I haven't written a comment on IMDb for about 3 years but was inspired to with this film. It is not very often that I come across a film by accident (World Movies on cable) and the spend the next day scouring the internet to find out information about it and can't get it out of my head! Anyway, yep there are plot holes, but Old boy borrows a lot from surrealism and you are meant to suspend your disbelief! I don't buy comments when people say "it is so unrealistic because he should've done this ..." because it is a surrealist film and meant to be unrealistic! For me the sign of a good film is if it sticks on your head! THis one surely does (althought I did have to look away a few times ... ) Loved it!!!! Work of cruel genius!!! (HOLLYWOOD - Please don't ruin it by remaking it!!!)
902 Reviews
Absolutely Sublime.......................................................
sqreader2 January 2007
I've scored this a 9 but I think I may have been a little harsh! I have just read a review that says the reviewer cannot understand the hype. I can see no hype. Everything the film promised and more was delivered. This is a truly wonderful film. It is beautifully acted, brutally and painstakingly directed and as good a display of raw emotion as I have witnessed in any language. The story is gripping, the characters believable and well rounded, the emotion human and the feeling I was left with at the end of the film is one of awe. And that was after I had watched it twice. Honestly, this is a truly, truly wonderful film. Do not miss it under any circumstances!
If only we were all living in Asia....
bur_00719 December 2007
To start off; This is the one and only film that kept me quiet for a whole 5 mins after seeing it. I literally couldn't close my mouth, and yet there wasn't any sound coming out of it. Oldboy had such an impact on me that words are too little to describe that impact. Therefore this film is definitely in my top 3 films ever made. It belongs there because it has a massive ingredient that a lot of films seem to miss out on; a divine plot. Even though the acting and screenplay are world class, the plot is really the cherry on the cake.
When it comes to screenplay Park Chan-Wook is unique (at least for western standards) in his way of filming. The colours are so vivid and it seems like he wanted every shot to be a piece of art. One tip: If you like the shooting in 'Oldboy', have a look at 'Sympathy for Lady Vengeance', the third part in Park's revenge-trilogy. It's even superior to the camera-work in 'Oldboy'. Don't, however, expect a story like Oldboy's, because you would be very disappointed.
When it comes to acting and the music, this film is also one of the better films ever made. The music sticks in your head and every time I put in my Oldboy-DVD and the theme-song comes up, I'm just flooded with good memories (even though the plot doesn't have a single reason to be happy about). The characters are also presented very well by the outstanding cast. Especially Choi Min-Sik and Yu Ji-Tae set a very convincing performance.
I really appreciate this film being respected as it should be, by having a place in the top 250. If, however, it was up to me it would be even higher in the ranking. I don't see why films like 'The Usual Suspects' or 'Memento', which are fantastic pieces of film-making and which without a doubt deserve a place in the top 250, are higher in the top 250 than 'Oldboy'. They serve the same cause; a fantastic plot. But those plots can't stand in the shadow or even come close to the plot of 'Oldboy'. The one and only reason is that those two films are better known and from a western production company. If we were all living in Asia, no doubt 'Oldboy' would be in the top 20 of all time.
My advice to people who haven't watched this film yet: Go see it! This is definitely a must- see. If you have a weak stomach, pull yourself together and still watch it. Don't be as shallow as a lot of people here tend to be. Look beyond the violence and see the things I mentioned before: world class acting, cinematography, music and last but certainly not least the plot. Once you've opened yourself up you'll find a whole new world of cinema. Enjoy!
When it comes to screenplay Park Chan-Wook is unique (at least for western standards) in his way of filming. The colours are so vivid and it seems like he wanted every shot to be a piece of art. One tip: If you like the shooting in 'Oldboy', have a look at 'Sympathy for Lady Vengeance', the third part in Park's revenge-trilogy. It's even superior to the camera-work in 'Oldboy'. Don't, however, expect a story like Oldboy's, because you would be very disappointed.
When it comes to acting and the music, this film is also one of the better films ever made. The music sticks in your head and every time I put in my Oldboy-DVD and the theme-song comes up, I'm just flooded with good memories (even though the plot doesn't have a single reason to be happy about). The characters are also presented very well by the outstanding cast. Especially Choi Min-Sik and Yu Ji-Tae set a very convincing performance.
I really appreciate this film being respected as it should be, by having a place in the top 250. If, however, it was up to me it would be even higher in the ranking. I don't see why films like 'The Usual Suspects' or 'Memento', which are fantastic pieces of film-making and which without a doubt deserve a place in the top 250, are higher in the top 250 than 'Oldboy'. They serve the same cause; a fantastic plot. But those plots can't stand in the shadow or even come close to the plot of 'Oldboy'. The one and only reason is that those two films are better known and from a western production company. If we were all living in Asia, no doubt 'Oldboy' would be in the top 20 of all time.
My advice to people who haven't watched this film yet: Go see it! This is definitely a must- see. If you have a weak stomach, pull yourself together and still watch it. Don't be as shallow as a lot of people here tend to be. Look beyond the violence and see the things I mentioned before: world class acting, cinematography, music and last but certainly not least the plot. Once you've opened yourself up you'll find a whole new world of cinema. Enjoy!
You Only Live Once...
Xstal22 January 2022
Imagine what you'd do, when you wake from a bad dream, to find you're held by four square walls, for as long as someone deems, no idea why you're trapped, what you've done, why you're kidnapped, just a ceaseless line of dumplings going down your gyoza hatch. Now some fifteen years have passed, every question has been asked, and you're suddenly set free, can start your own avenging spree, before you do you need to feed, by eating something that's in need, so an octopus is ordered, and head first you cross the borders. But things aren't what they might seem, tied and tethered and undreamed, as the puppet master hovers, manipulates what you'll discover.
Some films you cannot watch too often and this is one of the greatest pieces of cinematic brilliance ever created.
Some films you cannot watch too often and this is one of the greatest pieces of cinematic brilliance ever created.
Excellent in it's sickness
johnny-0822 July 2007
I looked at program for today and I saw movie "Oldboy". I read plot and I liked it. What I expected is decent thriller from very good South Korean cinematography,something like "Salinui chueok ". But once again I was wrong. "Oldboy" is masterpiece, so unusual from all other movies. I've seen lots of violence on screen and to me this isn't nothing new but I think that people under 18 really shouldn't watch this one. It's because movie is brutal and I don't think that younger ones would fully understand this one.
