I read critics of people who try to explain that this movie has flaws, that Park Chan-wook is overrated or that this movie's a load of bull. Then I learn what movies they like and it all makes sense. This movie is one of the very few masterpieces that exist in human history. If you don't like this movie or if you think you see a flaw then I ask you to watch again and again and again ad infinitum. Maybe you'll learn of its beauty somewhen.… Expand

Masterpiece. Critics who gave this movie negative reviews probably didn't understand it or it's simply not their taste. The violence may also be a bit too raw for some. But if you're a true movie fan, within 1 hour into this movie you'll realize that you're watching a true work of cinema art. From the intriguing storyline, raw character portrayal and excellent direction to the explosive twist ending, filled with underlying messages and morals, this is one movie you will never forget. You might even learn a thing or two about revenge.… Expand

Fun... but it's subtext is non-sense. Great junk food... tasty, but add's up to nothing. All of the directors carefully over-stated themes are contradicted in the narraitive.

Excellent.

Stunning performanse, stanning soundtrack, and ofcourse story!!!

Scott Foundas is one of my favorite film critics, but I must say he completely missed the point of this film. While I agree with him that Park is way overrated and nowhere near the great world-cinema auteur people think he has, he has an undeniable talent for imaginitive and original visual and thematic ideas that are fun to bear witness to. I wasn't a big fan of his previous films, but this is by far the best and certainly one of the better movies to come out this year.… Expand

Mediocre.

It was the best movie in my life.never fet so emotionally shocked.a true love story.

It is the best revenge flm ever! Just watch it!!!

I'm sorry critics, but it looks like you're just going to have to accept it: Asian cinema rocks and it's going to take over. This is one of the best.

A masterpiece. One of the best ever. :)

This is the best film to come out of Asia since the Kurosawa days. Oldboy is a monumental achievement by any standard. It takes the best of eastern cinema and cuts down the melodrama, replacing it with the western style of directors like Fincher and Arronofsky. Oldboy rules!

It was billed as an action movie. it started out as an action movie. it lied. for 2 hours and ten minutes it lied to the audience who sat on their seats waiting to see some amazing fight choreography like that of kill bill or any other sonny chiba movie. however it was far from these. and i'd like to say to all the people that gave this movie a 10 that pushing the boundaries of society's tastes and what they consider to be "off color" or disgusting does not create art. yes the cinematography is wonderful in this movie, but the story and plot have too many unfounded and limp moments that the joy of seeing this movie is totally ripped away. don't waste $10 or 2 hours of your time going to see this movie. i wish i hadn't.… Expand

Although the story turns out to be disarmingly simple, this intelligent psych thriller is encumbered with an excess of improbable - even childish - mega-violence. The "R" rating is excessively generous.

Trilling!!!

THE BEST REVENGE MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN. This movie is visceral. It starts, sucks you in and takes you on an enthralling cinematic experience right up until the very end. I don't want to say anything else. Best to watch without reading any review or watching any misleading trailer. Throw away your preconceptions, (especially anyone whose only conception of asian cinema is kill bill and chop socky flicks.) You won't be let down. My favourite movie of 2003. Plot, Acting, Direction, Cinematography, its all there in spades. Also, It is miles above any of these straight-forward U.S. revenge flicks kill bill, man on fire, and the punisher. Oldboy is what a real revenge movie should be like. The only movies that come close are the superb british film by Shane Meadows: Dead Man's Shoes (2004) and Chan-wook Park's previous film (a heartwrenching morality tale) : Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002). However neither are as complete a cinematic experience as Oldboy. (BTW...I find it funny how many people here complain about the mega-violence, especially when most all of it is IMPLIED. It just shows the talent Chan-wook Park has in bringing the audience into the picture.) WATCH IT!… Expand

I watch epic movies such as LOTR and Gladiator, also Last Samurai. i now belive that this is my fravourate movie of all time. judge for yourself.

Moviegoers who only dine on Hollywood fare and are starving for sustenance should gorge on "Oldboy" for it is a delicacy; but much like the main character's choice of entree's it will not be easy to swallow for those who make a place at the table.

After a thrilling, original premise, we take a two hour trip down mystery lane toward an incredibly unsatisfying solution. The filmmakers must have known this, when they decided to throw in another twist at the end (done to shock us on a pretty shallow level) since the original puzzle solution wasn't worth 2 hours.

Incredible film that pushes back the boundaries. I hate being outsmarted and it doesn't happen much, but this is a film that manages it with some style.

