First rate suspense; Extremely disturbing tale

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2005)

Oldboy is not a masterpiece, but it is an excellent suspense/action film. To defend it from it's detractors:
1)The plot is far-fetched but no more far-fetched than any other film of this genre. The motivation of the Dae-su's tormentor is not a let down, and the twist at the end is devastating and effective.
2)I agree that some of the histrionics toward the end could have been toned down, but otherwise the performances, especially by the leads, are excellent.
3)The directors visual style and story telling are worth the hype.
This movie is not for the squeamish or those looking for a happy ending. Or for that matter, for those who look to movies to see people who react just like they would themselves.