An overwhelming revenge film that is definitely not for the squirmish.
For some unknown reason, Oh-Dae-Su finds himself abducted on the night of his daughter's birthday and he is locked away in a mysterious hotel for fifteen years. His only connection to the outside world is a television and his daily ration of dumplings for sustenance. He eventually learns to live his life inside his prison and the longer he stayed, the more vengeful he became. He plans to escape using a tunnel he has been digging for a long time using chopsticks, but before he can make use of it, he is suddenly released for no reason. He starts on a search for vengeance against his captors but soon finds out that he is swimming in an ocean far deeper than he imagined.
One of the main reasons I wanted to watch this was because I liked the last film I saw by Park Chan-wook which was 'Stoker'. This South Korean director definitely knows how to spice up the revenge genre while successfully disturbing our minds at the same time. Another good reason why I watched this movie was because Hollywood is planning on a remake of the film and is set to be released within this year. I'm not really a fan of Asian to American remakes but I'm willing to give the remake a chance.
When I watch a movie, I always look for the character development. I want to see the character alive and see him transform from one person to another. This film did not disappoint at all. There is emotional attachment from the character to the viewers. Throughout the run of the entire film, it would be perfectly understandable for you to switch alliance from the protagonist to the antagonist. But by watching it, you might also end up asking yourself who is the hero and the villain. What I love about the movie is that it challenges the audience' morals and their views about revenge and what's right and wrong.
The movie runs in a theme-driven plot and does not fail to deliver its message in a twisted and disturbing way. The movie highlights how solitude and the passage of time can change a man in different ways unimaginable. Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is a man who introduces himself as a womanizer with a strong personality but at the same time manages to amuse us. After his captivity, we see him grow into someone darker and violent. Such traits must have been present within him for a long time but the confinement surely made the inner violence surface.
But the theme that fuels the entire movie is revenge. Oh Dae-su seeks revenge to those who held him captive for fifteen years while the captor Lee Woo-jin (Yoo Ji-tae) is also driven by revenge or something that has happened a long time ago. The twists and turns will manage to keep you at the edge of your seat. You wouldn't know who is one step ahead of the game until the very end. The concept of revenge is challenged whether it is righteous to get even to the people who have done you wrong. In addition to this, the question of 'what will you do after you carry out your revenge' is raised.
Story-wise, the movie is beyond perfection. If I continue to talk more about the morals and themes of the film then I might end up digressing.
The acting is superb. Choi Min-sik is a national treasure. No inhibitions when he acts and always makes sure to give it his best. He delivers so well that you can feel his emotions and his character's hunger for vengeance. One of the most memorable scenes of his would have to be when he ate a squid alive. No CGI here. It was also said that four squids were used to take that shot. I could barely stomach that part but I still managed to get through it.
The editing and the cinematography of the movie also deserve a big round of applause. There were numerous scenes that are memorable to me. The hallway fight scene which was shot in one continuous take was well choreographed, well executed and very entertaining. What I loved about it is like watching a real life fight happen. No cuts pure action. I also loved the part where he went back to his high school to search for answers and we enter a flashback sequence where his old self and his past self is are present in the sequence. It's a great execution of the concept 'tracing back your footsteps'.
In conclusion, Oldboy really deserves to be called as one of the best films in Asia. Well crafted, well directed, and well executed. This film would definitely be a winner for horror and gore fans out there. If you're not then don't worry, you can still relate to it. Definitely a film to watch before you die. Or at least before you take revenge on someone.
Rating: 5/5
