Hide and Seek (2013) User Reviews

A satisfying, creepy and intense thriller. It keeps you at razor edge

[ajit2106 · 7/10 · 21 January 2014]

Korean Cinema has been consistently making one of the best thrillers; "Hide and Seek" is an addition to that list. Huh Jung's debut feature as a Writer/Director has every ingredient of a classy and creepy thriller and has been executed with precision. It keeps us at the razor edge for the entire run time; every scene will leave you contemplating with the supreme suspense. It leaves behind the clichés of slasher/horror movies and gives a new tone within the genre.

At the very start, a woman is chased by person dressed in all black, sporting a black motor cycle helmet, following young woman and you will instantaneously feel that it is going to be a sensational ride.

Sung-soo (Son Hyun-joo) is a wealthy entrepreneur, suffering from excessive cleaning and anxiety, living a mundane life with hidden secrets. With his wife and two children, he lives in an affluent life in a very high society and trying to keep the family happy. Until one day, when Sung-soo receives a call informing him his estranged brother has gone missing. This starts his hunt to find him and he is engulfed into the mysterious world. He is chasing the enigmatic black figure thinking that it is his brother. The revelations and symbols keep you startled as frames pass.

The screenplay has perfect timing of revelations, flashbacks and strikes an entertaining chase sequences. The character development and the subplots add values and sometime it jumps the genres. The editing has been done with utmost skill with sustaining the intensity through 107 minutes of decent run time.

"Hide and Seek" is a well-made and satisfying thriller, with good performances. Finally , we get an astonishing thriller with terror and horror.

A must watch for Thriller Genre.

MY Vote - 7.5/10.

A whole package of Suspense, thriller, and mystery

[Misss25 · 7/10 · 6 May 2021]

This movie is bit creepy but at the same time suspenseful. The movie started with a phone call about Seong-so's brother who has been missing for few days. To find out what happend to him, he goes to his brother's apartment where he finds a lady blubbering wrong things about his brother and absolutely no one wants to talk about him .

What really did his brother? Why has he been missing?

Then he started living in that room for while and attacked by someone. Later, he finds a secret passage through his room to a next door neighbour room and a dead body. So, the question arises, What he is up to? Why the lady is so afraid of him?

Don't read if you haven't watched it yet, Spoilers, I really love the concept but some points I really can't ignore, how a lady can be so strong enough to fight and run so fast while at some point she was shown so fragile and if she is the killer why the secret passage is in Seong-So's brother room. The main thing and the most funniest thing ;really! Corpse doesn't decompose in this movie. She is been hiding those corpse for long time, of course, not in a and freezer but still no smell is coming out at all.

Devilishly Creepy

[MattBirk · 7/10 · 20 September 2014]

South Korea kicks out another solid entry in the Murder-Mystery Genre.

This is a hard movie to talk about without giving too much of the story away. 'Hide and Seek' does a great job building up suspense and mystery, even if the finale is a bit overdone. Providing plenty of creepy set pieces, 'Hide and Seek' is a good choice for someone seeking a solid mystery and a few good thrills. Another above average movie coming out of South Korea, though certainly far from the best. And it is on Netflix!

Full Review at: http://www.simplefilmreviews.com/2014/08/hide-and-seek- 2013.html

Great Fun!

[honeybloggs-69648 · 7/10 · 30 December 2021]

The director created a tense and thrilling atmosphere . The acting was brilliant . The child actors were outstanding . The music was great ! I also liked the fact that the movie didn't drag on .

Hollywood films are getting worse and worse . The acting and script is usually awful and they're too busy being 'Woke' rather than making powerful and suspenseful films , like they used to . The budget is usually big whereas the Korean filmmakers have a small budget but make superior movies .

This little gem is definitely worth a watch !

Hidden

[Foutainoflife · 7/10 · 20 February 2019]

A man learns that his brother has gone missing and while their past is troubled, he decides to look into the disappearance. His search reveals troubling differences in their lifestyles and it isn't long before the man finds that his family could be in danger. Can he figure out what is going on before something awful happens?

