brilliant brilliant brilliant

Rating: Null/10 (18 August 2011)

I'll echo the majority of the viewers' sentiments, this film is brilliant.
I really did not know what to expect when I first sat down to watch it, except that I'd hoped it would be a good thriller from a well respected Korean director.
And that's how you should approach this film if you haven't watched it, expect nothing, because that's when you get the most out of it. I've read a couple of reviews regarding the "incomprehensible" plot and "rambling storyline" and it beggars belief how these people have come to this conclusion.
In terms of plot and storyline, it's one of the most original and tightly controlled I've ever watched. From the start, when a man is put in a private jail without explanation for 15 years, you're drawn into the story. Then it just gets better.
Acting by the two central characters, the antagonist and the protagonist - at times they easily swap places, such is the clever story line and the brilliant acting - is outstanding. The energy and the inner rage with which both go about the roles was just brilliant to watch.
The music score was pretty much perfect for any film I've come across and the main melody is as memorable as any you're likely to come across in any medium.
The twists are not over-egged, as they don't need to be, and the gut-wrenching, brutal yet emotionally charged penultimate scene will stay with you for a long time afterwards. This film is in my top 10 of all time. Just watch it with an open mind. It's a great, great film.