Oldboy (2003)
“Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.”
– Oh Dae-su
The emotional experience of watching Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy is akin to a direct punch in the gut. Oh Dae-su, a middle-aged drunk and irresponsible father and husband, is kidnapped without warning and taken to a motel room prison. He is kept there for fifteen years as he watches history go by via a television set and trains himself for revenge upon his escape. He is slowly digging through the outside wall with a chop-stick. But then he is suddenly released, with a nice new suit and a wallet full of money. Revenge is all he can think about, but first he must uncover why he was imprisoned. Who hates him enough to do this? He soon finds that he is asking the wrong question. The important question is not why was he imprisoned, but why was he released. The movie cleverly brings you deep within the lives and emotions of the protagonists, and just when your appetite for vengeance reaches its wettest, the film slams you back with a revelation that is as painful and shocking as it is heart-wrenching and provocative. The film uses a unique visual style that helps it transcend its multiple timelines and story arcs. The interplay of sound and style allows for some of the most innovative scene transitions in recent cinematic history, giving the film an incredibly original look. The soundtrack is simply haunting and beautiful. But if there is one single reason to see this movie, it is for the powerfully humbling performance of Choi Min-sik as Oh Dae-su. His performance in the final scenes of the film is utterly soul-shattering.
No comments:
Post a Comment