This film was an enjoyable watch. The acting is well, it is filmed well and I felt the story/script could've been tweaked a bit, it wasn't anything that I couldn't look past. There are a few twists that I didn't see coming and that always scores highly with me. I'd suggest it to my friends.

Very good...most of it

[PedroPires90 · 7/10 · 1 September 2021]

Very well shot, very tense, great suspenseful scenes, some hiding past, some mystery and well interesting for the most part. This could have been a solid 8 , but unfortunately the third act is way weaker than the first two.

I even found the plot twist cool (and I will not spoil it), but I can't understand how a serial killer who usually kill at the first chance would let the husband lives...it just doesn't make any sense. Either way, I will follow this director very closely because what he did for the most part of this film was really, really good.

Hide and Seek

[0U · 4 April 2020]

It's always refreshing when an Asian horror movie is released that doesn't revolve around long haired black ghosts or tormented spirits, so when director and screenwriter Huh Jung made his debut with 2013's Hide and Seek, it came as a welcome addition to the genre. The hook was simple yet terrifying, posing the question of what if someone else was living in your property other than just you, but you had no idea? While it's not an idea that's never been used before, Kim Ki-duk's 2004 production 3 Iron notably used the same concept but with romantic trappings, the decision to use it as a basis for a horror movie was an undeniable stroke of genius.

Hide and seek indeed!

[ageofunthinking · 6/10 · 21 July 2016]

I am a big fan of Korean thrillers. They have this vibe which one won't get to see in a Hollywood flick. This movie is worth a watch. It is a gripping thriller and the title is apt.

The plot follows a wealthy man living with his family. The family is living in a posh locality and luxurious apartments. Our lead character here is hiding his past from the family which comes haunting both for him and his family. His brother is back from jail and is looking for him. When our lead finds this out, strange and dangerous things start happening to him and his family.

Lead decides to check out the place where his brother resides, those apartments are the most interesting thing I have seen in a movie. Them apartments are run down with each apartment having secret passages connecting to other apartments. In those secret passages a serial killer is hiding. The scenes in those apartments are very gripping and full of suspense. Each passage is opening into a new world of mystery.

The only thing which destroys the plot is the very essence of the plot, the secret killer and the missing people. There are people missing in those apartments and looks like police is not doing there job or maybe the police don't exist. What our lead finds out in those apartments could have been found by police in a day or two.

Nonetheless the movie still checks out as a nice thriller you would wanna watch and get lost in those secret passages.

Hide in plain sight

[gradyharp · 8/10 · 11 June 2014]

Korean writer/director Jung Huh made this fascinating film in 2013 to great critical acclaim. It is a well-sculpted movie and surprisingly is more understated than the usual fare from these films.

Seong-soo (Heyeon-ju Son)), a successful businessman who lives with the perfect family in a luxury apartment, has secrets and mysophobia (pathological fear of contamination and germs) about his one and only brother. One day, he goes to see his brother after a phone call about him being missing and sees weird symbols all over the house and he meets Joo-hee (Jung-Hee Moon) who knows his brother. "Please tell him to stop looking at my daughter. Joo-hee lives alone with her daughter but lives in fear of someone watching them. Seong-soo looks around carefully at the old apartment and realizes the symbols mean gender and numbers of people. Seong-soo returns to his home from his brother's and notices a familiar symbol written next to the doorbell of his house, too. And the mystery thriller sails to a strange conclusion.

In Korean with English subtitles, this is a bizarre little jewel of a film, well worth watching.

No need to hide

[baunacholi-86159 · 7/10 · 12 August 2020]

The opening scene in the elevator set the overall tone nicely. Dark and creepy, almost unsettling in its purity and unpredictability. I also loved the pizza delivery scene! Again, so simple but upmost effective. On the other side there where esp some action scenes which weakened the overall flow and took away some tension. If it had leaned more towards the mystery and suspense a 8 or even 9 would have been not out of its reach. In summary a good 7 with some truly unsettling phases but also a few flaws.

