Film without Mercy

Rating: 7/10 (20 February 2005)

What is so fascinating about Asian cinema is its radicalism and the extremes. Not only the action and the depicting representation of violence are so radical, but also when it comes to aesthetic issues that exceed the lines of occidental films. Such as "Oldboy" does. An attack in philosophical and aesthetic aspects: brutal, disturbing, traumatic - and beautiful. The Jury of the Cannes festival under the lead of Tarantino could not do differently than present the Grand Prix to the work of director Park Chan-wook.
"Oldboy" is the second feature film of Park's 'Vengeance-Trilogy' which started with "Boksuneun naui geot - Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" in 2002. The story is based on a Japanese manga book series. Park tells it in breathtaking, disturbing pictures which reflect the state of consciousness of the protagonist: In moments of emotional safety coined in aerated colors, in moments of revenge left cold and grey. A surreal atmosphere, a fragmentarily way of narrating, and a hardly decoded use of symbolism leaves the viewer without control over the reception of what he is witnessing. Instead he gets into the vortex of extremely emotions where there is actually no way out. Ungovernable anger, distress, fear, love, and pain collide with harsh cuts. The film transfers that chaos to the viewing audience brilliantly. That's what we like about Asian cinema in particular the films of Kitano, Kim, and Miike: The fathom of emotional and aesthetic extremes.
"Oldboy" is not a birth product of the brain. In nearly every shot there is something surprising, every dialog develops a plot-twist and in every character lies a fascinating secret. Enough material that leaves us thinking about the whole point and rearrange the emotional chaos in our heads, even after days and days.