DVD Review: Shadows in the Palace [궁녀] R3

The story begins when Wol Ryeong, a court maiden, is discovered dead by her roommate. While performing an autopsy on Wol, Cheon Ryeong (Park Jin-hee), the medic for the court ladies, discovers evidence of foul play and a pregnancy. But higher court ladies, who fear that the murder could upset the balance of the inner courts, order Cheon to record the death as suicide. She knows the evidence she found points towards murder. Convicted to reveal this murderous plot Cheon ignores the orders from her superiors and risks her own life to find Wol’s murderer.

Here was a film that was seemingly about a murder mystery and the difficulty to unravel that murder plot within the confines and intrigue of the inner workings of a Joseon Dynasty palace. Yet as the spiritual and haunting elements were introduced into the film I soon under the impression that the murder mystery element of the story was too weak to successfully carry this film on its own. That impression was only confirmed as the film switched from murder mystery to creepy ghost and, cringe, long black hair effects. Unfortunately, the horror elements of the film cannot carry it the rest of the way and may only succeed in confusing other viewers.

It is an attempt at the ‘epic genre’ that simply doesn’t convince. Plot twists aside, when the real intentions behind the murderous plot are revealed you are neither surprised nor convinced, they are almost expected considering the context and content of the film. I was more interested in the maiden court workings than I was of the horror/haunting elements. The physical and mental stress that came with positions in the court was more horrific than the ghost bits. They were stronger, more interesting and actually bloodier than their horror mashing counterpart.

‘Shadows in the Palace’ is the debut feature written and directed by Kim Mi-jeong. Her script does bring out fine characters; all of the female roles are strong in their own sense. There is nothing wrong with her direction either; she proves to be very competent behind the camera as well. I think where she wants the film to succeed is where it fails. There is too much dependence on the horror elements in the latter half of the story. So much so that the real horrific atrocities performed in the third are dulled by the surrounding horror elements.

Shadows in the Palace is good, not great. It’s dependence on horror elements in the latter half of the film simply cancel out any impact the real hardships of a court maiden in the palace courts. I would have found that more interesting. Adding horror for the sake of horror masks over the real horror of the situation, that there was seemingly no limit as the depths one of would go to secure their place with the walls of a kingdom. 

DVD Details

Disc 1
# Feature Presentation: Shadows In The Palace
# Commentary with Director Kim Mi Jung and Jung Seung Hye, CEO of Morning Pictures
Disc 2
# Making Of
# Arts Direction
# Costumes
# Visual Effects: Digital Images, Computer Graphics
# Poster Shoot
# Teaser
# Theatrical Trailer

Region Code: DVD Region Code 3
Release Date: January 2, 2008
Language: Korean
Subtitle: English, Korean
Screen Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Sound: Dolby DTS 5.1

Related Links

• YesAsia buy it here