That movie was really bad. Don't even see this. Just read this review

[pigmaios · 4/10 · 4 March 2017]

Don't even bother!! Spoilers everywhere. First of all I am furious with this movie. The characters are just mindless people or something ?!? (IQ = 50). Let us get things straight. You found yourself in the bad woman's house after you get hit and you call your wife. Mind putting 1 more coin to call the cops? No you do not call them. You tell someone on the road to call the cops? Nope ! You go to your house where the bad lady is in. At the entrance there are people. You tell them to call the cops? No you don't. The cops are at the entrance because they found a dead body. You inform them ? No again. You go in your house. You are in the kitchen. There are like 10 knives. Do you want to be wolverine ? No bare hands are better. You are again in the kitchen. 10 knives in front of you but yeah just take the lighter cause yeah it is obviously a better choice. You are the wife. You manage to hit the bad lady barely unconscious. You snap her neck? You kill her? Nahhh no way just walk away. The best character is the boy. THE 6 YEARS OLD BOY. seriously this movie has more holes than a cheese... This movie has nominations and awards. REALLY? I am furious with this thing. Really furious....

The Koreans are at it again...

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 26 August 2021]

HIDE AND SEEK is another expertly creepy South Korean thriller about a family in peril. Very similar to the equally good THE WITNESS but totally different at the same time with poverty and the class divide a theme. In some respects it's a little similar to the acclaimed PARASITE too. The acting and direction are of fine quality and although there's not a huge amount of action, the second half has some VERY exciting moments and at least one great twist. Everything you'd want from a modern day thriller!

Strong start, farcical ending

[richard-james-24-865304 · 5/10 · 15 January 2022]

The first third of the film is gripping, creepy and highly engaging. The acting is on point and you expect this to be yet another terrific Korean thriller with a unique premise.

However, the film plateaus in the second act where we follow the protagonist's futile and pathetic attempts to find and unmask the villain.

But by the third act, it becomes utterly ridiculous, especially the comical ending where the antagonist is trying to smother floor-to-ceiling flames with a tea towel. I know she's unhinged but she's not braindead. Also, the next family move in and the daughter is still in the flat? The ending unfortunately ruined the whole story for me. It's a shame as the film is filled with strong performances and gritty cinematography. I would recommend if it just managed to land the ending.

Great horror thriller...!!

[kamalbeeee · 8/10 · 24 August 2020]

Someone hide in house and kill that family and make that house as his own...a protogonist suspect that his brother doing this horrible things..and try to chase and destroy him... Nice twist And turns in that film..thrilling moment from start of the movie... Must watchable film...!!

Nice start, but goes downhill

[KineticSeoul · 5/10 · 26 August 2015]

Despite the few twists and turns. This movie was corny and annoying. I was just sitting there for it to get better, but despite the crisp cinematography it was annoying and dull to sit through. Sure it has it's creepy moments, but that isn't enough for this movie to be worth a watch. Gosh the male lead is the most annoying and wimpy character I have seen in a horror movie ever. The guy is a super wimp. Nothing against guys that are physically weak. But the guy was so annoying to watch on screen. Even his wife and kids have more balls than him. No wonder why girls dislike wimpy guys that can't fend for themselves. Now the character decisions. Sure, when it comes to horror movies there is usually a lot of characters that make some really bad decisions. But since the characters are frantic all the way through while making really bad decisions which made it even more annoying. Sure it does have that creepy vibe going for it, but it lacked the tension, suspense and thrills. It's watchable, but you won't be missing out or anything like that if you didn't watch this.

5.6/10

Carefully made

[shipu21 · 8/10 · 11 May 2020]

This film's overall rating should be higher than just 6.4. I am not saying it's a masterpiece, I am just saying it's a well prepared movie suitable for viewers of all ages.

Disappointed with the movie!!!

[rameshneyv · 4/10 · 3 July 2021]

The movie has some good scenes. But it misses logic in many places and as some others in their review has said, the characters are dumb to take good decisions. After watching the movie, thinking that I wasted 2 hours...

I love the plot twist

[sueharriz · 9/10 · 23 November 2019]

This movie started off slow but im glad i sailed thru it... Korean movie like this should be made viral!!!

Cringe fest!!!

