Oldboy (2003) Review

Honestly, true originality in film is rarer than people think, not just in terms of adaptations or sequels, but in how themes and genres are reimagined. Oldboy is a rare example of a film bursting with creativity in every aspect. Oldboy is a South Korean revenge thriller about a man who is kidnapped for 15 years and finally leaves to get revenge on his captor. This film just oozes creativity, in the way it is shot, written, acted, scored and honestly, just wow. Park Chan-Wook really woke up and chose to craft something special here.

First of all, let me get out of the way how beautiful this film looks. It has a bit of a rough and grainy look that reminded me of David Fincher’s style in Fight Club with a green tint and such. The sets also seemed to contribute to this Fincherian aesthetic that really brought this film to life and genuinely sucks you into this grim and disturbing world. Together they create a beautiful look to this film that is just so unique, and while I keep comparing it to Fincher’s style, and there are similarities, it never looks derivative and still manages to capture its own unique style.

The script I have to say, while it is very captivating at times, I have to be honest it gives a motivation for the villain that I just have trouble buying into. Without revealing much, the film’s villain’s motivations are explained in a flashback, and to be honest, for me, especially the first time I watched it, I found the motivation laughable. Maybe the point is he is just insane and that thing can motivate him to torment a man for so long, but honestly the plot twist revealing his motivation is just so weird and I feel could have been dealt better in the script. I will also note that this film has a very particular and wicked sense of humour that may alienate some, but for me I found it pretty funny.

Regarding the flashback, it is worth mentioning that when it goes to a specific flashback, the whole style of the film changes. While that’s fine to do, given that you still give it a good style, but the vibe I got from the flashback, especially from both the score and script were very K-Drama vibes, and not in a good way at all. The whole exchange felt very melodramatic to me, and the score honestly in this sequence just contributed to this overly melodramatic feeling. The combination of heightened dialogue, dramatic music, and emotional exaggeration gives it an almost soap-opera feel, which I think undercuts the weight of the reveal.

In general, though, the score of this film is terrific and original and again just breathes life into this film so harmoniously. It’s suspenseful, slick and can be rageful, exactly what’s needed for so much of this film. Park in certain scenes uses Vivaldi 4 seasons, and kudos to that decision as it just fits well into what he’s doing in terms of aesthetic and style, and again just elevates the scenes perfectly.

The performances of our leads Choi Min-sik and Kang Hye-jung are emotional, and sometimes heartbreaking. Especially with Choi, you really buy into his rage and how much he wants payback. One late-film scene features Choi delivering a devastating emotional performance, heartbreaking in a way that defies expectations. Kang’s role is more supportive, but she still delivers, and I really liked the sweetness and softness that she provided in an otherwise pretty brutal film.

While there isn’t that much action throughout the film, there is one scene that is a one-shot, and it probably isn’t an understatement to call this one of the best action scenes ever made. It isn’t really flashy but more rough and raw, suiting the tone of the film. But my God this scene alone is a masterpiece, it makes you get the determination of the lead and how serious he really is.

The film is just so original and creative in a way that very few are. Park Chan-Wook really knocked it out of the park here and he really made a film that stands out in its look, story, style, action, performances and score. I think this film is a really good revenge-action thriller that provides a lot of originality for this subgenre while still providing the feels you’d want from this genre.

Rating: 8/10