Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/814533
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 23 APRIL 2017 38 This Week LOOSELY inspired by the Sarah Waters novel Fingersmith – as it transplants the story from Victo- rian England to 1930s Korea – the South Korean director Park Chan- wook's latest foray contains his trademark manipulation of excess and plot twists to craft yet another jolt of intense cinema. While what ostensibly a cos- tume drama may not, at first glance, jibe with the aesthetic direction of the man behind in- tense and/or hyper-violent cult classics like Oldboy (2003) and Thirst (2009), The Handmaiden in fact provides ample opportuni- ties for Chan-wook's explorations of sexuality and human depravity to seep through – lulled as the au- dience may be by the false sense of security provided by the film's gorgeous costumes and produc- tion design. When a devious con man oper- ating in Japanese-occupied Korea concocts a cunning plan, his first stop is at an orphanage with a rep- utation of rearing thieves. 'Count Fujiwara' (Ha Jung-woo) enlists the help of the young thief Sook- he (Kim Tae-ri) in his scheme to defraud the mentally unbalanced aristocratic heiress Lady Izumi Hideko (Kim Min-hee) who lives in total seclusion in her family property, currently presided over by her uncle, Kouzuki (Cho Jin- woong) – an avid collector of lit- erary pornography. Sook-hee is to become Hideko's new handmaiden, gaining her trust and ensuring she falls in love with the 'Count', who intends to take advantage of her fragile psychological state and throw her into the madhouse soon after they're married. But what the so-called Count could not have predicted is for the two women to fall deeply in love with each other... a complica- tion that leads to a further flurry of them. With a running time that spans over two hours, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the film makes a softening, or at worst a clear and definite signal of artistic deca- dence from the shining light of South Korean cinema. After all, the costume drama is perhaps one of the most universally 'po- lite' film genres of all time; sat- isfying a reactionary, nostalgic streak that lies dormant in all of us. But the good news is that, while The Handmaiden certainly revels in the aesthetics of luxury, this is all just a front, a point of seduc- tion to lure us into a story whose throbbing darkness is very much a lively, vital force. It's also a very sexy film, in eve- ry sense of the word: apart from a couple of quite explicit erotic scenes involving the two women – plot-sensitive, and punctuated by enough wry humour to short- circuit the inherent problematic of a male director's gaze – the plot is also a deliciously wicked concoction that guarantees both suspense and entertainment. That is was a success story at Cannes last year is to be expect- ed, as is the critical acclaim that was lavished upon it. But perhaps the most memorable – and heart- ening – aspect of the whole expe- rience is that it very much stands alone as a piece of classy enter- tainment. The characters are nasty to each other, and the line between por- nography and its critique is often blurred as the film snakes along its cheeky trajectory. But this is exactly what makes it a trip worth taking. The Handmaiden is a film whose beauty is a strong, in- toxicating narcotic which may prove all too intense for some, but whose wry sense of humour, sumptuous cinematography and serpentine plot ensures that it will capture both your attention and cater to the needs of narrative entertainment. In short, this is a period drama done by Park Chan- wook, and those familiar with the Korean provocateur would do well to remember that his take on this comfy genre will come with its own degree of discomfort. But much like the sado-maso- chistic undercurrents that quiver beneath the belly of this gorgeous beast, it's a pain that's always tinged with pleasure. IN CINEMAS TODAY EMBASSY CINEMAS VALLETTA TEL. 21 227436, 21 245818 Fast & Furious 8 (12A) 10:30, 14:15, 17:30, 20:30 The Boss Baby (U) 10:00, 12:10, 14:20, 16:35, 18:50, 21:05 Kong: Skull Island (12A) 16:00, 18:35, 21:10 Beauty and the Beast (PG) 10:00, 13:00, 15:40, 18:20, 21:00 Smurfs The Lost Village (U) 10:00, 12:10, 14:20, 16:30, 18:40 Ghost in Shell (12A) 20:45 Unforgettable (15) 10:00, 12:15, 14:30, 16:45, 19:00, 21:15 Valletta Living History (U) 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 13:00, 13:45, 14:30, 15:15 EDEN CINEMAS ST JULIAN'S TEL. 23 710400 Beauty and the Beast (PG) 11:30, 16:00, 20:50 Ghost in the Shell (12A) 11:35, 14:00, 16:15, 18:35, 20:55, 23:25 The Sense of an Ending (15) 11:35, 14:00, 16:25, 18:45, 21:00, 23:20 Going in Style (12A) 11:40, 14:10, 16:20, 18:30, 20:50, 23:00 Smurfs: The Lost Village (U) 11:40, 16:35, 21:15 The Boss Baby (U) 11:50, 16:30, 23:15 The Fate of the Furious (12A) 13:00, 14:30, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00, 21:15, 23:00 Kong: Skull Island (12A) 13:30, 16:00, 18:30, 21:00 Beauty and the Beast (PG) 13:55, 18:35, 23:20 Smurfs: The Lost Village (PG) 14:00, 18:45 Unforgettable (15) 14:10, 16:20, 18:35, 20:45 The Boss Baby (U) 14:15, 18:45, 21:00 Logan (15) 14:30, 18:00, 20:45 Graduation (15) 14:30, 21:00 Jewels (PG) 15:00 The Handmaiden (TBA) 18:00 The Lost City of Z (15) 18:30, 21:20 EMPIRE CINEMAS BUGIBBA TEL. 21 581787, 21 581909 The Boss Baby (U) 11:15, 13:35, 16:20, 18:35, 20:45 Fast and Furious 8 (12A) 10:15, 13:00, 15:45, 18:30, 21:15 Unforgettable (15) 11:15, 14:00, 16:20, 18:35, 20:50 Beauty and the Beast (PG) 10:30, 13:15, 15:55, 18:35, 21:15 The Lost City of Z (15) 10:45, 14:00, 18:15, 21:05 Going in Style (12A) 11:20, 14:00, 16:30, 18:35, 20:45 Smurfs: The Lost Village (U) 11:20, 14:00, 16:30, 18:35 Kong: Skull Island (12A) 21:00 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ THE HANDMAIDEN ★ ★ ★ ★ THE HAND THAT FEEDS ★ ★ ★ HELPING HAND ★ ★ HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM ★ HANDS OFF FILM THE HANDMAIDEN (TBA) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Sexy and gorgeous thriller from the Korean master By Teodor Reljic Sumptuous, sensual and very, very sexy: Kim Tae-ri (left) and Kim Min-hee subvert the best laid plans of a particularly devious man in the most erotic way imaginable Ha Jung-woo