Oldboy

Name: Oldboy
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Released: March 25, 2005
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 74
Cast: Hye-jeong Kang, Ji-tae Yu, Min-sik Choi

2005

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Critics

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 465 Ratings

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8.6

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8.6	User Score Universal acclaim based on 465 Ratings

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OLDBOY

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Movie Details & Credits

Tartan | Release Date: March 25, 2005

Starring: Hye-jeong Kang, Ji-tae Yu, Min-sik Choi

Summary: Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is an ordinary Seoul businessman with a wife and little daughter who, after a drunken night on the town, is locked up in a strange, private "prison." No one will tell him why he's there or who his jailer is. The imprisonment last for 15 years until one day when Dae-su finds himself unexpectedly deposited on aOh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is an ordinary Seoul businessman with a wife and little daughter who, after a drunken night on the town, is locked up in a strange, private "prison." No one will tell him why he's there or who his jailer is. The imprisonment last for 15 years until one day when Dae-su finds himself unexpectedly deposited on a grass-covered high-rise roof, determined to discover the mysterious enemy who had him locked up. (Tartan Films)… Expand

Director: Chan-wook Park

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 min

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Awards & Rankings

79	#79 Best Movie of 2005
32	#32 Most Discussed Movie of 2005
16	#16 Most Shared Movie of 2005

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Chicago Tribune - Michael Wilmington

It's a movie of such jaw-dropping violence, wild improbability and dazzling style it overpowers all resistance. Read full review

100

Portland Oregonian - M. E. Russell

Startling and amazing -- a cinematic hammer to the skull. Read full review

Dallas Observer - Luke Y. Thompson

It's a work of art for sure, but a sadistic one. Oldboy is one of the year's best; it just isn't for everyone. If you're still interested, go for it. Read full review

Washington Post - Desson Thomson

You will surely leave this movie shocked, shaken and surprisingly moved. And definitely stuck on that poor octopus. Read full review

ReelViews - James Berardinelli

Regardless of how you look at Oldboy, it's unlike anything you are likely to have seen before. Read full review

San Francisco Chronicle - Walter Addiego

This nightmarish revenge drama from Korea is grueling, intense, cruel -- the very definition of extreme cinema. Read full review

L.A. Weekly - Scott Foundas

Put simply, in my humble opinion, Oldboy sucks. Read full review

SEE ALL 31 REVIEWS

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User Reviews

EmmzDigzMoviez

Sep 23, 2011

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 cinemaMasterpiece. 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

8 of 11 users found this helpful83

Payup

Oct 2, 2010

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 feltThis 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

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MichaelH.

Oct 15, 2005

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

0 of 1 users found this helpful

UtopianStuff

Jul 3, 2013

I'm not even going to write a review, I want to watch this movie over and over again. Why read a review when you could be watching this movie? GO WATCH OLDBOY!! Its a truly amazing film!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Nesbitt10

Oct 6, 2013

"Oldboy" is a mind-bending revenge tale that ventures into the emotional extremes, and there is no chance of emerging unscathed. Full of grand passions, bloodthirsty violence, with a wicked sense of jet black humor, "Oldboy" is a sadistic masterpiece. The director, Park Chan-wook, is one"Oldboy" is a mind-bending revenge tale that ventures into the emotional extremes, and there is no chance of emerging unscathed. Full of grand passions, bloodthirsty violence, with a wicked sense of jet black humor, "Oldboy" is a sadistic masterpiece. The director, Park Chan-wook, is one among several filmmakers who've made South Korean cinema what it is today, and requires a viewing at least once by serious moviegoers.

The plot is utterly unique: Seoul businessman Dae-su Oh (Min-sik Choi), is kidnapped one rainy evening by parties unknown. He awakens in a seedy motel room complete with hideously tacky wallpaper, threadbare carpet, a double bed, and a television but in reality, it serves as a cell. Days, months, and years go by with no explanation given for his incarceration. A daily meal comes through a tiny slot in the door, and every so often sleeping gas seeps in as well. From the television in his room, he learns that he is the prime suspect for the murder of his wife and now, even if he escapes, he's a wanted man.

