Fantastic movie - not for everyone

Rating: 10/10 (6 June 2010)

Lot's of reviews for this title already but I just have to write one, too.
When I saw this movie for the first time I really liked it. I finally watched it again and this time my admiration reached a peak.
This movie is fantastic in almost every way.
The cinematography is gorgeous. I love every scene, every shot of the camera, the atmosphere is amazing not to forget the creativity in presenting the pictures; colorful, original, inventive - like many Asian movies are. However many influences of famous non-Asian filmmakers can be found. I was reminded of directors like Kubrick, Fincher or Tarantino. I also loved how some of the scenes where cut and put together. The pace of the movie is also really balanced. There are times to cool down, parts when the picture takes time to develop in depth and atmosphere followed by "action" scenes that come along literally like a hammer on your head. Completed is the whole with a fantastic and perfectly placed score. I think classical music playing over violent scenes did not sound that beautiful since "A clockwork orange".
The main character (go look up his name) gives an incredible performance. Absolutely crazy, emotionally gripping and most important believable.
Not as believable may seem the plot for some people ...
A drunk man is kidnapped on the street and trapped for 15 years of his life in what looks like a shabby "hotel room". His only friend during this time is the telly. He gets food through a small shutter in the door and after being intoxicated with gas, the kidnappers clean up the room, wash his clothes and cut his hair. He never gets in contact with other people and is not told who is doing this to him or why. The reason why he is not going totally mad is his rage and need for revenge. Finally he is free again and tries to find the guys and kill them. Now this might not sound as complex as it actually is. Maybe even a bit too complex. The revelation kinda is a bit improbable but I think it still could work... and within this movie it definitely worked for me.
It's an extremely powerful movie, even disturbing not only for the gore itself. In fact this whole movie is pretty violent and therefore I can not recommend this for everybody. But it is not violence for its own sake but really has a purpose and also a motivation. This film is a complex character study about the alienation of an isolated man and how human psyche is influenced and/or manipulated.
My only little problem that I had with the movie especially the first time I watched it is the confusion. Not only the plot is quite confusing and at times hard to follow but most of the trouble I had with the picture was memorizing and assigning all these Asian names to the correct characters. They all sound so strange and similar that I was wondering more than once "Who is that person they were just talking about again?". The second time around this was not longer the case and I finally fell in love with the movie.
All in all this is an extraordinary experience that you definitely don't see very often or maybe haven't ever seen before. It is unique, compelling, violent, creative, at times funny and perfectly crafted.
Cause of some weaknesses in the plot (developement) I rate this film "only" 9/10.
So ******* see it!