Very slick but ultimately too sadistic and hollow to fill out its overlong runtime with meaning. Oh, and killing four live octopi (it wasn't just one) can never be justified in making a film.

Jackie, the point of the movie is not to destroy all your faith in humanity, but to question it. Park actually portrays a good view of humanity. Oldboy tells us that revenge is not the best option. By stripping bare Dae-su and then recreating him as an animalistic beast he is basically showing the depths of human destruction, and how far the want for revenge is from that lowest point. This movie is as close to a masterpiece of cinematography and plot as you could find... The man is a creative genius hell bent on showing the beauty of the human spirit!… Expand

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. One of the best films I have ever had the privilege to watch. It is a must see film.

Absolutely, my favorite, not one of my favorite, this is absolutely the best film and will still be in my whole life. this movie is the most brilliant thriller that has ever made. To every director and wannabes on Earth, this is the main text you shouldn't miss at all, shut your mouth and go for it!!!!

An amazing movie that some critics obviously dont get because there still hoping movies lie brokeback mountain and derailed will rock. Screw you critics, Asian cinema has taken over.

After hearing everyone talk about Oldboy in my East Asian Cinema class, I decided take the plunge and see it at the Nuart. I didn?t know what to expect, which is probably a blessing; expectations can go a long way towards ruining a film. Dae-su, the protagonist, starts out as a useless drunk. Then, seemingly for no reason, he is held in a room for fifteen long years, left with only a television to entertain him. His meals come from a slot under his door, and every once and while he?s knocked out with sleeping gas. When he wakes up, his hair has been cut and he?s been given a shave. Through his TV, he learns that he is being charged with the murder of his wife. Someone clearly has revenge on his mind, but who? And for what purpose? Freud would approve. Since the plot hinges on a central revelation, I won't say anything else about it. Instead, I'll talk about some standout scenes. In a cinematic moment that has become infamous already, Dae-su (who looks just beastly with hair teased within an inch of it's life) walks into a sushi bar after being released and asks to eat something "alive." He chomps into a live octopus, but before he can finish, he faints, one tentacle still squirming. On a visceral level, I was repulsed. But then I remembered that this guy just missed out on more than a decade of living and just wanted to feel vital again. In some strange way, my heart went out to him. Eventually, Dae-su figures out where he was incarcerated. So great is his fury that he storms in without any forethought, armed only with a small hammer that he picks up along the way. In a long shot of a hallway, he does battle with his former jailers, displaying an emotion I can only categorize as ?primal rage." Even a knife in his back can?t do much more than slow him down. What made the scene captivating was the fact that violence was used to highlight an emotion, rather than for mere shock value. If you have a strong stomach and a taste for black humor, you'd do well to see this movie.… Expand

The critic from LA Weekly is, put simply, lame. Oldboy kicks all kinds of ass and is much different than anything you've ever seen. I can't wait till the official DVD release.

Oldboy is, quite literally, the best movie I have seen in five or six years.

I am really into Miike, Takeshi and the recent craze for asian cinema and the hype surrounding this film got me very excited. Man, was I disappointed. This is one empty, incoherent mess of a movie. Firstly, for a revenge thriller, there are only a couple of fight scenes, and the clash between eastern stylisation and an attempt to be realistic and gritty creates one of the limpest fights scenes I've yet witness. The use of an Ozu style rigid camera removes any excitement from this sequence, and when compared to the early part of the film, which shamelessly rips off Fincher, it's extremely disappointing. Still the concept and first half hour are very well thought out and entertaining. The film then veers into several illogical and dull avenues in order to setup it's genuinely harrowing twist. Unfortunately the impact of the twist is lessened greatly by the improbability of the situation and the shallowness of the story. It even tries to shock with a couple of Miike-lite stunts, which don't work at all. There is none of the moving symbolism of Battle Royale or the uncanny terror of Audition. Overall, a disappointment.… Expand

The acting and directing in the movie was superb, although I must admit some scenes were drawn out, or a bit confusing. Overall, the movie is action packed and keeps you glued to your seat throughout the entire 2 hours and 10 minutes. Not for a minute was I bored, and I was constantly wondering "What's going to happen next?!?!".

One of the best films i've seen in many years. by the way that photo you're using is a bit of a spoiler.

What a shocker! total revenge, real jaw dropping! just watch and you will see what i mean. can see great effort by the director even the wall papers used in the room.

Amazing story and great cinematography topped with emotionally wrenching acting makes this a great movie. The ending drags a little otherwise is a top notch flick

This has to be one of the greatest films ever made, its a masterpiece, chan wook park has to be one of the best directors out there today.

