Acacia (2003)

There seems to be a neverending supply of remarkable Korean films and this one is a fine addition, not so much to the horror genre but to the cinema of unease.  A prosperous young couple -- he a doctor and she an artsy-craftsy type -- are unable to conceive and decide to adopt, choosing a six-year old boy who spends most of his time drawing family groups in the style of Munch's 'Scream'.  He eventually but somewhat reluctantly accepts his new home, and is fascinated by the acacia tree in the garden which is not quite dead, but which has not blossomed for some years; he wishes to bring it back to life, especially since he has been told by some well-meaning fool that his dead natural mother has been reincarnated as a tree.  As luck would have it, after many years of unsuccessful attempts, the wife becomes pregnant and soon gives birth to a child which poses a threat to the boy's new life (especially since the wife's mother keeps suggesting that perhaps he should be returned to the orphanage and that he is likely to harm the newborn.)

So he runs away -- or does he?  Suddenly the tree begins to blossom and turns murderous hospitalising the wife's mother by its suffocating perfume and killing the husband's father by having him eaten by ants (!) - yuk. And suddenly there is no longer any love between husband and wife as they attempt to kill each other.  When the true facts are revealed, they are meant to explain the strange phenomena, but do not expect any kind of rational explanations here.  Korean cinema also seems to have a copious supply of spooky-looking children and the blank face of the youngster here is matched by that of the girl who lives nextdoor (who announces that she is a vampire -- she has some sort of blood disorder --and who wanders the garden like a vengeful spirit.)  Creepy indeed.

Tags: Korean cinema, Acacia