Best movie out of Korea--ever.

Rating: 8/10 (9 March 2005)

Old Boy prays on things that South Koreans hold VERY dear--family, honor, and personal freedoms. The 15 year imprisonment is an affront to the personal freedoms, and the family and honor part is apparent (I don't want to give it away). In order to TRULY appreciate it, you must understand the deep seeded nature of these values. To give this movie an overall classification, I would say Quentin Tarantino meets your favorite mind game/mystery. The movie is, however, GREAT on many more levels. For example the torturous nature of the incarceration is brilliantly portrayed; you truly feel for the character. The element of mystery is unpredictable (especially for American audiences) with reveals coming at just the right time. There is also a scene in which our hero mows down about 40 henchmen in a narrow hallway. It is filmed in ONE SHOT. The only reason this film did not win overall best at Cannes Film Festival is because Farenhight911 was the political favorite in France. Overall it is worth reading the subtitles, even if you are not a foreign film fan.