Watch The Housemaid

The Housemaid is a Vietnamese horror/thriller film released in 2016, directed by Derek Nguyen. The movie is centered around a young woman named Linh, who takes up the job of a housemaid in a French-Vietnamese household. The employer, Captain Sebastien Laurent, is a French army officer who has recently returned to Vietnam after fighting in the Algerian War. He resides in a magnificent mansion with his elegant, yet detached wife and their young daughter. Although the job seems to be relatively straight-forward, Linh soon realizes that there are sinister forces at play within the walls of the mansion.

The Housemaid begins with some beautifully shot scenes of the Vietnamese countryside, including rice paddies and palm trees, before transitioning to the lavish, yet decaying mansion. The atmosphere of the film is immediately established as eerie and unsettling, with creaking old floorboards, looming shadows, and lingering camera shots that create a sense of dread. The story-line is inspired by the original 1960 Korean adaptation, with the Vietnamese filmmakers adding their own twists and turns along the way.

As soon as Linh starts her job, strange occurrences begin to happen. She hears crying from an unknown source, doors opening and closing by themselves, and eerie sounds permeating throughout the house. As she moves through the mansion, Linh constantly feels as though she is being watched, with a sense of malevolence constantly bearing down upon her. She also becomes aware of the strained relationship between the Captain and his wife, with a sense of melancholia permeating throughout the family dynamic.

The film is a slow burn, with the filmmakers gradually escalating the tension and fear throughout the story. The characters are well-developed, and the acting is excellent, particularly from the lead actress, Nhung Kate, who delivers a subtle and nuanced performance. The Captain, played by Jean-Michel Richaud, is a complex character, and the audience is left questioning his motivations and intentions. Kim Xuan, who plays the mistress of the house, also delivers a captivating performance, showing her character's vulnerability and helplessness within the confines of the mansion.

As the story progresses, it increasingly becomes evident that there are deep secrets being held by the family. Linh becomes entwined in the mystery, as she discovers that the house is haunted by the ghosts of the previous occupants, who seem to have tragic stories of their own. The interactions between the ghosts and the living create a sense of unease, with the spirits communicating directly with Linh in both verbal and non-verbal ways.

The themes of The Housemaid include betrayal, revenge, and the ghosts of the past haunting the present. The film is also a commentary on the effects of colonization and imperialism, with the French occupying Vietnam serving as an underlying subtext throughout the story. In addition, the film explores the notion of class divides, with Linh being a migrant worker in a household that is financially and socially superior to her.

The cinematography of The Housemaid is stunning, with the vivid greens of the countryside contrasting with the muted tones of the mansion. The film's score is haunting and adds to the eerie atmosphere of the story. The production design is also noteworthy, with the filmmakers creating a vintage look for the house and its interior spaces.

In conclusion, The Housemaid is a well-crafted, atmospheric horror/thriller that delivers on suspense and scares. The performances, direction, and design elements are all impressive, and the story-line is engaging and twisty. Fans of the horror genre, particularly those who enjoy supernatural tales, will appreciate this film's slow-burn approach and impressive technical aspects. The movie is a perfect example of how horror can transcend language and culture, and an excellent addition to the genre.

The Housemaid is a 2016 romance movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 46 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.7 and a MetaScore of 61.