Oldboy at its most basic is a revenge story, this film is however much more complex than that. It is a barrage on the viewers senses. Visually stunning as well as emotionally visceral. On the surface the narrative is very straightforward, but little is as it seems throughout the entire film up till the last few minutes. Not for the weak of heart Oldboy has some of the most violent sequences that I have witnessed.

Oldboy does many things extremely well. From the opening sequence we are treated to a score that adds much to the film. Having a great score but knowing how to properly use it so as to not allow it to overwhelm the film is not an easy task. Park does it perfectly in Oldboy. Park also uses the split screen masterfully in this movie. This is another device that I have seen used to the detriment of a movie, not so here. Park is an artist with the camera. One sequence in particular stands out for me. The main character comes to a location that is familiar to him and important to a memory that he is trying to recall. As he recalls this memory he chases the memory of his younger self through the sequence. It is beautifully shot, we never lose our sense of time or place as can easily happen in such a scene.

The visuals and score are not the only positives in Oldboy. The narrative is gripping and tense. Our protagonist is on a mission of revenge for what has been done to him. We are along for the journey every step of the way. We feel every emotion that he is feeling as his story progresses. We feel his fear, torment, and hatred. Like all good revenge stories as he begins to reek his havoc we wonder at what cost it is coming. Are his motives pure, and even of they are is it worth the price it is costing his soul. Oldboy handles these themes masterfully.

I have two issues with this film. The first is I was never completely on board with the character of Mi-do. It is not a spoiler to say that we learn very early on that she has had a very similar experience to the protagonist. Despite this fact we are given she always seems to be much more aware than he is. He spends the film unraveling a mystery, she appears to understand most of what is happening but is just relying on him for protection from it. My second issue is the ending. While much is revealed in the last third and there are some very well done intense scenes, the last five minutes lacks the punch that a film like this needs.

Oldboy is an amazingly directed film that is well worth your time. While you may not wish to revisit this world, you will be happy that you took the journey.… Expand

Thrilling, violent, and unpredictable, Oldboy was a joy to watch. There was never a dull moment. The acting was fantastic and the violence was engaging. Be warned: this movie is not for the faint at heart.

"Oldboy" is a remarkable story of revenge that ventures into the emotional extremes, and there is little chance of emerging completely exhausted and unscathed. Full of insanely grand passions, bloodthirsty violence, and jet black comedy, it's a sadistic masterpiece that confirms Korea's status as the producer of some of the world's most exciting cinema. This nightmarish revenge drama is grueling, intense, and cruel the very definition of extreme cinema. The main character is Dae-su Oh (Min-sik Choi), who's locked up in a hotel room for 15 years by an anonymous enemy. Upon his unexpected release, he is consumed by unfiltered rage as the film's story then begins to transform from a captivating mystery, into a indescribable tragedy. Lead actor Min-sik Choi provides a performance for the ages as the enigmatic Dae-su Oh. The story is structured on such an epic scale emotionally, that his dexterity and range are challenged throughout the film, mentality as well as psychically. "Oldboy" offers a unique display of kinetic energy, and it's hard not to be swept away by it. This motion picture isn't for everyone, but it offers a breath of fresh air to anyone gasping on the fumes of too many traditional Hollywood thrillers. Some viewers will interpet this film as a psychological thriller contending the movie bares the depths of the human soul--while the other--perhaps larger group, will simply state "Oldboy" is just sadistic and perverse. "Oldboy" is a throughly entertaining, a mind-bending revenge tale that needs to be viewed at least once by serious movie goers. With its twisting and turning plot, it's hard to talk about "Oldboy" without spoiling the delirious sense of disorientation that awaits first time viewers. The performance by Choi Min-sik strikes a genuinely tragic note amid the mayhem and cartoonish excess, and the director's clear conviction that this wild story will resonate, particularly as it zeroes in on the cost of revenge to the revenger. It's greatness lies in it's revelations."Oldboy" is the second installment of The Vengeance Trilogy, directed by Park Chen-wook, preceded by "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" and followed by "Lady Vengeance."… Expand

Visually beautiful and creepy. Filled with twists and amazingly entertaining violence you just can't help but to love Oldboy. In fact, Oldboy even managed to get me to laugh a couple times and not because it was bad because it was supposed to. It's a Tarantinoesque Korean film that I would recommend to anyone! It's very interesting and engaging purely a must see so long as you can deal with violence.… Expand

The film that introduced to Korean Cinema and still my favorite Korean film to date. An incredibly affecting and powerful tale of revenge. A masterpiece.

I loved this movie. The realism in this movie was really good. I love that they didn't go in the direction of Oh Dai-Su training himself into some kind of martial arts master during his imprisonment but that he became more of a raw brawler. Excellent acting, cinematography, and musical score. The story itself is a bit of twisted genius. There is a point in the movie where it seems like it is getting too long but keep on watching, the ending is well worth it. Highly recommend!… Expand

Quite possibly one of the most imaginatively shot, brilliantly conceived and amazingly paced revenge thrillers of the past quarter century. In fact, if I were forced to list my favorite movies period to be made since my birth in 1980, this would most definitely be near, if not AT the top of that list. Park has very quickly, in my mind (ever since my exposure to his Joint Security Area) skyrocketed to the top two or three directors of the generation. He not only can tell a story, perfectly balancing the surreal and aesthetic qualities that make cinema interesting, not only can he present those concepts in such a way as to allow the viewer to suspend disbelief and become personally invested in the overall arc, but he can do so without throwing his intellect out the door as many directors are wont to do in the interest of making something flashy to hold their viewers interest.

Now that seems like very high praise in a general sense toward the director, and it is, and yet this film and the films preceding and succeeding it in his roster move a step further into something wholly visceral, tragic and unimaginably investing. This film in particular, is quite possibly the only film to have been made in the last decade that I would actually be perfectly comfortable placing the name "Shakespearean" to. The tragedy of this film, Mr Vengeance and Lady Vengeance are such that if this director, and for that matter the actors, and crew who put themselves into this film aren't remembered along with the likes of Aronofsky, Goddard, Welles and the like it would be a true miscarriage of justice. I would recommend any person with a love of tragedy, action, mystery or just a love of cinema in general seek out this film, I've watched this from beginning to end at the very least two dozen times (not including the playthroughs I've done with the commentaries on the Tartan "Asia Extreme" boxed set I own), and I've yet to become tired of it. One of the great classics of our age, if not all time in cinema.… Expand

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

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

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 .

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.

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.

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

"Oldboy", a Korean revenge thriller, differs from those western revenge films such as "Kill Bill", "Machete", or "Inglourious Basterds". It doesn't use sword and blood to define revenge, but thought provoking words and tension between the main characters. It's a 'revenge' movie that builds itself unlike other revenge movies.

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.

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

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

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 â

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

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

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.

Excellent.

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!!!!

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.

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

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

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

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 .

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.

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

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

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

Easily the greatest movie ever made.

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.

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

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

Excellent film.

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.

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.

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

A masterpiece. One of the best ever. :)

Excellent.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

Trilling!!!

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.