Oldboy
Oldboy is a movie that I had high expectations, even with it being in a different language, being one of my first foreign films, but it lived up to my expectations, maybe even exceeding them.
That plot twist was insane. I knew Oldboy had a crazy twist going in because everyone always talks about it, but nothing could’ve prepared me for that. It genuinely left me speechless. The way the movie slowly gives you little hints before the reveal makes it even better.
Lee Woo-jin is such a great villain. He’s calm the entire movie, which somehow makes him even scarier. He never needs to raise his voice or do too much. He just sits back and watches everything play out exactly how he wanted. That elevator scene at the end was chilling.
The cinematography was amazing too. The hallway fight scene absolutely lived up to the hype and is honestly one of the best scenes I’ve ever seen. It feels raw and messy in the best way, which makes it so much more intense. So many shots in this movie stuck with me.
And Choi Min-sik was unbelievable. Choi Min-sik He carries so much emotion in this role. You feel all of Oh Dae-su’s anger, pain, confusion, and desperation. Oldboy wouldn’t hit nearly as hard without that performance.
This movie is disturbing, brutal, and honestly hard to shake after watching it. Definitely one of the best thrillers I’ve seen.