Great technical work, a thrilling experience

Rating: 10/10 (31 May 2005)

Many IMDb reviewers apparently saw the movie because of the Cannes jurors' high praise. I believe their expectations were misplaced.
This movie is a technical masterpiece. Though critics may say the characters are "cardboard cut-outs" and the message clouded, this genre could not sustain any more than what there is. This film is simply not the *type* of art piece that many viewers thought it was.
As surely as The Matrix deserved its Academy Awards for its technical achievements including Sound, Film Editing, Visual Effects, and Sound Effects Editing, Old Boy deserves accolades for its technical merits. The sets, the lighting, and the visual effects, indeed, all of the production aspects make the film an incredible experience. Not a moving or touching experience, rather a thrill; an adrenaline rush; a jolt.
The film does not relate to the heartfelt aspects of humanity, nor does it attempt to, nor should viewers expect such things. The film does speak of rage, subversion, antagony and revenge. And it does so wonderfully. Aren't these all aspects of being human? Because this film successfully explores these parts of the human experience, is it not art? A good piece of art? It is, so I highly recommend it.