To say something about plot is quite impossible because I don't know where to begin. If I start talking about the movie I could tell few important things and I know that people often read other comments because they didn't watch that movie. So,I'm going to say only what I read before watching this movie.
On his daughter's birthday, Oh Dae-su gets drunk and soon he's arrested by the police. His best friend No Joo-hwan somehow manages to get him out of jail and when No Joo-hwan is making a phone call Oh Dae-su disappears. Someone kidnap's him and puts him into room during 15 long years.But one day he's released.
That's the plot. Very interesting, you should watch this movie and then judge it. By the rating on IMDb this movie is in top 250 movies. Now I can understand why. This plot that I wrote doesn't reveal the greatness of the people who wrote the script. I bow to them because this movie is so good, with all those twists and it really represents a whole new wave of making a movie, of writing a script and of acting in it. About direction and actors I can say only good things. Director Park Chan-wook won prize Grand Jury at Cannes. That's enough about direction part. About actors. I can say that I'm impressed by one actor:Choi Min-sik. He's amazing in major role and he showed great potential. I hope I will see him again in some good movie.
I cannot say anything more because I could reveal some secret and I don't wanna do that to all new viewers. Only a recommendation. Beautiful, intelligent masterpiece of movie that I highly recommend for everyone with strong stomach and too all of you who want to see one excellent, but sick story. 10/10
To say something about plot is quite impossible because I don't know where to begin. If I start talking about the movie I could tell few important things and I know that people often read other comments because they didn't watch that movie. So,I'm going to say only what I read before watching this movie.
On his daughter's birthday, Oh Dae-su gets drunk and soon he's arrested by the police. His best friend No Joo-hwan somehow manages to get him out of jail and when No Joo-hwan is making a phone call Oh Dae-su disappears. Someone kidnap's him and puts him into room during 15 long years.But one day he's released.
That's the plot. Very interesting, you should watch this movie and then judge it. By the rating on IMDb this movie is in top 250 movies. Now I can understand why. This plot that I wrote doesn't reveal the greatness of the people who wrote the script. I bow to them because this movie is so good, with all those twists and it really represents a whole new wave of making a movie, of writing a script and of acting in it. About direction and actors I can say only good things. Director Park Chan-wook won prize Grand Jury at Cannes. That's enough about direction part. About actors. I can say that I'm impressed by one actor:Choi Min-sik. He's amazing in major role and he showed great potential. I hope I will see him again in some good movie.
I cannot say anything more because I could reveal some secret and I don't wanna do that to all new viewers. Only a recommendation. Beautiful, intelligent masterpiece of movie that I highly recommend for everyone with strong stomach and too all of you who want to see one excellent, but sick story. 10/10
One of most well-made films I've ever seen
max879121 April 2007
I decided to check this movie out after Ebert's 4 star rave review, and the cult status this movie has received (and was also intrigued by the sexy-looking Ultimate Edition), so I decided to rent it. I was VERY surprised at how different it was than I expected it to be - I expected a ton of violence and not much in the way of writing or acting. The first time I saw it, I wasn't blown away, just kind of like whatever.
When I watched it for the second time, however, I really started to notice how well it's made, in addition to liking it more. Every shot is bursting with background detail, a great amount of attention on the production design (the theme of a certain color in a scene was restrained, yet perfectly balanced). The actors really gave it all, especially the 2 male leads who really blew me away. The music is a varied mix of beautiful classical music and some pretty cool techno. The screenplay is brilliant; the characters are developed very well, extremely complex, and the plot is not only ingenious, but the payoff and twists are 1000x better than any Shamaylan movie.
Simply put, from a technical point of view, it's one of the best movies ever. From a critic's point of view, it is a very well-done movie that goes a little overboard in sex and violence, and is just a little strange.
When I watched it for the second time, however, I really started to notice how well it's made, in addition to liking it more. Every shot is bursting with background detail, a great amount of attention on the production design (the theme of a certain color in a scene was restrained, yet perfectly balanced). The actors really gave it all, especially the 2 male leads who really blew me away. The music is a varied mix of beautiful classical music and some pretty cool techno. The screenplay is brilliant; the characters are developed very well, extremely complex, and the plot is not only ingenious, but the payoff and twists are 1000x better than any Shamaylan movie.
Simply put, from a technical point of view, it's one of the best movies ever. From a critic's point of view, it is a very well-done movie that goes a little overboard in sex and violence, and is just a little strange.
Pass by the "Boo" comments.
tetsuoisleet6 September 2007
After going through the comments, i must say i'm impressed how many people out there don't have a slightest clue of beauty or intelligent screenplays. there are so many comments from people that totally disliked the movie. which is plain and simple not possible, if you got an open mind and a open heart (and are not drunk). I would compare it to chocolate. You may find it too sweet and prefer bitter chocolate. or you like white chocolate more. Or you got diabetes and can only sometimes eat one. But people that totally dislike chocolate scare me to death. Same goes for Oldboy, you gotta admit some of the genius art-form it contains. Its everything in there. Its heartwarming , disgusting, intelligent, beautiful and lead with outstanding performance of any actor . You HAVE to like something, cause it wont get much better. Its chocolate. If you disliked the movie so much and on a constant basis, why even bother to write a comment? My guess is you just could not follow the movie at all. which is my only guess actually. well enough rambling.
:::::::::: Bottom Line :::::::::
If you call common sense, and a human heart your own and like "challenging" movies, go and see it NOW.(i recommend the original korean version with subs)I also recommend the pre- and sequel to this movie. (just browse Chan Wook Park) If you think "The Fast and the Furious" is the best movie ever made, please do not even bother to watch Oldboy, and spare others your "brilliant" reviews.
:::::::::: Bottom Line :::::::::
If you call common sense, and a human heart your own and like "challenging" movies, go and see it NOW.(i recommend the original korean version with subs)I also recommend the pre- and sequel to this movie. (just browse Chan Wook Park) If you think "The Fast and the Furious" is the best movie ever made, please do not even bother to watch Oldboy, and spare others your "brilliant" reviews.
As good and disturbing as expected.
