Oldboy

Synopsis: The movie opens up with a drunk named Dae-su acting rather badly in what appears to be a police station. A friend comes to pick him up and takes him to a pay phone to call his family. Here we find out that the man has a daughter and it is her birthday. His friend takes the phone to speak to the man’s family, when he turns around the man is gone. We are treated to a montage of the man being imprisoned for the next 15 years, until he is unexpectedly set free. From then on out the movie revolves around Dae-su dealing with a mysterious man who is taunting him, daring him to figure out why he was imprisoned.

The Good: This is the kind of movie that just isn’t made by the American film industry. The plot is engaging and will keep you interested throughout the entire runtime of the film. The twists are unexpected and the ending will make you squirm. The acting in this film is also amazing. The actors manage to pull off some very difficult characters, and do it a great amount of skill. The lighting and music are masterfully executed adding to the general atmosphere of the film.

The Bad: There really isn’t anything to complain about with this movie.

The Score: 3.5 of 4

This isn’t a horror film in the traditional sense. Neither is it one of the gore fests that I’ve seen from many of the other Tartan Asia Extreme releases. That being said I highly recommend this movie. Give this one a chance you won’t regret it.

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