Hide and Seek

From a purely technical perspective, this South Korean thriller from first-time director Huh Jung impresses, using genre tropes to generate considerable suspense and numerous shocks. But in terms of narrative, it offers little coherence or plausibility. Hide and Seek begins with a rumor that squatters are invading people's homes, living there undetected along with the owners. Aside from a prologue in which a woman is attacked while returning to her rundown flat, however, that promising premise is pretty much shunted to the side as the film centers on well-to-do restaurant owner Sung-soo (Son Hyun-joo)—living in a spiffy condo with his wife and kids—who learns that his ex-con brother has disappeared. Sung-soo goes to his sibling's tenement, where he meets a resident who throws him out violently after Sung-soo mentions his brother's name. Returning home, Sung-soo finds that he and his family are being stalked by an ominous figure who infiltrates even their apartment. From that point on, the plot grows increasingly absurd, with twists and turns that often depend on chases and fistfights (along with periodic flashbacks to the husband's childhood), concluding with a final confrontation that is ridiculously illogical and over-the-top. Still, Hide and Seek is an expertly crafted film that delivers some genuine shivers, and for genre aficionados that may be enough. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)