Oldboy
"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."
After watching The Handmaiden yesterday, I had to get Oldboy rated on here. I watched it a year or so ago, but I've been waiting for a good time to rewatch it and get it rated. Even on rewatch, this is an unbelievable action thriller.
You have to talk about the twist first. It's what the whole film is working towards revealing and so you have to start with it. Genuinely one of the most devastating and disturbing twists in all of cinema. And the way in which it's revealed is just masterful. That moment with Oh Dae-Su turning the pages of the book, with that unsettling music, is just the most heart-wrenching and disturbing 'reveal moment' you'll ever see in cinema. Even on rewatch it evokes the same horrible emotions inside of me. Another thing I noticed on rewatch though, was how a minute or two before the reveal with the picture book, it shows you Mido going through her suitcase and seeing the wings at the bottom. The film actually gives the viewer a minute or two to figure out the twist for themselves. If you'd paid attention in the first few minutes and remembered the gift he had bought his daughter, you could have worked it out. I didn't work it out on first watch, but I really liked how the film did that. Those final shots too are just the cherry on top. The film leaves you wondering whether the hypnotism really worked. His happy/laughing/crying facial expression could mean either. Even on rewatch I can't really tell or make my mind up. How the film uses the quote from the man on the building at the beginning too is just excellent. I loved how they put it at the end of Oh Dae-Su's letter at the end (It's the quote at the top of this review). It brings this film full circle excellently.
Another thing I noticed on rewatch was the score. Oh my word is it just unbelievable. The songs 'The Old Boy' and 'The Last Waltz' in particular are just stunning. I've never heard of Jo Yeong-Wook before but what an addition he was to this film. Propelled many sequences to astonishing heights. The corridor fight sequence for example is 10x better with that unbelievable song alongside it. Even without though, what an epic action sequence.
In summary, it may be the best action thriller of all time. Genuinely flawless directing. It may be recency bias but I do think The Handmaiden is slightly better, but regardless, they are both 9/10 films for me.