Oldboy (2003) 2007 Asian Edition Review

Friday, 01 June 2007 00:00

Reviewed by Lisa Fore
© Dystopia Magazine | Asian Edition | June 2007

Genre: Thriller/Drama
Released:November 21st, 2003
Rating: R for strong violence including scenes of torture, sexuality and pervasive language

Director: Park Chanwook
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Features
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Anamorphic widescreen
Korean (Dolby Digital 5.1), Korean (DTS 5.1)
English (Dolby Digital 5.1) audio tracks plus English and Spanish subtitles

SPECIAL FEATURES

Interview with the Director
Director's and Cinematographer's Commentary
Deleted scenes
OLDBOY Trailer Contest Winner
Photo Gallery

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Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.

After getting busted for being drunk and extremely disorderly, rumpled businessman Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) gets angrier and angrier as he sits at a station waiting for the police to release him because he has to go home—it’s his little girl’s birthday. Getting nowhere with the standard inebriated outbursts and tantrums, he tries to flip on the charm and show the police he’s a nice guy (in a fantastic set of hysterical cut shots): a proud papa—shoving pictures of his daughter at the cops; an entertainer — dancing and singing while wearing a small set of angel wings he bought as a birthday present for his little angel; and finally as a regular Joe—by flirting with a younger girl (who also happens to be sitting right next to her boyfriend). It’s still a no-go with the cops however, until Dae-su’s best friend, Joo-Hwan, comes to bail him out. While his friend apologizes profusely to the police, Oh Dae-su waits (quietly—to everyone’s surprise I’m sure), until he does the regional equivalent of giving the cops the middle finger and scrambles from the station.

We find him in a phone booth calling his daughter to apologize for being late, and he suddenly puts his friend on the phone (looking to avoid a screaming wife who’s bound to jump on any second—well maybe in Asia it’s considered ‘concerned nagging’) and steps out of the phone booth.

It becomes the biggest mistake of Dae-su’s life.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Oldboy is a true rarity. While it’s the second film that ever made me restart the DVD immediately after the final credits (Usual Suspects being the first), it’s the first to make me do it four times in a row.(When it’s that good, I tend to get “a tad” obsessive-compulsive.)

This three act thriller is a total descent into the power of human will, that while full of raging action is even more horrific than any giant deity flailing a chainsaw through ridiculous sequels or CGI boogeyman (or woman or child) because this is the ultimate psychological game, and for all of it’s intricate details, Oldboy is actually plausible...with the right kind of connections and patience.

The screenplay is brilliant, with dialogue that’s actually practical and informative—-no weak red herrings or filler chat-chat here; the direction and cinematography are phenomenal, smooth and (here’s another rare part) ultimately and intimately involving-—Park brings the audience Dae-su’s ordeal with moments of claustrophobia and even the relief of space (I actually caught myself inhaling deeply once he was released) that can’t help but bring us right into his head, and naturally sympathize completely with his plans of revenge.

The extent of his captor’s cruelty and the purity of Dae-su’s determination for absolution are truly astounding. I also definitely recommend watching it in it's native language (Korean) with subtitles, even though it has the option of English audio; Choi's tone and passion put the final stamp of perfection on the entire film. If you aren’t emotionally exhausted by Choi’s magnificent performance, then check your pulse, cuz the man has got serious game.

Sir Anthony Hopkins. Robert De Niro. Al Pacino. Choi Min-sik.

Oh yeah people, he easily sits among the greatest in the world.

Oldboy is an absolute masterpiece: psychologically brutal, darkly hilarious, beautifully presented and completely disturbing—-results only possible by those who understand true human frailty and drive.

I became a fan of Choi Min-sik and Park Chan-wook after the first run—they totally broke my mind and I absolutely love them for it.

Overall Rating: 5

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Last Updated ( Monday, 02 February 2009 12:13 )