The Scandal
Kino International | Release Date: October 13, 2004 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
73
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews
Positive:
15
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
VarietyDerek Elley
A 10-course treat for the eyes and ears. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
Genteelly erotic, surprisingly emotional, exquisitely made from start to finish. Read full review
88
Miami HeraldMarta Barber
A Frenchman may have thought of the story first, but this Korean film pays tribute to the original while perfectly standing on its own. Read full review
83
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
What it lacks in melodramatic punch it makes up for in unexpected shadings in the characters, predator and victim alike. Read full review
80
Village VoiceEd Park
E J-Yong's transposition illuminates, with satisfying crispness, the hyper-Confucian high society of the time, as well as the underground Catholic movement. Read full review
80
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
Director Lee Je-Yong gives the book a makeover full of wit and startling beauty as a tragicomedy of Korean manners at the dawn of the Chosun dynasty in the late 18th century, a period known for its gravitas. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. Musetto
The oft-told story of lust and deception isn't the reason to see Untold Scandal -- Rather, it's the look -- stunning costumes and art direction, lush landscapes, and beautifully framed and lighted sequences -- that make this worth seeking out. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsRobert Dominguez
Through a subplot dealing with Catholic missionaries, an underlying theme of Western encroachment on ancient Korean culture permeates this lushly filmed tale. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeTy Burr
Of all the "Liaisons" adaptations, this may be the most sentimental. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Pictorially sumptuous and sexually provocative. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen Johnson
Imaginative and properly wicked. Read full review
70
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
Given that Untold Scandal is, like its predecessor, an epic story of spreading displeasure, the director's ability to keep it from feeling petty is a major feat. Read full review
70
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
The result is a beguiling mix of the familiar and the exotic, vivid proof that a good story can withstand endless variations without losing its fundamental vitality. Read full review
70
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
Sumptuously photographed in bright primary colors, with equally immaculate period clothing and design, Untold Scandal lacks some of the emotional and thematic depth of previous adaptations, but it has the refreshing candor and explicitness that marks the current wave of Korean cinema. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
This film doesn't really clear the bar, but it's handsomely mounted and proves that heartless manipulation of the weak and gullible never goes out of style. Read full review
60
EmpireKim Newman
Very 'talky', but the three lead females are excellent, as are the costumes and sets. Read full review
50
The Hollywood ReporterRichard James Havis
Pallid acting and a general lack of spirit ultimately result in a bland costume drama. Read full review
42
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Les Liaisons Dangereuses is such an elaborate and satisfying structure of deceit and salaciousness that every attempt I have seen to adapt it on film -- "Dangerous Liaisons," "Cruel Intentions," even the trashy 1959 Roger Vadim version -- has resulted in an entertainment of agreeable nasty elegance. Until now. Read full review
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