Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Korean Psychological Thriller: Not For Everyone!, October 24, 2007
Directed by Ki-hyeong Park, the film "Acacia" is neither a horror film, nor is it for everyone. More importantly however, is that the films narrative moves at a very slow pace, with much ambiguity, and patience is required. Furthermore, much of the film moves along a pattern which may suggest that this is a horror film; and this is why I believe many people come away disappointed with this film. It is a psychological thriller. And once again, this film is not for everyone. It is a very ambiguous film [What Korean thriller/horror film isn't these days]. Therefore, I want to recommend this film with caution. Rent it first. The film begins with a couple who after ten years of marriage decide to adopt a child. The mother and father decide that the time has come for them to go to an adoption agency. It is at this agency that the mother becomes fascinated with the drawings of one child [a boy] in particular. Therefore, she decides along with her husband to adopt the boy.
The child is a withdrawn little boy who likes to draw Munch-like pictures [i.e. THE SCREAM]. The little boy Jin-sung (Moon Woo-bin) is well received in his new home. However, the grandmother [Mothers mom] believes that blood is more important and never treats the child as her own grandson. The grandfather [The fathers dad] treats him as one of the family. There is one thing that is strange about this little boy however, and that is his extreme fascination with an Acacia tree in the backyard. But there is a reason for his obsession of this tree, and in his drawing of trees. Moreover, there is more to the tree than the viewer is led to believe. This is where the ambiguity of the film comes in. Why is the child so fascinated with this tree?
Meanwhile, the mother learns that she is pregnant. After the baby is born, the little boy believes no one cares for him anymore. Therefore, he runs away. Or does he? Is he just hiding in the back yard? Maybe the house? Or is there more to the films narrative than just a runaway child? This is where the film comes at the viewer in a very strange manner. Terrible events begins to occur. Why? What is different? It is when the child disappears that the film begins to give off an almost surreal element in many scenes. Are what we viewing real? Is this a ghost story? Or is it something else? The films climax answers ALL the questions you may be wondering about. The cinematography of the film is outstanding. "Acacia" has many twists to it, and the viewer is never let in on it until near the end. Moreover, the film moves at a very slow pace. Therefore, patience is required. The ending I must write is very strange. And once again, I recommend the film with caution. It will not appeal to many viewers. However, if you stay with the film and give it half a chance you may be pleasantly surprised. Recommended with caution. Rent it first. [Stars: 3.5]
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10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"A Boy and His... TREE!", November 7, 2005
*
A middle-aged couple, distraught over the fact that theirs is a ''childless'' household (made even more tragically ironic when given the fact that the husband's profession is that of an Obstetrician), decides to side-step their fertility difficulties by looking into the adoption alternative.
At the agency the wife becomes fascinated with the drawing talents of a 6-year-old boy, and upon meeting the quiet & somewhat withdrawn boy in person becomes enamored with him as well.
He is well received into his new home, which consists of the husband & wife couple and the husband's father, but it takes some time before Jin-sung can adapt enough to truly feel part of the ''family.''
But not everyone in this family is pleased with this arrangement, as the wife's mother makes comments to the affect that Jin-sung is not ''blood'' and as such could therefore never "truly" be the couple's son -- all within earshot of the little boy, no less! Things later take another nosedive as the couple receives the surprising news that they are finally to give birth to a child of their own.
Before long, Jin-sung is feeling left out and alone; his only solace being in the form of a sickly near-dead acacia tree in their yard and a creepy little girl from the house next door who becomes his companion & playmate.
The situation intensifies as Jin-sung runs out of the house one rainy night and is never seen or heard from again, and the family he was once a part of soon begins to disintegrate and implode from within.
A bit miscategorized as part of the "A-Horror" genre, "ACACIA," directed by Park Ki-hyung, who also directed the hugely successful "YEOGO GOEDAM" ("GIRLS' SCHOOL GHOST STORY" - aka "Whispering Corridors"), is really more of a psychological tragedy drama with occasional pepperings of the metaphysical to lend it all an added sense of eeriness -- think another Korean psycho-thriller, "JANGHWA, HONGRYON" ("ROSE, LOTUS" - aka "A Tale of Two Sisters").
Though there's no doubt that anyone with an I.Q. above zero will be able to know where the story is leading; its the process of getting to that resolution that carries us along and keeps us interested. And just like "JANGHWA, HONGRYON," be prepared to be thrown around for several unpredictable loops before the entire mystery has been solved.
For those who'd like to take a break from all of the typical "A-Horror" cliches which have become popular of late, you'll find this particular (semi-)"ghost story" a very refreshing offering. Look for 'closure' ... just don't look for a 'happy ending.'
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
why do you ask when you know what happened, February 15, 2007
I thought that *Acacia* was an interesting movie except for one thing. *Acacia* moves very slow.
A childless couple decides to adopt a child. They go to the orphanage to adopt. The wife sees a painting on the wall. The painting is very similar to Edvard Munch's "The Scream". In this dark painting, the screaming man is surrounded by trees. The wife inquires about its artist and insists on meeting this child.
The adoption goes smooth. The family is trying to bond with one another. The boy takes an immediate fascination with the couple's leaf-less acacia tree in the backyard. From this point on, we start to see that the boy is eccentric in his talks and in his behaviorism. He truly believes that his real folks are inside the tree or rather, they are the tree.
Despite his odd ways, the mother defends him. However, the mother's mother clearly doesn't like the adopted boy. She takes advantage of any opportunity to point out his flaws. Meanwhile, the father's father tells him interesting tidbits about nature and tries to get him involves in little projects. The girl, next door, seems to be the only one who truly accept him as she is a little odd herself.
Things change when the mother finds out that she's pregnant. The adopted boy becomes detached from everyone, even from the girl. Then, one rainy night, he disappears. The parents do not call the police because they assumed that he would return.
So, where did he go? Did he merge with the tree in the backyard? Is he haunting them?
There were some interesting scenes in this film. Overall, I thought it was one of the best Asian horror movies that I've seen. The only bad part about it was that it moves painfully slow.
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