LeroyBrown-23 February 2009
I read the review for "Oldboy" a few years ago and have since read praise about the movie from IMDb posters. Often times movies with that kind of hype tend to fall short and is a major disappointment. I don't know anything about Korean cinema so I had fairly low expectations. I had expected it to be a simplistic revenge film, shot in bad film stock. Well I have to say that I'm glad I was wrong, and even gladder still that I actually watched this film.
The basic story is that a man named Oh Dae-Su is kidnapped and held captive for 18 years and then released. He has no idea who or why this is being done to him. While in captivity he readies himself for the day when he gets out and take revenge on those who imprisoned him, and to find out why he was imprisoned. So far it sounds just like any old revenge martial art flick and up to this point it pretty much is, but it's incredibly well crafted. I have to admit I have not paid much attention to Asian martial arts films since Bruce Lee died and maybe I should now. Mainly because this movie doesn't have the jumpy camera work, or bad editing of those old flicks. This movie is a crisply shot as any Scorcese film. That alone elevates this movie to a higher plateau.
Once he is released, Oh Dae-Su goes on a quest to find what happened to his family and to find the identity of those who had him captured. During the quest for the bad guys, the movie played out like an old fashioned detective movie. The search wasn't rushed and neither was it boring. I suppose the set up made us want to go on this quest with Oh Dae-Su which sounds like Odysseus, and just as Odysseus went on one incredible quest so did Oh Dae-Su.
It's when he finds the man who had him held captive that the movie truly departs from being an average revenge film to something that is extra ordinary and extraordinarily disturbing. It's at this point that I have to say that the less said the better. It's something totally out of the ordinary and something that I think will repulse some viewers, but at the same time one can't help have sympathy for all the characters even the man who ordered Oh's incarceration.
The acting in the movie is excellent. I had no idea that Korean cinema has such skillful actors. They all really played their part incredibly well. Min-sik Choi, who played Oh Dae-Su was incredible. He goes through the rigors of being a desperate captive, to being a determined man on a mission. Along the way he runs through the gamut of so much emotion and not once did he hit a false note.
Overall I have to say that this movie is incredibly well crafted and as good as everybody say, however I find it a little disturbing so I can't give this movie a ten. But don't let my not giving the film a ten scare you away it's a good, enjoyable film.
The basic story is that a man named Oh Dae-Su is kidnapped and held captive for 18 years and then released. He has no idea who or why this is being done to him. While in captivity he readies himself for the day when he gets out and take revenge on those who imprisoned him, and to find out why he was imprisoned. So far it sounds just like any old revenge martial art flick and up to this point it pretty much is, but it's incredibly well crafted. I have to admit I have not paid much attention to Asian martial arts films since Bruce Lee died and maybe I should now. Mainly because this movie doesn't have the jumpy camera work, or bad editing of those old flicks. This movie is a crisply shot as any Scorcese film. That alone elevates this movie to a higher plateau.
Once he is released, Oh Dae-Su goes on a quest to find what happened to his family and to find the identity of those who had him captured. During the quest for the bad guys, the movie played out like an old fashioned detective movie. The search wasn't rushed and neither was it boring. I suppose the set up made us want to go on this quest with Oh Dae-Su which sounds like Odysseus, and just as Odysseus went on one incredible quest so did Oh Dae-Su.
It's when he finds the man who had him held captive that the movie truly departs from being an average revenge film to something that is extra ordinary and extraordinarily disturbing. It's at this point that I have to say that the less said the better. It's something totally out of the ordinary and something that I think will repulse some viewers, but at the same time one can't help have sympathy for all the characters even the man who ordered Oh's incarceration.
The acting in the movie is excellent. I had no idea that Korean cinema has such skillful actors. They all really played their part incredibly well. Min-sik Choi, who played Oh Dae-Su was incredible. He goes through the rigors of being a desperate captive, to being a determined man on a mission. Along the way he runs through the gamut of so much emotion and not once did he hit a false note.
Overall I have to say that this movie is incredibly well crafted and as good as everybody say, however I find it a little disturbing so I can't give this movie a ten. But don't let my not giving the film a ten scare you away it's a good, enjoyable film.
Average revenge film with an extremely weak payoff
Thomas_Neville_Servo30 September 2004
After reading praise after praise about this film on the internet from mostly western viewers (such as the completely clueless Tarantino) and seeing as how it won a major prize at the most recent Cannes Film Festival, my expectations were naturally high when I finally got around to viewing it.
I'm sorry to say that I do not share in their optimistic appraisal of this movie.
After being imprisoned for 15 years for unknown reasons by an unknown person/persons, Daesu (Min-sik Choi) is naturally a bit upset and is dying to figure out who imprisoned him and why. Borrowing a page from M. Night Shyamalan's guide to movie surprises, writer/director Chan-wook Park (along with 3 other writers) attempts to craft a whodunnit that will keep you guessing and interested until the very end. Well, they only half succeed. I'll admit that I'm normally slow when it comes to movie surprises, but this one jumps out at you as soon as Daesu gets out of prison. It couldn't be more obvious unless the director was sitting next to you whispering it into your ear. From that point on, the movie really begins to drag as we watch Daesu meander from one place to the next in an unfocused attempt to find his enemy and discover the reason behind his imprisonment. Perhaps the main problem with the film is the severe lack of information given to both Daesu and the viewer. Rather than finding out the real truth on his own, he is essentially told everything in the end thanks to a well choreographed monologue. This is not a "detective"-style story that gives you clues along the way. Some secrets and identities are revealed much too early, leaving only the unknown reason for Daesu's imprisonment the movie's last remaining attempt to keep the viewer interested. When we finally learn of the reason, it's a total letdown and should leave any experienced movie watcher either scratching their heads in total disbelief that someone actually considered this as a basis for a film or make you angry enough to stop the movie right then and there. With the movie's undeniably gritty sense of style and beautiful classical score, this should have been mind blowing. But it's not. It's pathetic. It's obvious the filmmakers really didn't know how to craft a film of this caliber, so they fall back on the "H" word (you'll catch the "H" word when you hear it in the film) to solve ALL of their screen writing problems.
