Old Boy [2003]

A few of my friends have told me how brilliant this film was, and I got the chance to watch it and my opinion is that it is amazing, and like something I have never seen before.

The film is about a man, Oh Dae Su, who is kidnapped then imprisoned, and released after 15 years and seeks revenge for this. To his surprise he finds out that he must find his captor within 5 days, and the number of events that occur leading to the finish are unbelievable.

The film is directed by Chan Wook Park, and is highly innovative in the film industry, however has got mixed reviews from its viewers. The movie is very dark and bleak, focusing on revenge and time, being imprisoned for a long time, and only having a short time to get his revenge. This is seen in the opening credit sequence where clocks are shown in the background, and time passing. It captures the emotion and aggression of what a real person would feel for being locked away for so long, and how curiosity would come into the mind.

The plot and style of the film seems to mix American and Asian cinema, with a storyline more from something like an American film, and the execution in an Asian style.The cinematography is good and the action sequences are pulled off with lots of energy and realism compared to other Asian movies. A classic scene is where where Oh Dae Su fights his way through a group of enemies down a corridor and is one of the best fight scenes I've seen, with its awkward and realistic choreography, and the fact that it is done in one camera shot.

Everything about this film seems perfect, the acting is extraordinary, the direction is spot on and in the process is brutally and beautifully delivered. But it's the story that makes this film stand out, it delivers an unthinkable example of what a revenge film should be.