An absolutely intriguing mystery

Rating: 6/10 (9 April 2006)

I was often recommended Oldboy by loads of people but kept putting it off for some reason. Well, I'm glad I just decided to go 'what the hell' because it IS actually really, really good. At least I thought that when I first saw it. I'll be honest...in the 10 years since the movie came out it's not aged well.
Even though the plot has been outlined a zillion times in other reviews, I will simply say that some seemingly random dude is plucked from the streets, imprisoned in a shoddy apartment for fifteen years and let loose with a wallet full of money and a cell phone. He has five days to find the man who imprisoned him and why.
An absorbing set-up, and the clues as he slowly finds them and slowly puts them together make for a brilliant mystery movie with a dark sense of humor. The plot has layers and layers of mystery and our hapless hero wades through thick twists and turns, always keeping us on the edge of our seats. It works on a first viewing, but once you know the big twist and the big explanation is delivered at the end it fails to be as second time around.
As is the case with almost every Asian movie, Oldboy is currently being remade by Hollywood. Because anything that the Asians can do, Hollywood can apparently do better. The US version by has-been director Spike Lee (at least he sounds Asian) might improve on some of the rough elements which date the 2003 version, but I can't imagine it being as good on first viewing.
Do yourself a favor and check this movie out, or wait for the remake to hit cinemas. A great mystery on first viewing. A bit of a bore from two to infinity.