One of the best films I watched in 2004.

Rating: 8/10 (9 December 2008)

Oldboy, a Korean action thriller, is one of the best films I watched in 2004! Oh Daesu, on his way home to celebrate his daughter's birthday, finds himself kidnapped and placed in a small apartment-like room. Despite his attempts to find out why, he is never told anything over the 15 years he remains prisoner there! During the time in his cell, he stays busy by attempting suicide, watching TV, trying to escape, and preparing for when he does get out. It is at that time Oh Daesu will begin his violent, disturbing quest for answers. No more needs to be said, as this is a film best left revealed as you watch it for the first time. I will mention one scene for the action fans though. Oh Daesu, on his way out of a building, starts into a hall and encounters a whole gang of punks prepared to stop him. Armed with a mere claw hammer, our hero smashes his way to the other end, realistically dishing out pain (and taking his share of it back!). We witness this awesome scene of action beauty unfold over the course of about three minutes, scrolling from the left to the right, and with absolutely no cuts! Anyway, with its unique and suspenseful plot, great characters and acting, and sharp sense of style and music, Oldboy was an impressive feature. The film was less than a year old and a remake was already in the works! If you get the chance, I definitely recommend watching it. I'm looking forward to now checking out director Chan-wook Park's earlier film, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance.
Comment originally submitted on September 5, 2005.