A raw and visceral movie

Rating: 10/10 (26 May 2005)

OK actually it is 9/10 but I'm doing my bit to counter some fools who, i think, monitor the IMDb top 100 (in order to acquire a taste they don't have for themselves) then go to each one and get mad if it isn't their type of movie, returning to do a drive-by low vote on it.
The movie is great. The soundtrack is wonderful, the camera-work, the acting, the story. It reminded me of Sin City at the time and I was surprised and pleased to read in another comment that it WAS based on some Japanese anime - I think it showed. That also explains why a few of the scenes are so OTT. But they work anyway. It all just .. all .. fits ..
Go see this movie if you like foreign films, Asian films, if you like black humor, if you like revenge, if you like seeing a new face and find he acts amazingly from the very first second you lay eyes on him. The opening minutes are mesmerizing, and the movie hardly lets up from there on.
As for the "eating" scene? so what? you've never eaten live lobster sushi before? if you're so easily shocked - by strong tastes, strong visuals - then find another movie to see! Old Boy is one of the years best for me.. definitely. I can shut my eyes and many many scenes replay vividly for me. Someone else mentioned that the film made them wonder if they were drunk, it had the same effect on me, in a good way.