Oldboy

Name: Oldboy
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Released: November 27, 2013
Duration: 104 min
Rating: 49
Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Josh Brolin, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharlto Copley

2013

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 41 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 173 Ratings

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4.4	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 173 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

FilmDistrict | Release Date: November 27, 2013 | R

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Josh Brolin, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharlto Copley

Summary: An advertising executive is kidnapped and held hostage for 20 years in solitary confinement. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive mission to discover who orchestrated his punishment, only to find he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy and torment. [Film District]

Director: Spike Lee

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

Rating: R

Runtime: 104 min

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Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

Nov 26, 2013

In the end, the most impressive performance may be Spike Lee's. He uses skill without gimmickry, flash without fuss, to tap the mesmerizing soul of this pulp. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Nov 26, 2013

Oldboy is an immersion into pure twistedness. The purity of its twistedness is its saving grace. Read full review

Ty Burr

Nov 27, 2013

Lee’s Oldboy stands on its own. It just stands a bit shorter. Read full review

Steve Persall

Nov 26, 2013

Spike Lee's remake of 2003's Oldboy is as brutally perplexing as the South Korean original, and needless for both its repetition and tweaks. Nothing is really lost in translation, or gained. Read full review

The Playlist Charlie Schmidlin

Nov 26, 2013

While Lee edges in enough unique elements to argue a second look at the brutal revenge tale, his lean, blackly comic result is transcendent only in fits and starts, stripping away much of its thematic and emotional heft into one of the most frustratingly accomplished disappointments this year. Read full review

Film.com David Ehrlich

Nov 26, 2013

A slumming Spike Lee is still better than most directors at the top of their game, but Oldboy isn’t just Lee’s worst movie, it’s practically his “Wicker Man”. Read full review

Rex Reed

Nov 27, 2013

The longer it drags on, the sillier it gets. A preposterous narrative, illogical red herrings, trick endings, bad acting and—shazam! — Spike Lee turns into M. Night Shyamalan! Read full review

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User Reviews

Leandro36

Nov 29, 2013

Everyone in the review section is a idiot. They're just hating on it because it's a remake.

This movie was great. I'll just leave it at that. And IMO this stacks well with the orginal, I'll even say it does just about everything better. Again don't listen to these but hurt idiots,Everyone in the review section is a idiot. They're just hating on it because it's a remake.

This movie was great. I'll just leave it at that.

And IMO this stacks well with the orginal, I'll even say it does just about everything better.
Again don't listen to these but hurt idiots, they just can't take off their nostalgia goggles.… Expand

7 of 27 users found this helpful720

chrisjones914

Mar 25, 2014

It has been a long time that a plot twist has legitimately shocked me the way that this movie's did! I felt like it could have been a little longer or at least more drawn out. Also one of the death's caught me as particularly cheesy. However, even though the sum of its parts don't add up toIt has been a long time that a plot twist has legitimately shocked me the way that this movie's did! I felt like it could have been a little longer or at least more drawn out. Also one of the death's caught me as particularly cheesy. However, even though the sum of its parts don't add up to a movie that is great, they definitely make one that is very good! It's weird, it's dark, it's crazy and it's violent! If you're into that then definitely don't hesitate in giving Spike Lee's Oldboy a go!… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

wetwebwork

Feb 14, 2014

Was reluctant to watch, ready to hate, but gotta say Spike Lee won me over. Too easy to be precious about something considered original when everything is just a remake anyway.

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

LeZee

Aug 12, 2014

One of my all time favorite world cinema is the Korean version of this movie. Remakes are okay, but some movies won't suit for recreation because of its masterpiece value, believing that won't come close for the second time. Just like Mona Lisa, Starry Night, Birth of Venus, The Last SupperOne of my all time favorite world cinema is the Korean version of this movie. Remakes are okay, but some movies won't suit for recreation because of its masterpiece value, believing that won't come close for the second time. Just like Mona Lisa, Starry Night, Birth of Venus, The Last Supper and other arts, it should have left alone untouched. Like Japanese did, because it was their story after all. This American version was good, but very much commercialized with the fast pace approach kind of ruined. If I had not seen the original, probably I would have liked it. I knew the twist so I did not get the excitements in those parts. So those who are not familiar with the 2003 movie can definitely have a good time.

It was not a copycat from frame to frame, many things were altered in this movie. The most laughable was to see gangsters fighting with knives, hammers and bare-hand like the Korean style. What I know in American gangster theme is that they take a gun and bang bang. The first poster where Josh Brolin comes out of the large wooden box was kind of funny, gives the impression of a comedy movie. I liked Josh Brolin in 'Labor Day' and yet again he was not bad in this film except if you compare him with his counterpart from the Korean movie, Choi Min Shik. It is one of the best role he has ever played, sadly the movie was not recieved well due to many other reasons than him.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

FireOccator

Jun 25, 2016

Disclaimer: I haven't seen the original.

The story delivers an unlikable character who ends up without a character and it all ends with an unexpected plot twist. The action scenes are obscured and people simply stand around pretending to fight. The soundtrack is unnoticeable. The movieDisclaimer: I haven't seen the original.

The story delivers an unlikable character who ends up without a character and it all ends with an unexpected plot twist. The action scenes are obscured and people simply stand around pretending to fight. The soundtrack is unnoticeable. The movie doesn't deliver anything interesting.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

robertodasilva

Mar 14, 2014

Terrible movie, completely detracts from the original manga and has lots of gaps. Just because Samuel L. Jackson appears give it a 3. And do not misunderstand me, not for being a remake is bad, is that they changed the whole plot and nothing makes sense.

I still believe that this movieTerrible movie, completely detracts from the original manga and has lots of gaps. Just because Samuel L. Jackson appears give it a 3. And do not misunderstand me, not for being a remake is bad, is that they changed the whole plot and nothing makes sense.

I still believe that this movie was made just for that 5 year olds understand. Not everything has to be explained, we must appeal to deductive capacity Mr. Lee.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

Yaseenalmeldin

Jun 25, 2022

Watchin Lee's remake version of Oldboy after watching the Chan-Wook's original is definitely a huge mistake

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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