Savage Plot Saved by Imagery and Sound

Rating: 7/10 (13 February 2005)

"Oldboy" is best viewed on a clean slate. I knew nothing about it before watching it, only that a friend recommend it. Similar in fashion to "Donnie Darko" or "Fight Club" this is a film that once you know the twist and how it ends (and this has a climax ripped right from the bleeding heart of a Greek tragedy) it probably won't hold up on repeat viewing all that well. As such, I will probably avoid watching it again, as it was oddly endearing and I would rather remember it well than think about it too much and ruin the experience.
A simplistic and twisted revenge plot gets shrouded in claustrophobic mystery and visual chutzpah (the camera work and color scheming are intense and satisfying, a stunning blend of Scorsese and Zhang Zimou) that tricks the unsuspecting viewer into thinking they are watching something more special than it really is. There's also a fantastic music score blending classical pieces with techno music. The music and the imagery last in the viewer's mind long after the film ends. Unfortunately the story line and characters do not. I suppose on a simple motion picture level (where one views film-making as a purely visual and sound art form) the film is a rousing success. However, if you wish to view film as a story telling art form, this repetitive and contrived motion picture fails miserably. Already pegged for a Hollywood remake that will no doubt pummel the style over substance nature of the film into the ground.