A difficult but beautiful revenge-powered mystery that can't be passed up

Rating: 9/10 (14 January 2009)

It's amazing how incredibly well-made movies like "Oldboy" manage to slip under the radar, at least in America. It may be a South Korean film, but it appeared at Sundance and its plot and style are easily catered to a Western audience. Regardless what happened, "Oldboy" is a film that can't be missed. It is a crime thriller and mystery that is delivered with such force and style that you can't help but be wowed.
The movie is sort of like a much more contemporary spin on Alexandre Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo." Oh Dae-sue is kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years then suddenly released. Naturally, Dae-sue seeks answers and more importantly, revenge against his captor, but there's more to his situation than he realizes and he will soon find that the outside world is a giant prison in its own right.
Chan-wook Park directs and writes the film based on a comic by Nobuaki Minegishi. That's a good place to start. Both the writing and directing is absolutely fantastic. There is a strong mix of active dialog and reflective narration from Dae-sue's perspective. The transitions between present action and past memory are not only creative but clear and seamless. While the film's only weakness is that it's difficult to follow and understand as it moves at mind- pounding speed, what you can follow is quite a lot considering the film's complexity and how little detail we know through so much of the movie. Nothing starts to really make sense until maybe halfway through.
Park is also incredibly creative. The two-dimensional (like an old video game) fight sequence where Dae-sue takes out some guys with a hammer is unforgettable. His transitions to past memories that combine footage of the previous and upcoming scenes are quite smooth and interesting. One critical flashback, that (without spoilers) involves a hand-held mirror is elegant and powerful. So many amazing choices are made and they're not just good, they're highly memorable.
Min Sik-Choi, who plays Dae-sue, gives an astounding performance, taking us into the tortured, vengeful and penitent heart of Dae-sue. There are times where he's comedic and times here's pitifully comedic. A lot of the film rides on feeling that emotion, feeling his motivation as if it's part of our own.
This is without question a difficult film. Torturing images, incest, scenes that will nearly scar you litter this film. It is its greatest strength at times but obviously it makes it very difficult for some people to tolerate. Also littering the film, however, are quotes and phrases that gain meaning as the film progresses that are beautiful and thought-provoking. No matter the scene, "Oldboy" will grip you and make you think long and hard about it as the credits roll.