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Review

The year is 1942; the Korean capital of Kyung Sung is occupied by the Japanese; and the Anseng Hospital lies in the center of the city, representing the twin glories of Japanese Imperialism and Western modernization. But mysterious things are happening at the hospital: An intern, romantically drawn to a corpse, is instead bound by his parents to marry a girl whom he has never met; a traumatized little girl, the lone survivor of a horrific car crash, is tortured by bloody visions; and a married couple, who are doctors, desperately try to manage their colleagues’ behaviors but find themselves investigating a series of brutal murders. As the stories unfold and secrets are revealed, the hospital and its staff descend into a dark abyss from which they may never return. Epitaph marks the stunning debut of the Jung Brothers, who have mentored with some of the best in Korean cinema. Sik Jung worked as an assistant director to Park Chan-Wook on Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Old Boy. The film is sumptuous with stellar production values, including gorgeous cinematography and an evocative soundtrack that is both romantic and menacing. But Epitaph’s emotional richness grounds the film amidst the scares, earning its acclaim for having jump-started the K-horror genre and moving it in a refreshing direction. (Korean with English subtitles)

 -- Lewis Tice