Cô Hâu Gái

This moves at an extremely slow pace. Other than that, there isn't a lot to say. It's a ghost story but it isn't scary. The acting was ok There were a few plot holes that are a bit irritating simply because I prefer loose end to be tied up. I love good ghost stories and there's not many out there so anytime I can find one that has a decent rating I have to check it out. If you enjoy ghost movies you might find this entertaining.

With elements of master-servant romantic relationships in both the Korean film of the same name and Vietnam's superior "Scent of Green Papaya," like those movies, this solid movie does much with very little. What seems like a simple haunting with romantic overtones turns into an epic tale underpinning a much larger morality tale of retribution for colonial injustice. While too slow for many Westerners, this movie makes the most of what it has, never overplaying but keeping viewers guessing. Don't get too comfortable or bored because the whole thing wraps up in a tight, illuminating ending that resonates after the credits. You'll be glad you stay until the end. But be warned: if you were looking for easy romance or obvious horror, you're likely to be disappointed. There's much more to "The Housemaid" than kisses and scares.

I never expect very much when I watch a Vietnamese movie. Most of the time they are not that great due to overacting and things like that. But with The Housemaid I never had that feeling, on the contrary I thought all the actors were good for once. For the horror part I was expecting more though. Okay it's a bit dark and there are some good passages but the movie could have used more of those moments. The story wasn't bad either. It came even with a twist that I didn't see coming and that's always good. I would not go that far that I would watch it again but it's worth a watch. When it's about Asian movies the Korean ones are definitely the best ones but this Vietnamese one was better then I expected it to be.

Not especially original or innovative but given the beautifully shot Vietnamese locales this turns out to be a very watchable variation on a theme. The main interiors of the wonderful colonial dwelling also make for a sumptuous setting. Slightly unsettling for an English viewer is that the mix of local Vietnamese and English speakers actually represents the indigenous people and the French invaders at the time of the conflict in the early 50s in what was then known as Indo China. Once we accept the English speakers are French rubber plantation owners with a bad history the scene is set for spooky goings on in the lovely old house and the fantastic and scenic woods and surrounding area. Bit reminiscent of those 60s Japanese ghost story films but more explicit and more sexy. Very enjoyable and if not full of surprises, the ending probably will be.

The unusual setting of 1950s Indochina under French colonial rule provides Derek Nguyen's horror-romance hybrid with an element of interest that just about prevents it from being written off as yet another generic genre film. Kate Nhung is very sympathetic as Linh, a young peasant girl who wins a job as housemaid to a French captain on a rubber plantation, but her growing relationship with the young captain, and subsequent conflict with other staff members doesn't provide enough impetus. The horror elements are incredibly weak, both in terms of plot development and scares.