Park took creative licence besides a change in location, just wait until the octopus and torture chamber arrives towards the end. He just couldn’t resist, could he?)

Wickedly cheeky and often very funny, The Handmaiden only suffers from Kim Tae-ri’s sometimes stilted performance and forced attempts at humour. (This is her first feature film.) True, these things can be lost in translation, but Kim Min-hee’s magnetism certainly isn’t. Her character undergoes the most shape-shifting, yet she is perfectly capable of playing the picture’s multiple levels at once. Now here’s a confidence woman.

The graphic nature of the flick’s sex scenes – some indeed shot in first-person, by the heroic Chung Chung-hoon – have helped The Handmaiden almost earn the highest classification possible in Australia. The Government tells us they are “high impact”, though that doesn’t quite convey their ecstatic, swirling delirium. Some fire emoji probably would have been more accurate.

Park’s love of snaky, entangling narratives and bursts of vengeance-fuelled violence (not to mention a healthy dollop of hardcore necking) aside, The Handmaiden still displays his sensitive side too. Like JSA and his “Vengeance Trilogy”, it calls for empathy and understanding between incompatible parties on a socio-political and moral level. It’s also a forbidden love story and those who saw Oldboy will remember Park is particularly skilled with tales of star-crossed lovers.

With the restrictive classification in mind, know that The Handmaiden is not for everyone. I’ll even offer some extra advice: Bring a napkin to dab your forehead with; sweats will break.

4.5/5

The Handmaiden arrives in Australian cinemas October 13. It is rated R18+ for high impact sex scenes.