grotesque mind game

Rating: 9/10 (6 November 2006)

Chan-sook Park's 2003 cult film "Oldboy" tells the story of Dae-Su Oh, a Korean businessman imprisoned without cause for fifteen years. One day he is suddenly released and intent on unraveling the mystery behind the reason for his capture and to bestow vengeance upon those who imprisoned him. With every step he takes, a new mystery is discovered.
For Dae-Su, as well as the audience, the answers continually feel merely one step ahead. This is a classic revenge tale in the highest regard, but cinematographer Jeong-hun Jeong and director Park craft the film as something far loftier. Dae-Su's quest is one of self-discovery and bordering on the philosophical, as he battles personal demons and personal enemies alike. There's an underlying romantic element to the piece that is presented with the same delicate care as several rather gruesome and unabashedly offensive, but mostly audience-created, scenes.
This is hypnotic film-making in the best sense, psyching out the audience at every turn, and steadily escalating to a big, mind-blowing finish. Surprisingly, as disturbing as much of the material is, "Oldboy" makes for satisfying viewing.