DVD Review: Acacia

From the school house scares of ‘Whispering Corridors’ to the paranormal terror and strange love affair of ‘Secret Tears’, Pak Ki-hyung now brings us a horror to that safest of places, ‘Acacia’ rocks the suburban family to their core.

The movie is paced in a very slow manner, and we are introduced to what looks like a normal family but they are far from complete. Mi-suk (Hye-jin Shim) is a textile artist, and Do-il (Jin-geun Kim) is a successful obstetrician, but they have one thing missing in their life and that is a child. It seems they have a few problems and the subject of adoption comes up again, but this time they take action.

Jin-seong (Oh-bin Mun) is a small and quiet boy, somewhat introverted and sullen, skilfully drawing his pictures throughout the day in his own imposed isolation. Mi-suk sees potential in him and is drawn to the boy, perhaps he could be the hope they are looking for and they could provide the love he is missing.

Upon entering his new household, Jin-seong, takes up an emotional bond with the dying acacia tree in the back garden. When Mi-suk’s mother arrives for a visit she immediately dislikes the boy and states that he is not a substitute for real blood. Harsh words indeed, and she scolds her daughter for making such a bad decision. However when Mi-suk does actually become pregnant, this is music to her mother’s ears, asking when can the other one be taken back !

As soon as the baby is born Jin-seong starts mistreating it, causing tension within the household. Things get strange, or I should say stranger. Jin-seong is constantly at the tree, high up in the safety of its branches away from the arms of his foster mother. It is never answered how he gets up there for someone his size and this adds to the mystery of the odd relationship. He also starts up a friendship with the little sick girl next door, who says she is a vampire. But with the increasing tension things start to fray at the edges.

Then after a series of events, including the burning of his grandfather’s workshop, Jin-seong goes missing. Things go well off the rails now, the family bicker and squabble and come to physical blows with each other. The next door neighbour’s vampire becomes creepy and wanders in and out like a prophesy of doom. The acacia in the back garden begins to bloom again.

This easily could have went the way of the schlock horror tales of ‘The Guardian’ or ‘The Bad Seed’ but it is in more careful and patient hands than those exploitive two. Its deliberate slow pacing and creepiness eventually starts to get under your skin and leaves you (no pun intended) unsettled for a long time after the credits roll. I will be frank, this is not a roller coaster of a movie, it does not have big bangs and loads of pyrotechnics, but for all its subtlety, that’s what makes it all the more scary.

With long close ups and colourful panoramas, the photography is the real star of this movie. From the bright-multicoloured dream interiors to the stark and bleak minimalist household to the sepia of the flashbacks, this is a wonderful canvas for the story to unfold.

On the extra front, there is a making-of, but this is actually three featurettes and two interview sections (with the cast and the director), and the original theatrical trailer. Tartan once again have done their usual in the excellent choice of sound options, which are 2.0 channel, 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS, all in Korean with optional English subtitles. And with something that is so visually told, the transfer is absolutely flawless, well done guys !