Thankfully the movie does have some positive aspects. The lighting and color scheme really reflect the inner conflicts within Daesu. This is a dark film, and it shows. The cinematography is inventive and vibrant with clever scene transitions and unique movements. The aforementioned score couldn't be better. It's a great mix of classical pieces, original music inspired by classical pieces, and moments of pseudo techno/industrial music, and it certainly does a great job of infusing the viewer with a sense of doubt and depression. Min-sik Choi gives an extremely admirable performance as the mentally conflicted Daesu and handles all kinds of scenes from action to romance with a great sense of confusion and surprise. Finally the relationship between Daesu and the mysterious Mido (Hye-jeong Kang) is really quite touching, allowing for some nice dramatic moments.
That being said, it's ashame that the film's story couldn't match its style.
Chan-wook Park has directed some of Korea's best and most memorable films in recent memory, such as JSA and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, but Old Boy is simply a semi-interesting film. In the realm of revenge flicks, this is perhaps one of the more ambitious (which is definitely a good quality) films out there, but ambition can only get you so far, and Chan-wook Park just can't pull it off. Worth a look for film fans, but it's just not remarkable enough to be recognized on a global scale. Beware before you buy, for you could end up being sorely disappointed as well. 6/10
I'm sorry to say that I do not share in their optimistic appraisal of this movie.
After being imprisoned for 15 years for unknown reasons by an unknown person/persons, Daesu (Min-sik Choi) is naturally a bit upset and is dying to figure out who imprisoned him and why. Borrowing a page from M. Night Shyamalan's guide to movie surprises, writer/director Chan-wook Park (along with 3 other writers) attempts to craft a whodunnit that will keep you guessing and interested until the very end. Well, they only half succeed. I'll admit that I'm normally slow when it comes to movie surprises, but this one jumps out at you as soon as Daesu gets out of prison. It couldn't be more obvious unless the director was sitting next to you whispering it into your ear. From that point on, the movie really begins to drag as we watch Daesu meander from one place to the next in an unfocused attempt to find his enemy and discover the reason behind his imprisonment. Perhaps the main problem with the film is the severe lack of information given to both Daesu and the viewer. Rather than finding out the real truth on his own, he is essentially told everything in the end thanks to a well choreographed monologue. This is not a "detective"-style story that gives you clues along the way. Some secrets and identities are revealed much too early, leaving only the unknown reason for Daesu's imprisonment the movie's last remaining attempt to keep the viewer interested. When we finally learn of the reason, it's a total letdown and should leave any experienced movie watcher either scratching their heads in total disbelief that someone actually considered this as a basis for a film or make you angry enough to stop the movie right then and there. With the movie's undeniably gritty sense of style and beautiful classical score, this should have been mind blowing. But it's not. It's pathetic. It's obvious the filmmakers really didn't know how to craft a film of this caliber, so they fall back on the "H" word (you'll catch the "H" word when you hear it in the film) to solve ALL of their screen writing problems.
Thankfully the movie does have some positive aspects. The lighting and color scheme really reflect the inner conflicts within Daesu. This is a dark film, and it shows. The cinematography is inventive and vibrant with clever scene transitions and unique movements. The aforementioned score couldn't be better. It's a great mix of classical pieces, original music inspired by classical pieces, and moments of pseudo techno/industrial music, and it certainly does a great job of infusing the viewer with a sense of doubt and depression. Min-sik Choi gives an extremely admirable performance as the mentally conflicted Daesu and handles all kinds of scenes from action to romance with a great sense of confusion and surprise. Finally the relationship between Daesu and the mysterious Mido (Hye-jeong Kang) is really quite touching, allowing for some nice dramatic moments.
That being said, it's ashame that the film's story couldn't match its style.
Chan-wook Park has directed some of Korea's best and most memorable films in recent memory, such as JSA and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, but Old Boy is simply a semi-interesting film. In the realm of revenge flicks, this is perhaps one of the more ambitious (which is definitely a good quality) films out there, but ambition can only get you so far, and Chan-wook Park just can't pull it off. Worth a look for film fans, but it's just not remarkable enough to be recognized on a global scale. Beware before you buy, for you could end up being sorely disappointed as well. 6/10
The sad spectacle of a sick mind
kemal-1812 April 2020
Why is everyone ignoring the most obvious this film is strange to most people? Why do we all feel ill at ease with this foreign movie? Well exactly because of that. Because it is a foreign movie made in a cultural mindset that is alien to most of the world. It is a Korean movie made by a Korean director for a Korean public. As as such, much is lost in translation. incest between brother and sister, between a father and his daughter are the subject and are not only consumed on screen they are in a way condoned by the director who views them as to love stories that deserve to be let to blossom. The plot holes and inconsistencies that defy common sense are too many to even bother listing and my in themselves be enough to make the movie risible but you also have to add to them the numerous sadistic as well as masochistic scenes that leave you with a sense general malaise. Not a single character in this movie has an interesting arc or motivations that make sense and the revenge plot quickly appears to be a weak pretext. Although well photographed and scored, this movie is disgusting and evil at its core and one feels dirty after watching it. Don't let anyone fool you with a supposedly artistic nihilist approach. This movie is simple the brain child of a disturbed man with access to a camera and unlike true artists there is nothing poetic about his vision, only the sad twisted spectacle of a disturbed mind.
Great film!
lucas73917 March 2007
I feel compelled to defend this film from some quite frankly unwarranted criticism. Although it isn't without its flaws, and all films have a few,it certainly isn't a one star film.What this film has is the ability to be sublime, shocking, ridiculous, mildly amusing and visually stunning which is some feat for any film.The sheer scale of the comments here suggests that here is a film that gets to you in one way or another. This film is as far away from Maborosi as you can get yet both films are up there as great pieces of cinema. I wont divulge the plot or end this comment with a Latin quote to reinforce my self importance i'll just say go and watch it, preferably if you're not too squeamish and don't mind subtitles.This film left me thinking about it the following day which is normally a good thing (atleast it shows my memory is working!)
One step ahead of America
ryuakamrvengeance7 March 2007
Oldboy takes a hammer and "batters" its American equivalents, leaving them as pulped as a chewed up squid. Park Chan Wook displays what America misses with his ultra-stylish, ultra-violent thriller. Why watch Ben Affleck fail spectacularly to summon any displayable talent, when Min sik Choi serves up a memorable role as the disturbed, vengeful Dae Su Oh, in the second of the Vengeance trilogy. Park skillfully creates a compelling plot that will have you guessing through the entire film, up until the final shocking revelation. The Cinematography expertly done by Jeong-hun Jeong, who also worked on the follow up to this film, Chinjeolhan geumjassi. Everything about this film is done in style and panache and creates a memorable experience, and has many memorable scenes.
