A beautiful film, gruesomeness aside...

Rating: 8/10 (26 May 2006)

It seems that preconceptions matter as much as anything in viewing this film. I watched it having read reviews which highlighted Oldboy's mixture of comedy and tragedy, and had in mind a film rather like 'Sin City'. If you watch it in this light, and aren't expecting a pure tragedy, then I think you'll enjoy it.
The characters are very stylised, and, to my mind at least, not supposed to be wholly believable. I'm not sure where anyone got the idea that the film was supposed to be realistic from. Yes, realism allows for sympathy and empathy, but not exclusively.
Beyond the characters, there is much to love about this film. The cinematography is beautiful, even if the innovation is excessive. I'm not sure why that's supposedly a bad thing either, unless you want a kitchen-sink drama. The score is breathtaking. The violence didn't only shock me, it made me feel pity for the characters and therefore I don't think it was gratuitous.
The plot seems only just strong enough to allow you to suspend your disbelief, but again, I was expecting Sin City-meets-Kafka. Only the ending really let the film down, I think, though it was good.
The ultimate point is that Oldboy is based on a comic-book.