I didn't like the Catcher in the Rye when I first read it either ...

Rating: 8/10 (20 February 2005)

Those who are lamenting on how poor a film Oldboy is do not understand some of the fine points that were made in the movie. I thought the Great Gatsby and the Catcher in the Rye were pointless at first, and I had no idea why they were so critically acclaimed. It was not until I realized how applicable those novels were to universal issues (of the era they were written in, but also for future purposes) that I realized the true strength of their messages.
In the same way, I believe Oldboy is more of a thinker's film than a simple revenge film, but that lies in how you interpret the dialogue. It may be that the translations do not carry over very well. But in any case, if you watch Oldboy focusing on just the obvious visceral elements, you will not catch everything. Similar to what Lee Woo-Jin says in the movie, there are reasons why this movie comes out now rather than 15 years ago, but in other ways, it would be meaningful in any era.