Many people accuse this film of being "unrealistic". These people forget that this a film, not a documentary. No one complains About Star Wars being unrealistic, and rightly so. Films have a right to stretch out reality, don't forget the reason it does this is to be entertaining.
Although the film has strong violence of a graphic nature, I advise you to watch it, if only to broaden your perspectives of world and Asian cinema.
Many people accuse this film of being "unrealistic". These people forget that this a film, not a documentary. No one complains About Star Wars being unrealistic, and rightly so. Films have a right to stretch out reality, don't forget the reason it does this is to be entertaining.
Although the film has strong violence of a graphic nature, I advise you to watch it, if only to broaden your perspectives of world and Asian cinema.
Amazing Movie
gdmvy29 August 2007
Yes this is a twisted movie with plots that unravel slowly and sometimes there are scenes that are slow. But over all it's incredible. Some of the symbolism behind the scenes are stunning. You have to go deep to appreciate it. There is a lot of gore and violence that can turn you off, but I was simply amazed by the depth and width of some of the scenes.
Without giving anything away, once the main character is released he meets a man with a dog. It's seems to be an irrelevant scene, but put yourself in a cage for 15 years and think about how you would act? What happens to that man? Isn't he also in a cage? Aren't we all? What is the symbolism of that man? How about the dog? Revenge to the main character in this movie is his life. Why? And you don't question it because you know what happened to him. He doesn't question it either.
To me this was one of the greatest depictions of Oedipus or other Greek characters I've seen this decade in a movie. Nothing is new. If you liked "Requiem for a Dream" or "Blue Velvet." Consider this one.
Without giving anything away, once the main character is released he meets a man with a dog. It's seems to be an irrelevant scene, but put yourself in a cage for 15 years and think about how you would act? What happens to that man? Isn't he also in a cage? Aren't we all? What is the symbolism of that man? How about the dog? Revenge to the main character in this movie is his life. Why? And you don't question it because you know what happened to him. He doesn't question it either.
To me this was one of the greatest depictions of Oedipus or other Greek characters I've seen this decade in a movie. Nothing is new. If you liked "Requiem for a Dream" or "Blue Velvet." Consider this one.
A masterpiece for the cinema fanatics.
maciusp19 February 2008
The first time I watched "Old-boy", I was half-amazed, half-disgusted. I wasn't quite sure how to rate the movie in general. I knew 2 things: 1. From a visual point of view, it's one of the best movies I have ever seen. Cinematography & scenography are nothing short of perfection. 2. I had problems with the plot, some holes in it, and a general feeling of injustice, as crime seemed to be pretty lightweight compared with the punishment.
2nd time was a weird situation. A girl I knew tried to get into the film school, and the day before her exam she asked me to supply her with some movies that were interesting visually. 2 films we watched were "Natural Born Killers" and "Old-boy", and, especially the 2nd 1 was a revelation.
Knowing the plot, it was easy for me to concentrate on the visual side, and my friend always consumes the movies this way. Results of paying attention to the tiniest of details were stunning. I don't think there's 1 scene in there shot without an idea, without something happening in the background, or without an image responding to the theme of the scene.
Don't be a baby crying about violence - camera turns away in key moments. Don't be a smartarse, picking on the shortcomings of the plot - think about Hitchcock or Chaplin and how they gave a flying f... about plot. Appreciate the work of the whole crew, and for best effects watch it a couple of times. It's worth it.
2nd time was a weird situation. A girl I knew tried to get into the film school, and the day before her exam she asked me to supply her with some movies that were interesting visually. 2 films we watched were "Natural Born Killers" and "Old-boy", and, especially the 2nd 1 was a revelation.
Knowing the plot, it was easy for me to concentrate on the visual side, and my friend always consumes the movies this way. Results of paying attention to the tiniest of details were stunning. I don't think there's 1 scene in there shot without an idea, without something happening in the background, or without an image responding to the theme of the scene.
Don't be a baby crying about violence - camera turns away in key moments. Don't be a smartarse, picking on the shortcomings of the plot - think about Hitchcock or Chaplin and how they gave a flying f... about plot. Appreciate the work of the whole crew, and for best effects watch it a couple of times. It's worth it.
Korea's great gift to movie industry
LeBaturalp15 November 2016
I don't know why but this movie will always be my favorite. Maybe because of amazing screenplays, very emotional soundtracks or feeling the high tension in every second. I watched so many movies which includes fight scenes. Some of them were good and some of them were bad but in Oldboy... I guess the best describing word is '' real'' about that fight scenes. Because I felt they were. And that scenes are covering about only 2% of the whole movie. Cinemography, perfect harmony of music and scenes, an amazing story and one of the great plot twists in movie history. I am struggling to find the correct words for this movie because this is a movie not a book. And I may easily say it is a masterpiece... I enjoyed the movie with every second of it. I wish there were more movies like Oldboy.But who knows? Maybe there will be...
Ugh.
chris-25122 August 2005
I saw Old Boy on a grey market DVD about half a year ago and fell asleep during the first twenty minutes. Since then, my friends have literally been begging me to see it to the end, so this Saturday I watched it on the big screen where I had no chance of escape.
Boy was that a mistake. Old Boy is by turns idiotic, horrendous and senselessly violent. It lacks the glee of the most basic revenge film. Even Kill Squad did it better.
Old Boy simply has no point to speak of. My question is: How did the director and scriptwriter screw up a revenge thriller?
Old Boy is very reminiscent of Takashi Miike's far superior Ichi the Killer. The difference between Ichi and Old Boy is one of extremes. Both films revolve around extracting brutal revenge. In this film, the eponymous hero seeks vengeance for fifteen years of imprisonment in a hotel room. In Ichi, Kakihari, a Yakuza enforcer, must track down his kidnapped Boss who may or may not be dead. Both Kakihari and Old Boy use torture to achieve their ends, but in Ichi the violence is committed by such dedicated sadists that it transcends itself and becomes Dionysian. Thusly, Ichi is far more violent than Old Boy, but far more aware. In Old Boy, the violence does nothing but communicate itself as alternately grotesque and depressing.
