Brilliant, twisted, revenge thriller.

Rating: 9/10 (6 March 2005)

Oldboy is quite simply the greatest movie I have ever seen. I am not overrating this. In my opinion, words cannot begin to describe the feelings this movie left me with. I was left totally speechless while I contemplated this masterpiece.
From the opening shot, director Chan Wook Parks's intelligent use of camera angles is a joy to behold. He instantly adds a grittiness to the story with the use of his camera work, which in places can be extremely subtle. The soundtrack to this movie is the perfect accompaniment to what is unfolding on screen. It grabs you by the ears and slams you head first into the story line. Brilliant.
Min Sik Choi is excellent in this movie. I can honestly say that in places his acting ability and the depth of character he creates can be quite disturbing. The end scene in particular. The character Dae Su Oh is an interesting one, and the journey he is forced to undertake is quite simply, brutal. I feel that although the story line can be conceived as far fetched, it makes compelling viewing, and at no point during this film did I think it was in any way ridiculous. It is testament to the director's ability and that of the actors involved, that this awesome movie has been such a success both in Asia and more recently Western markets.
Although this movie will not be to everyones taste, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is quite simply wonderful.