It hit me like a train wreck

Rating: 10/10 (25 March 2005)

I like it. I've been scrolling down the mostly negative recent reviews and I was trying to find a common thread among them but nope, they come from all walks of life. Well, they're Caucasian, with maybe one Asian name who lives in the US. I'm Filipino.
I doubt they'll bother show this movie here commercially. I viewed it through an original DVD I had to order abroad. I'm only too happy to give Park Chan Wook my money as a sign he's doing well. Only too glad I've added to the growing reputation Oldboy has gathered. And happy to see many hating the film too.
I can't defend Oldboy. It's repulsive, the plot seems convoluted, there are times when the director,well, one might say, he seems to go too far... I'm just not surprised by the polar opinions about it. There are ten star ratings, there are one star ratings. I'm definitely in the ten-star side. It's epic, it's ambitious, and I bought all of it. WHY? Uh. It's not like me. I'm meek. I wear glasses. I don't know how to fight. I don't like Dae-su and I don't idolize him. I guess that's why Oldboy is entertaining for me. It's someone else's life, in relentless detail. It doesn't bother me if it's inaccurate, unrealistic, over-the-top.
It took me for a ride and in the end, I come out and go back to my life, glad that all THAT didn't happen to me. Oh, yeah, it shook me to the core, definitely. Some scenes and ideas will haunt me for a long time. I guess I just take it all as reaffirmation I'm happy as I am.