The end of this film is so unbelievable that it made me wonder why they didn't just let a seven year old rewrite it. It was that bad. If you thought the end of Ichi was head-scratching, wait until you see this one. You will feel so betrayed by Old Boy's cop-out you may never want to see another South Korean film again.
I think the ridiculous praise this film received (Ebert and Tarantino included) happened because NO ONE was comfortable recommending Ichi. Additionally, Ichi was not distributed theatrically in Ontario (Where I live) and was for a period, even banned.
Ichi is a more violent, more difficult film, but it's rewards are far greater than this misdirected piece of trash. How this film ended up at Cannes is beyond me. I think it was because of the reputation of Park Chan's much better "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance".
Most likely, nothing I'm going to write here is going to prevent the curious from seeing this film. But if you feel like your time was wasted, don't tell me I didn't warn you.
Boy was that a mistake. Old Boy is by turns idiotic, horrendous and senselessly violent. It lacks the glee of the most basic revenge film. Even Kill Squad did it better.
Old Boy simply has no point to speak of. My question is: How did the director and scriptwriter screw up a revenge thriller?
Old Boy is very reminiscent of Takashi Miike's far superior Ichi the Killer. The difference between Ichi and Old Boy is one of extremes. Both films revolve around extracting brutal revenge. In this film, the eponymous hero seeks vengeance for fifteen years of imprisonment in a hotel room. In Ichi, Kakihari, a Yakuza enforcer, must track down his kidnapped Boss who may or may not be dead. Both Kakihari and Old Boy use torture to achieve their ends, but in Ichi the violence is committed by such dedicated sadists that it transcends itself and becomes Dionysian. Thusly, Ichi is far more violent than Old Boy, but far more aware. In Old Boy, the violence does nothing but communicate itself as alternately grotesque and depressing.
The end of this film is so unbelievable that it made me wonder why they didn't just let a seven year old rewrite it. It was that bad. If you thought the end of Ichi was head-scratching, wait until you see this one. You will feel so betrayed by Old Boy's cop-out you may never want to see another South Korean film again.
I think the ridiculous praise this film received (Ebert and Tarantino included) happened because NO ONE was comfortable recommending Ichi. Additionally, Ichi was not distributed theatrically in Ontario (Where I live) and was for a period, even banned.
Ichi is a more violent, more difficult film, but it's rewards are far greater than this misdirected piece of trash. How this film ended up at Cannes is beyond me. I think it was because of the reputation of Park Chan's much better "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance".
Most likely, nothing I'm going to write here is going to prevent the curious from seeing this film. But if you feel like your time was wasted, don't tell me I didn't warn you.
More people need to see this film!
JagsFanJay15 August 2007
In an age of American cinema where our biggest blockbusters are based on films already successful overseas, this is one movie that needs to be seen by more American movie goers. This is the movie that got me hooked on Asian revenge films. Oldboy is an original movie that shows what happens when a man's freedom is taken away and he doesn't know why, or by whom. He is sudden thrust back into society where he must track down the person that took away his freedom. Along the way come multiple plot twist and surprises that you just don't see coming.
It's a shame so many American film goers refuse to see foreign films, because this movie is genius. Who knows, maybe someday the movie will get remade for audiences here in the U.S. and the main character will be played by Mel Gibson or Bruce Willis. If you want to stay true to the Asian vision, I even think Jackie Chan could be a candidate.
It's a shame so many American film goers refuse to see foreign films, because this movie is genius. Who knows, maybe someday the movie will get remade for audiences here in the U.S. and the main character will be played by Mel Gibson or Bruce Willis. If you want to stay true to the Asian vision, I even think Jackie Chan could be a candidate.
Emotional, evocative and excellent.
grdontom27 July 2009
Old Boy is my favourite film. As far as I can see, no amount of superlatives could explain quite how much I love it. After my first viewing, (all on my lonesome) I realised I probably hadn't blinked during its entirety and I could quite possibly have been burgled during its course and been none the wiser, such was the extent to which I found it totally and utterly engrossing. Obviously a review consisting of very little other than me spewing praise would be a fairly dull read which was why I never bothered to review Old Boy until after my second viewing, with my Po'. My father being the eternal sceptic that he is turned out to be an extremely worthy person to watch the film with, and his response to it opened my eyes a little as to why I love it that much.
The plot itself is as follows. The protagonist Oh Dae-Su is one day captured and finds himself locked up in a makeshift prison. After a brief spell of anger and spewing hatred for his captors, he resigns himself to his fate, and after 15 years of shadow boxing and suicide attempts he wakes up from a gas induced coma on top of a tower block where he was initially seized. He then proceeds to try and find out who did this and why, and the film basically charts this quest.
The first word that springs to mind when thinking about this film has to be graphic. There are certain scenes which will make those of nervous disposition recoil until they are firmly wedged between the back and seat of their sofa, and they are likely to spend much of the film there as violence is frequent. In most of the extreme cases it is simply the implication of violence and the viewer's imagination when left to its own devices like this will cause its own disgust. This hurdle was a huge thing problem for my dad, who considered some of the violence to be gratuitous, which I can somewhat agree with, although certain scenes are completely integral to the plot. The best way I can justify these scenes is simple. It is all about sending a message, and these do just that. If you can cope with this then you will break down the initial barrier the film leaves lying in the way of your enjoyment.
Another barrier will be the massive culture shock experienced when viewing the film. This is a Korean language film adapted from a Japanese animé series, so there are obviously large cultural differences to the western world. Some of the images used will require quite some thought to fully understand, and the script on translation does lose some of its flow, as any animé or graphic novel fans will associate with. For my father, this made it hard for him to settle into the flow of the film, and I can identify with this slightly from my early days of watching animé.
