Oldboy

*could someone get me bleach for my mind? * wow… this was dark. I feel so conflicted, I loved it, but I’m also kind of disgusted by it. This is one of those movies you watch once and then never want to think about again… and I mean that in the best way possible. The main character here is incredible. The writing, the story, and especially Choi Min-sik’s performance all come together to make Oh Dae-su such a memorable character. At first, I thought he was being punished for the way he acted in the beginning, that that was the “beast.” But no… he was turned into one. Choi Min-sik is truly unbelievable here. This is easily going straight into my list of favorite performances. You Ji-tae is great too, calm, controlled, and just as effective in a completely different way. This is only my second Korean film, and for me it works way better than Parasite*. One issue I had there was the more eccentric acting style, but here everything feels more grounded. You can really feel how broken both Dae-su and Woo-jin* are. The performances know exactly when to hold back and when to explode. Also yeah… as most people already know Choi Min-sik actually ate a live octopus for multiple takes. That somehow makes the whole thing even more insane. Visually, it’s great. The cinematography is sharp throughout, and that corridor fight scene is famous for a reason, it’s just perfectly executed. I also really liked how the film uses different color palettes to match the tone of each part. It subtly helps track time and mood without overdoing it. The story itself is honestly gripping. From the opening scene, it just locks you in. I was more focused watching this than I’ve been in a long time, I couldn’t look away... like at all. It slowly pulls you deeper and deeper until that final act… and yeah, that final act is something else. I just sat there with my jaw open, wondering how much worse it could get. And somehow, it keeps getting worse. Weirdly enough, one of my favorite parts of the whole film is the soundtrack. The use of waltzes mixed with eerie elements, and those almost hypnotic flute sounds, fits the tone perfectly. It adds this strange elegance to something that’s otherwise completely disturbing. Final takeaway Yeah… no complaints. The performances are incredible, the story is dark and uncomfortable in a way that actually sticks with you, and everything from the cinematography to the music just works. I never want to watch this again. But I’m very glad I did. Favorite lines: "-i pray he gets on his knees and begs your forgiveness." "-if they had told me it was going to be 15 years, could it have been easier to endure? or could it not?" "-laugh and the whole world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone." 10/10 flutes