I was completely underwhelmed by the violence, sin city and kill bill are way more over the top than this film. And neither of those films touch Ichi the Killer gore wise. So it was pretty dissapointing on that level. Other than that, it was a pretty good art film, I had to really concentrate to follow everything, but the style and story was intruiging enough that I wanted to. Up until the collosally trivial ending. The more I think about it, it's harder to enjoy the rest of the film, when all the weirdness and revenge boils down is finally revealed. I kept waiting after the big secret, because I thought something else was going to come out and shock me. Maybe it's a cultural thing. It's bad if it happened in real life, but it just doesn't fit the tone of the rest of the film really, and seems pretty trite in context. So maybe watch the first hour and 120 minutes and walk out so you can imagine an ending that's bound to be a thousand times more interesting that what really happens.… Expand

Over-rated. Basically for those that think Quentin Tarantino's b-grade aesthetic is some kind of advance in movie making. Lots of post-modernist style at the expense of character development, lots of portentous invocation of taboo subjects (most notably incest and obsessive revenge), lots of over the top emoting about existential crisis - and lots of gratuitous violence masquerading as action. But little of real substance. Interesting and amusing in places, but lamentably shrill and inept in others. A dead end in film-making. Watch a Renoir or a Kurosawa film instead. You will feel better for it.… Expand

It's just so... not good. if you want a wacky korean movie go see Save the Green Planet instead.

Movie had excellent acting and always kept you guessing. excellent.

The less that one knows about this film going into it, the better. Oh Dae-Su's quest for the truth is a painful one, both emotionally and physically. Noteworthy is how violent this movie is. While not extreme or over-the-top a la KILL BILL, several fight scenes and dismemberments occur that will induce flinching. Also of note is the consumption of a live octopus (which was actually the fourth take. Yum!). However, only five characters actually die on-screen. OLDBOY is a compelling revenge epic. If one gets the chance (and has the stomach), they should see it and pay close attention. It is a knockout.… Expand

Overated, well yeah!...but there is some classic moments here.

No, this movie isn't going to be for everybody, especially for those who truely enjoy mainstream movies in America, where plot, and acting have been replaced by big names, over the top digital effects and an overall warm and fuzzy feeling at the end of the movie. For those who look for something more than American cinema this is at least worth a look. It is rare that I feel I need to take a shower after I watch a movie, and every time I sit down and enjoy it I wonder if I truely am a bad person for doing so. The first time I saw it I was literally stunned. I couldn't speak, I couldn't really do much of anything but digest what I had just witnessed. I'm not sure I can think of any other movie that had that effect on me, and even now I am a bit unsettled after watching it. The style, the topics, the twists, it is all unlike anything most people have ever and will ever see because the American audience prefers to shelter itself from movies like this. My advice, if you want to look outside the box experience Oldboy at least once, start to finish, I'm willing to bet that unless you are an avid watcher of Korean cinema, you won't soon forget the plight of Oh Dae-su.… Expand

Excellent film.

Absolutely unmissable. Choi Min-Sik, Yoo Ji-Tae and Kang Hye-Jung all excel in their roles.

My question is, what is the point of this movie? Besides leaving you with the feeling of being raped. This movie sucked. If you enjoyed this, you probably secretly desire incest with your children. Or you just lack complete empathy or moral center as a human being.

There is one disappoiting thing about this movie that got to be mentioned: The violence it contains and the violence the movie is advertising with that make a lot of ppls expect nothing more but a brainless b-movie massacre like for example kill bill is. In fact Oldboy is smarter, more entertaining, more emotional and more stunning than most of the high rewarded mainstream hollywood movies. An overall masterpiece in many ways and a loss for every movie fan not watching it. Clear 10/10… Expand

Although at times visually mesmerising I found it hard to not leave the cinema. Painful viewing left me feeling empty. Not for the weak minded, its stretched my mind. I am left asking myself wether or not that defines a good movie, one that makes you feel bad or uncomfortable.

I just saw it, and will definitely go back for the other two in the trilogy. Although I'm not giving it a 10, and can understand some of the criticism here, but that anyone could use the attribute "hollow" to describe this movie is beyond belief. Greek tragedy at the core, and really a remarkable meditation on the idea of vengeance. With little dialogue, captures complex relationships and emotions.… Expand

The film kicks off brilliantly and at times is genuinely absorbing but, unfortunately, it fails tie up the story convincingly enough to make it a must see. The histrionics at the film's climax and the cringingly puerile motives at the story's core, spoil an otherwise enjoyable and stylish film.