Many of the themes you will pick up on and the method of direction is very synonymous with Quentin Tarantino. There are devices used in this film which have obviously taken inspiration from Tarantino's works, in particular the Pulp Fiction- esquire use of camera angles, and the famous dotted line sequence. However, Tarantino is himself a huge fan of Old Boy, being its main advocate to win the 2003 Palme d'Or (where it eventually lost out to Fahrenheit 9/11) and has stated Park Chan-Wook as an influence for his directing style on the Kill Bill series, as well as on his later grindhouse works Death Proof and Planet Terror. Chan-Wook takes on a policy of "trust the director", and leaves many questions throughout the film which gives it a somewhat disorientating feel at times. This method of directing can seem quite inaccessible, however all loose ends are tied up very satisfactorily in the enthralling and shocking climax. This is an ending to rival the classic Kaiser Sozé twist in the tail of The Usual Suspects.
What really separated and elevates Chan-Wook's work above and beyond Tarantino's however is very simple. Much of Tarantino's work is undertaken as an exercise in direction and film making, and therefore his work can therefore feel shallow. Old Boy however is a film which assesses the deepest corners of the human heart. The middle of three films which make up Chan-Wook's Vengeance Trilogy it is undoubtedly the masterpiece, with a more powerful message than Lady Vengeance and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. This film has power because of the depths to which it explores the flaws and forces the human heart possesses, stronger and more destructive than any wisdom can overcome. The performances of the main cast and most importantly the director to send this message to the viewer leave this film as about as close to perfection as I can see any film getting.
The plot itself is as follows. The protagonist Oh Dae-Su is one day captured and finds himself locked up in a makeshift prison. After a brief spell of anger and spewing hatred for his captors, he resigns himself to his fate, and after 15 years of shadow boxing and suicide attempts he wakes up from a gas induced coma on top of a tower block where he was initially seized. He then proceeds to try and find out who did this and why, and the film basically charts this quest.
The first word that springs to mind when thinking about this film has to be graphic. There are certain scenes which will make those of nervous disposition recoil until they are firmly wedged between the back and seat of their sofa, and they are likely to spend much of the film there as violence is frequent. In most of the extreme cases it is simply the implication of violence and the viewer's imagination when left to its own devices like this will cause its own disgust. This hurdle was a huge thing problem for my dad, who considered some of the violence to be gratuitous, which I can somewhat agree with, although certain scenes are completely integral to the plot. The best way I can justify these scenes is simple. It is all about sending a message, and these do just that. If you can cope with this then you will break down the initial barrier the film leaves lying in the way of your enjoyment.
Another barrier will be the massive culture shock experienced when viewing the film. This is a Korean language film adapted from a Japanese animé series, so there are obviously large cultural differences to the western world. Some of the images used will require quite some thought to fully understand, and the script on translation does lose some of its flow, as any animé or graphic novel fans will associate with. For my father, this made it hard for him to settle into the flow of the film, and I can identify with this slightly from my early days of watching animé.
Many of the themes you will pick up on and the method of direction is very synonymous with Quentin Tarantino. There are devices used in this film which have obviously taken inspiration from Tarantino's works, in particular the Pulp Fiction- esquire use of camera angles, and the famous dotted line sequence. However, Tarantino is himself a huge fan of Old Boy, being its main advocate to win the 2003 Palme d'Or (where it eventually lost out to Fahrenheit 9/11) and has stated Park Chan-Wook as an influence for his directing style on the Kill Bill series, as well as on his later grindhouse works Death Proof and Planet Terror. Chan-Wook takes on a policy of "trust the director", and leaves many questions throughout the film which gives it a somewhat disorientating feel at times. This method of directing can seem quite inaccessible, however all loose ends are tied up very satisfactorily in the enthralling and shocking climax. This is an ending to rival the classic Kaiser Sozé twist in the tail of The Usual Suspects.
What really separated and elevates Chan-Wook's work above and beyond Tarantino's however is very simple. Much of Tarantino's work is undertaken as an exercise in direction and film making, and therefore his work can therefore feel shallow. Old Boy however is a film which assesses the deepest corners of the human heart. The middle of three films which make up Chan-Wook's Vengeance Trilogy it is undoubtedly the masterpiece, with a more powerful message than Lady Vengeance and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. This film has power because of the depths to which it explores the flaws and forces the human heart possesses, stronger and more destructive than any wisdom can overcome. The performances of the main cast and most importantly the director to send this message to the viewer leave this film as about as close to perfection as I can see any film getting.
Probably the best Korean movie ever made
jacktalking27 August 2009
From the "Vengeance" trilogy by Pak Chan-wook, Oldboy is probably the best, followed by Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. Simple story, "low budget" and actors you already know from Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. Although I am a fan of Korean movies, when I've heard about this movie and it's plot for the first time, I thought "oh my god, another sponsored-by-tomato-factory movie". I watched it for the first time two years after it was released. And to be honest, I was surprised. Since then, I watched this movie more than ten times and I still find it interesting. To me, Oldboy the best Korean movie ever made. Maybe best Asian movie in the last 20 years.
I recommend you to watch this, along with Sympathy for Lady Vengeance and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. You'll be also surprised to find the same actors.
10/10
I recommend you to watch this, along with Sympathy for Lady Vengeance and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. You'll be also surprised to find the same actors.
10/10
This movie changed my life!
romeovillarreal1 August 2018
I know my title might sound a little dramatic but it is true. This was one of the first Korean movie's I had ever seen and after that I was hooked. The story is original and beautifully shot. I never understand why people write a synopsis in a review. You can watch the trailer or read what IMDB already has under description. Moving along the movie is great. Good story, drama, fights, and twists. It's on Netflix so catch it while you still can. Stay away from the atrocious American remake. That movie was garbage and a mockery of this Korean classic. Hope this review helps.
Compelling yet disturbing film used as a scapegoat by media
smitstachowski20 April 2007
If you look at the awards this title has won, you will see that critics worldwide rated the film very highly when it came out. The story is one that has already been remade by the Americans - a man is imprisoned for 15 years by someone he has never seen, released - given a cellphone and five days to find out why he was imprisoned and identify his captor. Harrowing, excellent acting with the true horror not coming from guns but from a shocking personal realisation at the end of the film. Sadly, as is always the case after a mass murder, the media and the public are looking for an easy solution as to why Cho Seung-Hui murdered American students on a rampage. He was pictured in poses which the press tagged as those struck in OLDBOY but these are used by any soldier, terrorist or nutter. I'm sorry this film has borne the brunt of the backlash - Cho Seung-Hui was mentally ill - this film did not cause him to go mad, he was sick. Back to the movie, this will stick with viewers after watching. I'm glad to have a DVD copy of it.
