
Director: Park Chan Wook
Year: 2003
Country: South Korea
Blood,
slashing, violence, torture, dismembration, sex, revenge. All these in
one single movie, and that movie is Park Chan Wook's 2003 hit Oldboy.
Rarely you'll find a movie more disturbing and violent than this, but
yet it is worth every second you have to bear through it. Behind all the
blood and violence there is an excellent, psycholgical and even
artistic movie that it is worth watching.
The
film tells the story of Oh Daesu (Choi Min Sik) a normal man who's life
changed forever on a single night when he was imprisoned in a locked up
room. For the next 15 years he was locked inside the place, suffering
from hallucinations and slowly descending into dementia. He then is
released after the 15 years has passed and finds himself in a South
Korea unknown to him, but that won't stop him on his quest of answers
and revenge. Even if he isn't locked in that room, he is still trapped
in a web of never ending corruption and violence. And, unexpectedly, in
the middle of his quest, he falls in love with a sushi chef who helps
him reach his goal.
I
feel a little shaken and disturbed after watching this film - and I'm
not shaken or disturbed easily. This film is so violent that it coul
easily have received an NC 17 rating from the MPAA, but its not its
violence that makes it disturbing, or not completely. The couple of
twists we get are actually what can disturb the most, and trust me, they
are very disturbing. I am not going to give it away, but it is very
very disturbing.
I'll
try to stop using the word "disturbing" from now on unless it is
absolutely necessary (but I'm afraid it will be hence this film). So the
film is great for many different aspects.
The
direction is probably what makes the film for me. Park Chan Wook is a
very talented director, and though this might be the only film coming
from him that I've seen, he is probably one of the best Asian directors
of recent years. He did Thirst, a succesful horror/drama about vampires
that, long with Let the Right One In, put Twilight to shame. And he's
done two other films, in which the theme of revenge is predominant, that
have been succesful too. And Oldboy, which many people call his
masterpiece, is very richly directed. How he shoots the film, making
simple shots be more traumatic than they should and focusing on each
frame for the time they need, not revealing anything until the time
arrives, and maintaining the tension throughout are some of the few
great things Chan Wook can do. After watching this I am more interested
in watching the rest of his work.
The
performances are pretty good, especially coming from central
protagonist Choi Min sik. He embodies his character in every scene. When
he needs to be a calmed and expressionless fellow he is, and when he
needs to be an out of control psycho he is, and when he needs to be a
scarred monster he is. He can be all of the faces of his character and
he shows it in every scene. Yu Ji tae, who plays the central villain,
also plays a powerful role with his full of hate and anger character. He
takes the scenes in which his character is at and he takes them to a
far different level, but still without stealing the show from Min sik.
The
writing of this film is also pretty strong. The idea and concept of
this film is very original and innovative and nothing like we have seen
already. The only film that I think approaches the film more in
similarity is Kill Bill (and not only for its revenge theme) and yet it
is far to be like Oldboy. The characters are well designed, they have
their story and they get enough screen time to develop, they grow into
the audience making them love or hate them. The dialogues are smart and
well written, but nothing really memorable.
As
I've said before, this film is wildly and unsettlingly disturbing (yes,
I said it, but I had to this time). And this might be the only problem
(though actually really small) problem I had with this film. I'm not
saying I didn't like it because of its crudeness, but I am saying that
its highly traumatic content can become a turn off. There are a few
scenes that can make the viewer stay all night, like the octupuss scene
in the restaurant or the tongue scene towards the end, or maybe the ants
scene. But the twists are the ones that can surely scar you for life.
There are only about two or three, but they are pretty unsettling
especially the big one (you know which one I'm talking about if you've
seen it). That had me shaking.
So
Oldboy is an unsettling piece, a wild and disturbing piece, but it is
also an ingenius and innovative piece. And while its violence and other
disturbing issues can be too much for some viewers, it is definitely a
must see for the ones who can take it.
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