Synopsis: A woman is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, but secretly she is involved in a plot to defraud her. (145 Mins)

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Views: Inspired by Sarah Waters' novel, 'Fingersmith', the great Park Chan Wook's dark drama exchanges Victorian London for 1930s Korea, the period of its Japanese occupancy. A young Korean woman (Sook-Hee) wins the job of being a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress (Hideko) who lives a very secluded life at her country estate. Hideko shares a home with her domineering uncle, who is rumoured to be after her hand in marriage if only to be one step closer to her fortune – but he's not the only one. Before leaving for her job, professional pickpocket Sook-Hee was trained by her boss and taught of a plan to rob the heiress. Posing as a Japanese Count, the king swindler hatches a plan to also elope with Hideko in order to rob her of her fortune, and with Sook Hee's help, send her to the madhouse. With things set in motion, the plan seems to be going well until Sook-Hee and Hideko soon start falling for each other and the twists of their fates are revealed...

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There's no denying that The Handmaiden is an impeccable piece of filmmaking. But then what else would you expect from the creative mind of Park Chan Wook, the very same man behind incredible titles such as Joint Security Area, Thirst, I'm A Cyborg, and of course, the amazing Vengeance Trilogy! With an amazing 66 wins (including 1 BAFTA Film Award) and over 100 nominations, The Handmaiden is a gorgeous film filled with wonderful dialogue, clever humour, and some gripping drama that highlights once again that South Korean filmmakers are currently the best in the industry. There isn't really a lot more I can say that would be any different or possibly convince you in other way, that thousands of other critics haven't already said or been able to do, to make you watch The Handmaiden. Even at two and a half hours long, you can't take your eyes from the screen as every frame holds your attention with its beauty, its twists, and its performances!

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The beautiful Kim Tae Ri plays the titular handmaiden, Sook-Hee in her debut feature film role (after starring in a handful of short films), and has since gone on to impress with roles in 1987, the incredible Mr. Sunshine television series, and as Captain Jang in the super-fun Space Sweepers which I just loved. Her performance here is nothing short of exceptional, blending some great humour with such a dramatic role that called for dedication in regards to her romantic encounters with Hideko. Kim Min-Hee plays Lady Hideko, the unfortunate heiress who had a pretty rough life under the command of her eccentric and abusive uncle. Starting her career in the late 90s with a role in K-drama, School, Min-Hee quickly made a name for herself in a host of television drama's as well as feature films such as The Sword With No Name, Moby Dick, No Tears For The Dead, and of course, this. Her uncle is played Cho Jin Woong, made to look a bit older than he actually is. Having only been acting for less than 20 years, the Busan born actor began life in the film business in the little-known crime thriller, Running Wild, and quickly climbed the ranks starring in television and film projects such as The Guard Post, A Man Called God, The Front Line, and Assassination. The final piece of the puzzle is played by the wonderful Ha Jung Woo, one of my favourite South Korean actors. From She's On Duty to The Fox Family, The Chaser to The Yellow Sea, Jung Woo has appeared in a vast amount of great titles. One of the latest would-be Along With The Gods 1 & 2, two incredible films that see him play a grim reaper and get in on some amazing action. His role here as the fake Japanese Count who toys with the lives of two young women, only adds to his repertoire as one of Korea's leading men.

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Apart from its amazing cast and wonderful story, two other things really stood out for me in making The Handmaiden an incredible watch. The first is the cinematography – gorgeously captured by Chung Chung Hoon, a DOP who has worked with Park on many of his titles including Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, Thirst, I'm A Cyborg, and even his Hollywood debut, Stoker. Of course, his talents don't stop there having also delivered the cinematography for many other Korean projects and Hollywood hits such as IT: Chapter One, Zombieland: Double Tap, and the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney Plus. As with all of his work, Chung delivers a stunning collection of visuals under the direction of Park, proving to be a winning team in understanding the importance of making every frame count. The second would have to be the score, wonderfully composed by Jo Yeong Wook who began enchanting the industry with The Quiet Family (later remade by Takashi Miike as Happiness Of The Katakuri's) in 1998. From there, Jo would be the maestro behind many great titles such as Tell Me Something, Public Enemy, Oldboy, Blood Rain, I'm A Cyborg, New World, A Taxi Driver, and many more. All in all, both help make The Handmaiden a hugely entertaining film that stands strong as one of Park Chan Wook's finest and very much deserved of its many wins.

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Definitely one of my new favourites and a masterpiece of modern cinema!

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Overall: Thrilling, funny, and gorgeous on many levels, The Handmaiden is a film that should be seen by any true fan of cinema!