Overrated!!!
kp-9mm20 June 2005
This film is not bad, but does it deserve to be rated as one of the best films of all times? I think not. When rating a film the most important thing should be, what is the film giving the audience and what is the message that the director is pushing across. In this film the message is not much smarter than your average horror flick, and the only feeling you have after seeing it is disgust. That's not really a bad thing, if it has direction. In films like Seven there is and it can be summed up really easy in the last sentences from Morgan Freeman. "The world is a beautiful place and worth fighting for. I agree with the last part." Because Oldboy lacks a message like this the whole film becomes an empty vessel.
That being say, it might be one of the best empty vessels created. The photography is stunning, the editing is clever and the acting is at most parts really good. The story is smart, but becomes a little to smart at times. It's trying too much to live up to films like Memento, Seven or even The Sixth Sense where everything is revealed in the end. First of all I wasn't that surprised, but the worst part was that I really didn't care.
To sum it up: good film, but not even close of being one of the 1000 best films in history.
That being say, it might be one of the best empty vessels created. The photography is stunning, the editing is clever and the acting is at most parts really good. The story is smart, but becomes a little to smart at times. It's trying too much to live up to films like Memento, Seven or even The Sixth Sense where everything is revealed in the end. First of all I wasn't that surprised, but the worst part was that I really didn't care.
To sum it up: good film, but not even close of being one of the 1000 best films in history.
Don't know what to review.
BrainDeadDotCom28 November 2018
Not THAT good, not THAT bad either
marco_spinelli5552 March 2005
I feel people somehow invariably overreact when it comes to this movie. Come on guys, it's just a movie, like it or leave it. It's not necessarily a 10 but neither does it deserve a 1. (For what it's worth, I gave it a 7.) How would I explain this split opinion? It depends very much on what one expects from it, as well as on the overreaction of some viewers who feel, perhaps rightly so, that the movie is way overrated on IMDb, so they feel like they have to overreact the other way, giving it a 1, while this movie is most certainly deserving of much more than 1 !
What would be my unadulterated view on the movie itself? It's not as bad as some posters write. At least one should acknowledge some very good camera-work and naturalist honesty in projecting a certain darkness that resides at the bottom of human souls. The main actor does a good job in most of the movie, I think, but the script gives him no chance but to overdo things toward the end, in hysterical tones which can easily grate on the educated movie lover's nerves.
On the other hand, I cannot understand for the life of me how such a movie made it so high on the IMDb rating system. It's really unbelievable how that could happen. Some viewers all over the world liked the movie but that still does not explain it. Perhaps the pride of some viewers couched in the same culture made them vote en masse with automatic 10's? Hard to tell.
Back to the movie now. I would say that within its own rather cheap genre ("B" movie), Oldboy is an exceptional production, more attentively scripted, shot and acted than most. There is occasionally some really memorable touch in there, the trace of the hand of a professional (even if you may find the general tone of the movie gross and overboard). On the other hand, compared with most other movies that share comparable ratings, Oldboy seems to be woefully lacking in both substantial and stylistic qualities that would qualify it for such an unlikely honor. There are literally hundreds of 7 to 8 rated movies which are undoubtedly better than this one.
If you enjoy this type of "B" (from bloody but not only (-:) revenge movie _anyway_ (the "country relative" of the "film noir" genre), Oldboy will probably not disappoint you. If you expect to watch some kind of unqualified masterpiece, and you have the cinematic culture to understand what that really means, you might (and, I repeat, might) ask for your money back in anger. I have no way of knowing that for sure.
What would be my unadulterated view on the movie itself? It's not as bad as some posters write. At least one should acknowledge some very good camera-work and naturalist honesty in projecting a certain darkness that resides at the bottom of human souls. The main actor does a good job in most of the movie, I think, but the script gives him no chance but to overdo things toward the end, in hysterical tones which can easily grate on the educated movie lover's nerves.
On the other hand, I cannot understand for the life of me how such a movie made it so high on the IMDb rating system. It's really unbelievable how that could happen. Some viewers all over the world liked the movie but that still does not explain it. Perhaps the pride of some viewers couched in the same culture made them vote en masse with automatic 10's? Hard to tell.
Back to the movie now. I would say that within its own rather cheap genre ("B" movie), Oldboy is an exceptional production, more attentively scripted, shot and acted than most. There is occasionally some really memorable touch in there, the trace of the hand of a professional (even if you may find the general tone of the movie gross and overboard). On the other hand, compared with most other movies that share comparable ratings, Oldboy seems to be woefully lacking in both substantial and stylistic qualities that would qualify it for such an unlikely honor. There are literally hundreds of 7 to 8 rated movies which are undoubtedly better than this one.
If you enjoy this type of "B" (from bloody but not only (-:) revenge movie _anyway_ (the "country relative" of the "film noir" genre), Oldboy will probably not disappoint you. If you expect to watch some kind of unqualified masterpiece, and you have the cinematic culture to understand what that really means, you might (and, I repeat, might) ask for your money back in anger. I have no way of knowing that for sure.
Masterpiece
samtebbatt21 January 2008
I'm sorry, I can't understand why some of the users on this site shun Oldboy so much.
I think this is a brilliant film, and yes it does have artistic and avant garde tendencies. If its not your thing, don't watch it.
I, however, think it is a masterpiece. The levels of engagement that the actors are in to create the story is brilliant. People are simply overlooking the fact that incest is a huge tragic flaw. there are brilliant, slightly surreal moments, and I think this is what makes the film.
The camera work is something creative, and has moments of paying homage to the comic, and other films.
I love it so much so, that I have taken the story into physical theatre and created something new. I have done this to pay tribute to such a phenomenal film.
Brilliant, no questions asked...
I think this is a brilliant film, and yes it does have artistic and avant garde tendencies. If its not your thing, don't watch it.
I, however, think it is a masterpiece. The levels of engagement that the actors are in to create the story is brilliant. People are simply overlooking the fact that incest is a huge tragic flaw. there are brilliant, slightly surreal moments, and I think this is what makes the film.
The camera work is something creative, and has moments of paying homage to the comic, and other films.
I love it so much so, that I have taken the story into physical theatre and created something new. I have done this to pay tribute to such a phenomenal film.
Brilliant, no questions asked...
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