Oldboy

Sparta

Newbie
Joined
Sep 27, 2003
Messages
6,312
Reaction score
0
Has anyone else seen this movie? It's absolutely fantastic, and easily the best film i've seen since Sideways (which i absolutely loved).

I took a risk on my birthday and bought it because i had heard good things about it. But i had no idea how damn cool it was going to be when i started watching it. In terms of revenge, this film easily takes the cake. Best revenge in a movie, ever. It's just so gritty, dark and intriguing that its hard not to like this film.

There's one fight scene in the movie that is so simple, and so well done, that it just about puts every other fight scene in any movie of the last 2 years to shame. So yeah, i ****ing loved it. Also, more films need clawhammers from now on.
 
I think the movie is really weird..in a cool way..
 
i loved the movie, it's definitely better than most of the "revenge thriller" crap that comes out stateside... and the guy who plays Oh Daesu is absolutely incredible to watch
 
its very very ****ed up, but a really amazing experience to watch, if you haven't seen it, and you aren't really wimpy, then check it out!
 
Harryz said:
Glad you said Sideways is good, recently bought it on DVD soley on reviews, will be watching it soon.
Prepare to be disappointed!

I know, my own opinion, my girlfriend and I rented it a while back thinking it would amazing (Paul Giomatti alone made me want to really see it), and it's just the most boring, depressing, terribly written piece of crap
Again, my opinion :p
 
IonizeMyAtoms said:
Prepare to be disappointed!

I know, my own opinion, my girlfriend and I rented it a while back thinking it would amazing (Paul Giomatti alone made me want to really see it), and it's just the most boring, depressing, terribly written piece of crap
Again, my opinion :p

I was reading reviews and read that if you enjoyed Lost in Translation, you will love this - I love LiT. Hmmm.
 
I LOVE Lost In Translation, I think it's brilliant. I don't think they're alike whatsoever.
Lost In Translation is a slow-paced character study, Sideways is definitely not
 
I saw this movie last week. Its very good movie, cool story, great actors...
This scene with hammer vs 1000 guys is really amazing (imagine this with Gordon with crowbar vs soldiers)! Final scenes in residnece of baddy - really good work.
Its my first experience with Korean movie and its wonderful!
 
No store in my town has it so I will have to purchase online, as usual.
 
Yes, its fecking awesome.


Btw, did you people watch it with translated subtitles or dubbing?

Some of the awesomness of Korean humor does get lost in translation.
 
Oldboy is ok, Sideways is really really good, i thought a movie about wine tasting couldn't be funny but it is, very much recommended, a good purchase for you that was.
 
Harryz said:
Oh my god, the poster is homosexual!!! Why exactly do you dislike it?

One: It shows a ugly dude with a o.k. looking woman.
Two: It's too colorfull like Halo
Three: I cant read a frckin thing!
 
specialmax said:
One: It shows a ugly dude with a o.k. looking woman.
Two: It's too colorfull like Halo
Three: I cant read a frckin thing!
You're nuts. I'm in love with that girl
And who cares if you can't read it, sheesh
 
I saw Oldboy a few days back, and really thought it was fantastic. I had been in no real rush to see it, since I thought it might just be one of those mindbending-violence-for-shock's-sake films that pop up now and again, but there is tons of feeling and substance to this movie. Plus, there's not that much actual graphic violence, with the worst bits being left to your imagination.

My friends say they ended up almost disliking the film because the revenge itself, in terms of plot, was too sick for them, but I don't know how they can react so badly, especially if they can watch what Oh Dae-su does with his hammer throughout the movie.

The long single-take fight scene is great, but it had been a bit overhyped for me before hand so it lost a bit of its effect. The guy who plays Oh Dae-su is awesome - he has such a charismatic face, and the emotion he puts into some scenes is immense. Stunning movie on all counts.

@15357 - it's subbed. The funny bits still seemed to be funny, although I can't seem to remember many of them. They get overtaken in your memory by the "shiiiiit...!" and "woooargh" type scenes.
 
Laivasse said:
My friends say they ended up almost disliking the film because the revenge itself, in terms of plot, was too sick for them, but I don't know how they can react so badly, especially if they can watch what Oh Dae-su does with his hammer throughout the movie.
Felt the same way immediately after i finished watching the film. Felt dirty. Still, i think in terms of revenge, its the best possible revenge imaginable. And only for those seriously ****ed up. And with lots of money of course.
 
specialmax said:
One: It shows a ugly dude with a o.k. looking woman.
Two: It's too colorfull like Halo
Three: I cant read a frckin thing!

one: you = gay
two: Its a fecking street with neon signs, what do you expect?
three: Duh, I don't know how you manage to come here. I'll translate if you wish.
 