Fifteen years later, Dae-su awakes one day on a grass-covered roof of a downtown building in Seoul, outfitted with a finely tailored suit, a cell phone, and a wallet stuffed with cash. Before Dae-su can begin a new life, he must answer several key questions about his imprisonment. Only after he has these answers can he exact his revenge and turn the page. Meanwhile, his captor decides to turn Dae-su's quest for answers into a cruel, exhausting game that will push him to his limits. Additionally, he has just five days to not to only find out why he was held captive, but to also identify his tormentor, and seek his revenge.

The committed performance by Min-sik Choi strikes a genuinely tragic note amid the mayhem and cartoonish excesses of violence. He does a marvelous job walking on the edge of insanity, while retaining likability and compassion from the audience. Superlative acting across the board, and a pulsating score to compliment the arresting imagery, while the true astuteness of the script will reward only on further viewings.

"Oldboy" has a wild, twisty storyline on such an epic scale emotionally, and it rarely slows down to consider the logic of some of its most outrageous plot contortions. The revelation in the third act is a bit of a letdown considering the thrilling, ambitious set up. Cinematic in the extreme, the movie has an emotional core that will leave some viewers stunned, yet others disgusted. As tough as it is to endure it is brutal, yet brilliant and it is undoubtedly a work of art.

"Oldboy" is the second installment of The Vengeance Trilogy, directed by Park Chan-wook, preceded by "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" (2002) and followed by "Lady Vengeance" (2005).… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ahmedaiman9999

Aug 29, 2018

Amélie's quirkiness, Tarantino's violence and gore, interesting characters, intriguing plot, profound philosophical questions, and insanely cool action sequences made this gut-wrenching revenge tale the most gripping, entertaining, and enthralling movie of its kind, except it's actually oneAmélie's quirkiness, Tarantino's violence and gore, interesting characters, intriguing plot, profound philosophical questions, and insanely cool action sequences made this gut-wrenching revenge tale the most gripping, entertaining, and enthralling movie of its kind, except it's actually one of a kind!

Amid the gruesome scenes, and the brutal fight sequences, Oldboy has a very emotionally devastating story. Chan-wook Park could have easily leaned on nothing but the action and the gore to grab the viewers' attention from the beginning. Instead, he knew that if there is anything that can attract the attention of the audience, and make them invested in the protagonist as fast as possible, it would be a thoughtful moral philosophy mingled with a sentimental story. That's how Chan-wook Park captivated the viewers from the opening scene until he evoked a catharsis in the audience at the traumatic third act.

Flawless is a very weak, and unsatisfying word to describe the third act. It's simply look like nothing you've seen before, or even you'll see. With its twist reveal, to the outrageous and shocking visceral images, the third act is provocative, distressful, and utterly maddening. But nothing would have worked in it, and in the entire movie as a whole without Min-sik Choi's kinetic multi-layered performance.

The fact that this movie didn't get a single Oscar nod, at least for Min-sik Choi's incredible performance, is as infuriating as the movie itself. For me, Min-sik Choi delivered one of the best performances in the past decade. Yes, I would easily put his performance alongside Adrien Brody's in The Pianist, Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator, Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood, and Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. But all that thanks to Chan-wook Park who allowed Min-sik Choi to show all his talent challenging him, and his pathetic, Dae-su Oh.

What is truly impressive is how Chan-wook Park put us in Dae-su Oh's shoes by changing the tone, so gracefully, to resemble how the protagonist feels. The movie starts off with flashes of dark humor matching how mazed and lost the character feels. Then, when things become more clearer and clearer the tone becomes darker and darker till the climax when the movie became acutely distressing and dreary.

Nevertheless, these tonal changes didn't work very well at the second act. Not because the tonal shift wasn't smooth, nor it came abruptly, but because that was the time when our protagonist, as well as us, discovering clues, and collecting pieces to get the whole picture. The whole act was very convoluted, for better or worse, but the thing is that the pacing was madly rushed resembling Dae-su Oh's confusion and ignorance. Not to mention, there were some sequences where we get to know about some very important characters, and some specifics related to them. Adding insult to injury, some of these details could be passed up, because they are simply not that important. The result is that the movie almost lost me a couple of times. I mean that I really lose track of some small details.

Oldeuboi is a very powerful, thought-provoking, and visceral film, and that's because what it implies more than what it depicts. I think it's the first Korean film I watch, and it definitely won't be the last. Just help me with some recommendations, if you wouldn't mind! :)

(8.5/10)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Jackie

Aug 17, 2007

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 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

0 of 8 users found this helpful

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