Cô Hâu Gái

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.

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.

I thought the pacing was perfect and I liked the blending of the horror done by man that leads to just though heartbreaking justice. The ending was effective and well-done. I will watch this one again.

Simple. Unlike this movies third act - This movie sets up alot of things right, spooky house, black veil ghost, older setting, all done well. However, the plot gets lost along the way somewhere towards the last 20 minutes. When everything is supposed to either be ambiguous or tied off in a neat ribbon, it completely drops the ball.

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.