Laivasse said:
The long single-take fight scene is great, but it had been a bit overhyped for me before hand so it lost a bit of its effect. The guy who plays Oh Dae-su is awesome - he has such a charismatic face, and the emotion he puts into some scenes is immense. Stunning movie on all counts.
The same thing happened for me with the long hammer scene.
And I can't agree more about the actor who played Oh Dae-Su, he's ****ing fantastic
I'm surprised no one mentioned the soundtrack yet, I LOVED the music in it (with the exception of the music that plays during that long hammer fight and other places, I really don't like that song for some reason). Seriously go pick up the soundtrack, it's great
 
I saw it, based on this review http://www.lotusreaver.com/reviews/index.php?section=oldboy
Liked it very much, it has some boring moments, but overall it's good. My favoriete part is the beginning and when he is in captivity. Especially when he acts so crazy. In most western movies of this type they always try to porttray the hero as inrealistically cool,even when druk, and thus for me very very boring and childish.
The OH-Dause drunk scenes are just wonderfull. Give the character more depth and make him way more fun.
 
Ive just finished watching it and, WOW!

And yeah, I do feel kinda dirty. Its an emotionally draining experience.
 
I felt the end was strangely uplifting in a couple of weird ways.

Ending and story discussion spoilers:
I mean, Oh Dae-su is screwed from the start - there isn't anything he does that is outside the bad guy's calculations (forgot his name). Yet at the very end he manages to stop the guy from doing his ultimate worst with whatever's in that package, even if it involves some crazy...persuasion. And the bad guy eventually finally does the honourable thing, I guess.

There's also the fact that Oh Dae-su manages to somehow wipe the slate clean with that hypnosis stuff, but (and here's the really spoilery stuff, so if you're reading this by accident, unhighlight now) did the memory erasing even work, what with him crying at the end? Or does he remember she's his daughter but not the fact that he bonked her? Or does he not even remember that she's his daughter?

What if it's the latter scenario, and they go on to be a couple? That'd be mega-sick, but in a way it's a very bad best out of a terrible situation - after all, what they don't know...! :naughty: Food for thought.
 
Yes had such great atmosphere - reminded me of max payne - totally amazing =
9/10.
 
Got finished watching it...
And holy shit.
Those hammer scenes twisted my stomach x.x...

Really awesome film, watch it if you can stomach the weirdness.
 
First off, it was a great great film. The cinematography was brilliant and the acting was incredible!!

Secondly, if you have read The Count of Monte Cristo, you will see so many similarities between it and the story of OldBoy. They even mention it aloud once during the film which was a little heavy-handed, but also very meaningful if you are familiar with the title. An awesome new take on the revenge tragedy!

:thumbs: :thumbs: <--(That's two thumbs-up for me.)
 
There is a similarity between this movie and Angel Heart with Micky Rourke and DeNiro as well.
 
I enjoyed Oldboy, but was disappointed when we discovered the reason for his incarceration. The plot is too implausible to take seriously, even for a crazy Japanese movie, and feels contrived. Everything is geared towards making the audience go 'ergh' at the finale (something which it certainly achieves), and that's it. Finding out the answer for all the questions that had kept me engrossed in the movie during the first hour was 'for shock value' left me feeling a little cheated.

In the end Oldboy is sick for the sake of being sick (imo, of course)

Still, I did enjoy it - 7/10
 
Warbie said:
I enjoyed Oldboy, but was disappointed when we discovered the reason for his incarceration. The plot is too implausible to take seriously, even for a crazy Japanese movie, and feels contrived. Everything is geared towards making the audience go 'ergh' at the finale (something which it certainly achieves), and that's it. Finding out that the answer for all the questions that had kept me engrossed in the movie during the first hour was 'for shock value' left me feeling a little cheated.

In the end Oldboy is sick for the sake of being sick (imo, of course)

Still, I did enjoy it - 7/10

MURDER DEATH KILL DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE HATE HATE HATE HATe
 
I think you got Korean and Japanese mixed up and sent Numbers into murder-nationalism mode.

Chill out, numbers, write a haiku or look at a picture of the emperor or something, man.
 
Does anyone realise "oldboy" is part two of a trilogy ?

Oh yes!
 
Do you mean Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance / Sympathy For Lady Vengeance?

Because those are by the same guy and deal with the same themes, but I don't think they are directly related.
 
Laivasse said:
I think you got Korean and Japanese mixed up and sent Numbers into murder-nationalism mode.

Chill out, numbers, write a haiku or look at a picture of the emperor or something, man.

*proceeds to go and execute violators of the peace*

and
Sympathy For Lady Vengeance IS NOT a prequel for oldboy. It has 0 connection except that its in Korean.
 
Mechagodzilla said:
Because those are by the same guy and deal with the same themes, but I don't think they are directly related.
15357 said:
It has 0 connection except that its in Korean.

Mecha is right--Numbers is wrong. They are all part of Chan-wook Park's Vengeance Trilogy, so they have similar themes and the visual styles and gore are similar and they are all made by the same director, but other than that, not much else in common. :)
 
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/interviews/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000552276
In November, I will be working on a new feature. The only thing I have decided on is the movie's title, which will be "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance." Following "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" and "Old Boy," this will be the concluding chapter in my "Vengeance" trilogy and will feature a woman in her mid-30s mercilessly dealing with vengeance. It will have a story consisting of a sharply contrasting variation from the kidnapping motif in "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" and the imprisonment motif of "Old Boy." I am planning to write the script in a hotel in Cannes.
Zero connection ? Not much else in common? Not directly related ?
 
Back
Top