Pure cinema.

Rating: 9/10 (9 February 2005)

Even though I see where people are coming from, it's still amusing to see people complain about Oldboy being violent - Violence & torture has been widely discussed ever since the release of the movie. Every single review that Oldboy has ever got, made points about it. If you turn your clock and back to 1990 and read back the reviews for Pulp Fiction. You will find EXACTLY identical criticism - ugly, needless, pointless violence - do we really need a rape scene in a movie? Oldboy, just like Pulp Fiction before it, is a divisive entertainment. It does not celebrate the greatness of mankind and pats on our shoulder for watching it to the end, saying 'well done, see how great we all can be' kinda attitude. Instead it punches, gnaws and knocks you over until you are thoroughly battered and bleeding to the core. Some people love it or some hate it. No two ways about it.
And I'm firmly in the side of 'loving' it. When I watched it for the first time, I felt repulsed and shocked. Didn't quite know what to think, but I couldn't forget. Two days I found myself wanting to watch the DVD again. After watching it for the fifth time, I slowly realized it has that 'magic' quality, that something special which will last in memories of many, for years to come.
Style, music, acting and color. Oldboy is a supernova of all these, mixed into highly charged adrenaline pumping, kicking your gut, like entertainment. Even if you hated this movie, you won't be able to tear your eyes away from it, because Oldboy has the hypnotic quality like a sweet nightmare.
Oldboy will stand the test of time because it's a pure cinema of awesome quality, and if you can stand the heat, it's a movie to kick your head spinning and two days later you would be ready to be kicked once more.