Out of all the movies I've seen in the past 5 years, this movie was the best and it was made ..5years ago. It's rare that I'm still thinking of a movie days after i watch it. It totally screwed my head up. The ending was Crazy! It just kept pouring on and on and on with twists that I could never have thought of.

10,without a doubt.I cried both-first and second time while I was seeing it.Deeply disturbing but utterly beautiful masterpiece.

Excellent.

While not even close to "best film to come out of Asia since the Kurosawa days" (btw, how do you even define 'the Kurosawa days'? He made films for 50 years!) Oldboy does resonate with undeniable style and brutality, both physical and emotional. I'd even argue that it's dangerously close to being a pro-incest movie. Whatever floats your boat.

Simply put, it was one of the best movies in years. To the LA Weekly reviewer, in my humble opinion, you stink.

Overrated!!!

Ridiculously good. not at all what i expected, nobody in the theatre uttered a peep or dared to move the whole time. loved the raw-ness and direction. the kind of movie that leaves a lasting imprint on the mind. also, i didnt know korean girls could be so bangin.

Absorbing, deranging, aesthetic, melodic.... trully a must-see.

Dazzling and sophisticated this film may be, but the fact remains that it's built on a contrived and totally unconvincing plot.

Great film, one of the greatest existential dramas in memory. BTW, when 40-year-old-virgin is given similar rating as Oldboy, one can easily voice a volume of criticism of the critics (and perhaps the mysterious rating system of this web site). Is it possible that the last trace of intelligent thinking for the betterment of cinema are readily abandoned under the overwhelming Hollywood assault of sophomoric titles after titles ?… Expand

This movie is a unqualified classic. Cinematography, art-direction, screenplay, acting, direction--all pitch-perfect. I've seen some complaints about some of the plot twists, but really, they are so minor compared to other films of this sort that are now hailed as classics that I think this film deserves to be forgiven.

Easily the greatest movie ever made.

This is one of my all-time favourite movies, and I've only seen it twice (over the last two days).

I can't remember much of anything after seeing this film except feeling completely emotionally spent. I was too busy picking up the pieces of my shattered jaw off the floor.

Absolutely fucking horrific. Good people are tortured in unbelievably vile ways for having done nothing at all; everyone in the film is pointlessly disturbed and it leaves one with absolutely no satisfaction at the end. I didn't feel that justice had been done, which is the point for me of films like this, I just felt like I'd seen some cool fighting and needless suffering. Watch this if you want to destroy your faith in humanity, watch the far superior Lady Vengeance to have it restored.… Expand

This has to be one of the best made films of all time. This movie is far better than Lady Vengeance; with all due respect, I don't know what Jackie is saying. Of course Oldboy is dark, sick and disturbing, but that's also what makes the film so original . The director does a good job to get people to think about what the outcome will be without losing momentum .

One of the best ever....holllywood can dream about a movie like this.

A perfect film. No film that I've ever seen has been able to balance a great script with superb directing, flawless acting and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. Oldboy ticks all the boxes for me and is truly a masterpiece. Park Chan-wook has proved to be a modern master film-maker.

Korean film about a man imprisoned for 15 years without really knowing why. He is released then looks for revenge. Stylish, slick, gruesome & some fantastic twists & turns. I'd heard a lot about this film & it really is as good as people say. Min-Sik Choi is brilliantly intense as the lead with a good supporting cast as well.

I'm typically not a big fan of the "Asian-Extreme" genre that seems to be blowing up these days overseas, but "Oldboy" has a philosophical hinge to it that keeps its storytelling from flying out of control to pure exploitation. Strangely enough, the movie has the pacing and feel of a Hitchcock film, but the violence and over-the-top twist brings a whole new perspective to the genre.

