Oldboy
This uniquely original film is about an everyday father and husband, Dae-su Oh (Min-sik Choi) who is imprisoned for 15 years without any explanation. When he is released he is given 5 days to discover the reason for his imprisonment. As Dae-su Oh comes closer to uncovering the truth he is befriended by a young woman, Mi-do (Hye-jeong Kang). When Dae-su Oh comes face to face with his kidnapper Woo-jin Lee (Ji-tae Yu) he is told that if he succeeds in finding out the truth he will kill himself but if he fails Mi-do will be killed. As Dae-su Oh attempts to uncover the motive for his imprisonment he struggles to balance his lust for revenge and vengeance with his new found love for Mi-do.
Korean director Chan-wook Park has certainly created an original film. Park has boldly created a film that is incredibly powerful, intense and at time very disturbing. The film is based on the Japanese manga "Oldboy" by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya with a complex plot that is rich with revenge, romance and mystery. Oldboy was very well received when it was released winning the Grand Prix (chosen by the jury of the festival) at the Cannes Film Festival, which was lead by president of the jury Quentin Tarantino in 2004. Since then the film has remained a must see film for cinema lovers.
I understand why this film has gained such a strong following and I urge people to go and see the movie, yet I caution viewers as the film is hard to watch. The film explores intense themes both psychologically, physically and most importantly emotionally that would be very confronting for some viewers. This is a film that caused me to turn away from the screen on a few occasions with the more graphic and unforgettable scenes including the eating of a live octopus (which was done in real life by the actor), watching a man cut his tongue with a pair of scissors and the famous hallway scene where a hammer is used very successfully as a weapon. The film includes complex themes such as incest and scenes of brutal torture that are certainly confronting for the viewer.
The film has an almost disjointed feel to it at times as scenes are paused, waiting to come to life. It is as if each scene has been meticulously staged by Park with the actors merely props in the narrative. Park achieves success in bringing the complex plot together, with each scene and character having a crucial role in the finished puzzle. Park has not wasted a single shot and there is no doubt that this is a film showcasing quality film-making. Min-sik Choi also has to be acknowledged for his riveting performance, his delivery is intense and captivating throughout the film. The character of Dae-su Oh is portrayed not as a bad man but as a very unlikeable man, Choi had the challenging job to create a character that exhibited ferocious violence yet at the same time achieve a degree of compassion and sympathy from the viewer.
The film is hard to follow at times as it is essentially a convoluted mystery. The plot remains unexpected throughout as little snippets of information are revealed as Dae-su Oh begins to uncover the truth he realises that the motivation for his capture involves his past. I kept waiting for a big reveal to come that would tie everything up when I was confronted by even more mystery and complexity. The conclusion eventually erupts onto the screen and I was left shocked and disturbed. There are certain films that just stay with you and Oldboy is certainly one of them, as I reflect on the film I am reminded of the powerful and violent scenes which the film is known for yet my overwhelming feeling towards the film is that it is a truly tragic story.
This is a challenging film that that may move you emotionally, will probably disturb you but will no doubt capture your interest. Oldboy is a film that will haunt you long after the credits have finished and for whatever reason you remember this film there is no doubt that the film is memorable.
No comments:
Post a Comment