Park Chan-wook

올드보이 [Oldboy]

★★★★½

It really caught me off-guard, especially as the movie reached the end. But it's an insane ride all the way there, from beginning to end you need to pay attention to this. Every piece of dialogue is important and the tiny nuances in the acting really bind the film's ideas all together. I'm not going to spoil anything but these really demands a second viewing in my opinion. There are very little special effects too so the majority of the action shots are real and very well performed. And the violence that comes from that is very visceral and at some points over the top, not like Tarantino, but it gets pretty damn close. I think that aspect is important though; it numbs you for a good portion of the film but tears all that down by the end. You're left helpless in the wake of such a twist and the terror that comes with it.

The film seems to be shot in a very bleak and almost hazy manner. The colors are muted and the flashier parts of the city are never shown, but the lush orchestral soundtrack fills in for that vacuum. It's very moving and at times comical and jubilant. The flashback scenes have a filter on them that is kind of cheesy and extreme but it doesn't really take away from the action. Also the early part of the film to probably around the middle, moves really fast and has a lot of important info. If you even look away for a second you might miss an important plot point; no time is wasted in this section. 

Later on however, the scenes become more drawn out. And the tension becomes so palpable and uncomfortable that it's like swimming in humid weather. There certainly remains some mystery when it comes to the plot, at multiple points actually. And it feels a bit too random and incomplete without a more proper background. Of course it makes sense but it's a bit out there, so don't really expect this to be a realistic thriller in that sense. There are also many points in this film where you think that the main character, Oh Dae-su, makes some stupid decisions. But I think it's important to remember his background that was shown earlier in the film, the isolation of it all.

Some of the situations in here can be pretty comical actually, and the action sequences fit the format, becoming an almost streetfighter-esque style. There is an ambiguous end to it all and it was meant to be that way, allowing every viewer to interpret it differently. I have my own and it's sort of in between a state of remembering and forgetting, that's all I can say without giving away too much. I really enjoyed this and it's stayed on mind, which is rare for a movie nowadays. Laugh, and the world laughs with you;

Weep, and you weep alone.