This is by far the BEST foreign movie i've ever seen, and one of the first times i agree with the majority of critics. 'Oldboy' was a lot better than the other two movies in the vengeance trilogy, both of which i found terribly dull in comparison. i really liked the whole movie but i felt that the twist at the end was really well done and was the factor that made this film so much better than others.… Expand

This is the movie that prompted me to dive, head first into Korean drama. The second instalment of the Vengeance trilogy, and by far the best of the three. Oh Dae Su is a modern day Monte Cristo (as is the antagonist, the sociopath) But while the latter is imprisoned by demons of his mind, poor Oh Dae Su is imprisoned in the literal sense. When he is released, its vengeance VS freedom. Too many times, he could have simply walked away from it all, and lived a happy life, but instead chose the path to vengeance, which leads to one of the most hideous immoral and perverse endings ever. Im not gonna spil it, but the reasoning behind his imprisonment is a bit contrived- and it could have been something a bit more solid, but it is still believable, if you put yourself in the antagonist's mind. Now lets talk art- the cinematography is breathtaking. Obscure angles, too-wide shots, split screens...all this with BOLD bright colors and high contrast, make this movie incredibly pretty to look at. Theres some pretty epic gorey scenes with a hammer, and a sweet fighting scene set to a beautiful score (This is one of my favorite movie soundtracks, gogo Vivaldi!). Its a tragic tale of two mens revenge. One man in the end, dosent get to kill his adversary(and the closure he gets is pretty crappy, once he finds out the why, but hey, when your dealing with a psycho, what can you expect?), while the other succeeds in completely ruining the others life.… Expand

A personal favourite and one of the best films from asian cinema. The plot centres around the story of Oh Dae-Su, who has been locked up in a room for 15 years. His lack of knowledge about his captors or the motives behind his imprisonment so drives him into insanity, with TV being his ‘teacher, friend and lover’. After suddenly being let out, he begins his brutal search for his captor. Though the plot sounds like the generic ‘revenge’ story, it soon turns into a twisted, psychological, romantic thriller. Whilst is easy to get lost in the various plot twists that Chan-wook repeatedly ‘hammers’ into our brains, the end result is a climax that is truly sadistic, disturbing and shocking in nature. This is certainly not a film to watch lazily, and is one that will require a second viewing. Nor is it a film for those with weak stomachs, with its use of violence, D.I.Y dentistry, suicide and a notorious ‘octopus scene’. Overall ‘Oldboy’ is a brilliantly acted, dark, violent and thrilling feat of cinema that challenges our concept of the traditional, Hollywood revenge story with nightmarish and horrifying consequences.… Expand

A spectacular revenge movie that has intense action and a devastating emotional impact. Creatively directed and brilliantly written, Oldboy begins with an intriguing premise and builds on it in an unexpected way, culminating in a powerful and affecting conclusion.

There really is no other way to put it. This is the greatest film ever made. I have seen thousands of films from every genre. And there is no movie that has accomplished what this has. It will remain as my favorite movie of all time.

One of my favourite Korean films and a good introductory film in to the darker realms of South Korea's movie catalogued. This is a compelling revenge story littered with over the top action, comedy and twists. Of the trilogy that it is part of this one stands out the most for me because of the hammer profile fight scene. First time I saw that I was blown away and had to re-watch it. Of course, this film is not for the faint of heart and even though most of the guys in college that I showed the film to were pretty desensitized to this kind of violence, I had a girlfriend cover her eyes multiple times. It gets gruesome but never too ridiculous ala some Takashi Miike films. Oldboy is a classic and the visual style and imagination of the film keep bringing me back every so often to share it with those who aren't familiar with films outside American borders.… Expand

This film starts off slow, really got into it though. Full of mystery and thrills. Not sure on the ending, think it could of been alot better then what they went for. Worth a watch though.

This adrenaline pumping film leaves you pined to your seat. As the plot twists and unravels, so will you. You can't take your eyes off of the screen.

It's good but not as good as people make it out to be. Yeah the violence is pretty good and the twist is fascinating none the less. But at times I felt nothing for the main protagonist. It`s hard to care about him because there's really no info on the guy. And the room he stayed for 15 years is just so crazy and bizarre that it's hard to take the movie serious.

74 Critic Reviews score? on of them gave it a score of 10?! ha ha ha this movie is a reason why movies are art,now with all hollywood you can rarely say that. if you like a strange,good story and one of the best fights in cinema then watch this movie. it should be a must watch film for all american directors to learn how you make and film fight scenes,no fast, cut scenes etc. incredible movie

Hollywood are so far behind places like Korea at the min its shocking. What with Oldboy,man from nowhere,Host and the good the bad and the weird Korean films are on a roll. Oldboy is a little odd at first but is truly a modern masterpiece. The acting is amazing and so is the atmosphere. You owe it to yourself to watch this film. the only reason its not a 10 is the blu ray release. its not true HD but other than that perfect… Expand

possibly the best film ever made !., it is the raw characterization tat has to be applauded. A film tat boldly ventures on understanding the very equilibrium of a human mind between sane and insanity . u end up feeling sympathetic to all the characters my the end of the movie .