Oldboy

Oldboy (2003) Runtime: 120 mins Director: Park-Chan-Wook Writer: Park-Chan-Wook, Hwang Jo-yoon, Lim-Joon-hyung Producers: Syd Lim Composer: Choi Seung-hyun, Cho-Young-wuk, Shim Hyun-jung, Lee-Ji soo Genre: Drama, Action, Mystery, Thriller Aspect Raito: 2.35: 1 Starring: Choi Min-sik, Dae-su Oh, Yoo Ji-tae, Woo-jin Lee, Kang Hye-jeong, Mi-do, Kim Byeong-Ok, Dae-han Ji & No Joo-hwan Review/synopsis: Dae-Su is an obnoxious drunk bailed from the police station yet again by his friend. Dae-Su's friend goes to make a phone call at a nearby telephone when Dae-Su suddenly dissappears. Dae-Su wakes up in what looks like an old hotel room, a TV a toilet, a bed and a door with a sliding hole in the bottom is all that lies in front of him for the next 15 years of his life. From losing his wife and daughter and lies spread about him on the news, Dae-Su seeks revenge on the people who imprisoned him for 15 years and leads to a mind bending excellent revenge tale. I went in to oldboy completely blind now knowing what to expect other than it was sort of an action movie and I was not expecting the story that was about to unfold. Oldboy is not an easy film to sit through without feeling sick to your stomach. Right from the beginning of the film your left with so many questions as it is not clear what type of film its about to be. When Dae-Su gets kidnapped and imprisoned it has one of the best depictions of desperation and depression I have ever seen, your unsure why he is imprisoned, which makes the viewer automatically sympathise with our main character and want to see him succeed for the remainder of the story. Oldboy does everything right, from the writing, cinematography and the outstanding fight scenes it is bound to leave your palms sweating and to have you on the edge of your seat. Oldboy was really a massive break through for Korean cinema as a whole as this marked one of the first Korean films to be produced to American audiences with Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder which won Best picture, best Director and best actor at the Grand Bell Awards that also came out in 2003 following soon after. You can tell when watching Park-Chan-Wook took many inspirations from this film in the style of directing this masterpiece like David Fincher giving it that dirty Gritty look and definitely some Alfred hitchcock in the way some of the shots are framed and some of the phenomenal one takes. Oldboy is not for the faint hearted when it comes to the extreme and intense violance that is portrayed in the film Oldboy is an excellent revenge tale with many twists and turns that are bound to leave you speechless. Quotes; Even though I’m no more than a monster – don’t I, too, have the right to live?” “Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.” “The tv is both a clock and a calendar. It’s your school, your home, your church, your friend… and your lover. But… my lover’s song is too short.” “And now… now, what joy will I have left to live for?”