[grimreysarath · 3/10 · 26 January 2022]

Just finished this movie. It was fine paced until the basic concept begun. The IQ of characters goes downwards from the beginning. The plot holes though uhhhhh... Antagonist getting inside the locked door without password! Nobody caring about the little girl, whom they saw with the lady!

And the best part where i lost my patience... If you are looking for a stranger who possibly hiding under your bed room. What will you guys do? Just look under one bed and then the next right? Nah you got it wrong according to the lead character. You have to look under one bed and even if there's no one under the bed you have to stare long enough so that the trespasser can reavel himself from under the other bed and attack you from behind. 1 for the cinematographer 1 for the acting(for what they had to do as per the script) and 1 for the overall making. And that too being generous.

The dumbest movie characters ever

[cherieme · 1/10 · 16 January 2023]

The story plot and twists could have been good if not for main characters - husband, wife, building security, neighbours, police, etc. The husband is just so stupid and decisions seemed like made by a 3yr old kid lol and the wife is the most stupid mother and wife I have ever seen in a movie. How can you let your kids play in a slum area which you just have been to for the first time and you don't know the people and you saw a crazy guy around?? When your kids are in danger and someone tried to kill you and trying to kill your kids, you just hit the glass in the head of the person trying to kill your whole family and just walked away like that and not even hit the knees or wherever to make sure it cannot stand anymore to harm you and your kids??? She also left her kids in the car alone, she left the door open when she knows there's someone trying to break in, still go with the very suspicious individual in the elevator who also got out on the same floor as her. Not reporting to the security until the break in occurred. How BRAINLESS can you be?? It doesn't even realistic! We have our instincts to sense danger ESPECIALLY in a situation where a suspicious person looking at you at the main door for a long time before entering to go with you in the elevator! The crazy lady can enter the building and units floor by floor without access card for residents?? Can count how many people living in the units of the building and can identify the gender living in that unit?? AMAZING!! LOL! Did she get the full list from the building management ehh? Lol

How can a very suspicious person enter into an upscale condo wearing mask the whole time without being noticed nor stopped by anyone?? No cctv?? No one reported it?? The crazy lady is super strong, that men who are taller and have bigger built than her cannot take her down?? During the end part where the killing attempt to the wife, kids, husband was happening, NO ONE bother to pick up phone to call police, how stupid the parents are not to think of it? The husband didn't even call a police when got his consciousness and called the wife first lol The only smart character is the son, a realistic character. Even the lady who got killed first - where was her brain? You heard something in your door and you just opened it and confront a creepy neighbour?? And to topped it all, she even went to the dark corner with only pepper spray to confront the creepy neighbour? How can you pepper spray someone with helmet ehh? Lol The wrong guy they chased with helmet just ran without even taking off his helmet and ask police why? He didn't even speak any single word during the part where the husband was taking off his helmet to reveal his face lol Gosh, this movie is total BS!! Characters with maybe -50 IQ!! Not even realistic!

Silly Propaganda

[DuranAOD · 3/10 · 10 August 2021]

This is a thinly disguised propaganda film in which the murderess-thief and her daughter and the run-down apartment building they live in are supposed to represent North Korea and the successful bourgeois family and their penthouse are supposed to represent South Korea...the final scene in which the murderess is burned alive is a cynical reference to the fire-bombing of the Korean cities during the Korean War which killed some two million people.

Haneke's "Cache" revisited

[perlowywyciek · 5/10 · 8 January 2014]

If you have seen Michael's Haneke "Cache" you will first regard this as Korean rip-off. There's adopted brother, injustice and a some unpleasant mystery in the air. First part was quite entertaining but as soon as I found elements common to both movies it kind of spoiled the whole surprise. Do not worry though. Actually, this one focuses more on the thriller angle and gives totally different solution: slasher violence included and deep insight into upper middle class life omitted.

Anyway it has a lot of thrill and may be entertaining. Provided you know (and now you do) that this is not Asian "Cache".

A phrogging story

[killercharm · 5/10 · 31 May 2022]

A phrogging story, and not the best. This movie is about a man who betrays his afflicted brother in the worst way causing him to be sent to prison for years. He then goes on to live the highlife his brother should have been sharing with him. When he thinks his brother is back out and phrogging him he's got another thing coming.