My Review: Oldboy (5/10)

"-You might wanna think about what you're doing here!" "-I've been thinking about it for the last 20 years."

I could criticize the fact that this was yet another unnecessary remake considering Chan-wook Park's 2003 Oldboy has become a cult classic among worldwide audiences, but knowing this, I still decided to go ahead and watch Spike Lee's version, so I can't just claim it was unnecessary. I had curiosity as to what Lee could bring to the table and thought that the cast was pretty interesting as well. After seeing this film I can honestly see how difficult it must have been for Chan-wook Park to pull off such an ultra-stylish and violent movie, because Lee never manages to engage those of us that are already familiar with the revenge story. One of the things that the Korean film had going for it was the fantastic shocking ending, and Lee couldn't just rely on that surprise factor now. It would be like having someone remake The Sixth Sense; it would be an impossible feat to pull off considering how it relies heavily on that final twist. The other scene we all remember from the original film is the hallway hammer scene, and there was no way Lee could have left that scene out. He should have though because the scene felt completely out of tone with the rest of the film. The violence in this film never seems to have a purpose like it did in the Asian version. What this Oldboy lacked was the style and sense of purpose that Chan-wook Park's version had with some memorable characters and unforgettable scenes. The chemistry between Brolin and Olsen is nothing compared to the leads in the Asian film who really kept us engaged and interested in the story. This just proves how difficult it really is to capture that sense of style some of the Korean directors handle so masterfully. 

The general story is pretty similar to Chan-wook Park's film with some minor changes. The screenplay was actually adapted by Mark Protosevich from the Japanese manga, not the film. This time the anti-hero's name is, Joe Doucett (Josh Brolin); he's an advertising executive who is kidnapped and held captive in a small prison decorated as a hotel room for 20 years. During his mysterious abduction his wife is murdered and he is framed for the crime, while his 3 year old daughter, Mia, is adopted by another family. Not knowing who is holding him captive and for what reason, Joe's only window to the world is the television set he has in front of him. During his captivity Joe decides to get back in physical shape and stop drinking, hoping some day he can confront his captors and return to his daughter. Finally after 20 years he wakes up in a box a free man with no explanation as to why he was held captive all these years. He is given a cellphone, some cash, and the letters he has written for his daughter. The first thing Joe does is find his friend, Chucky (Michael Imperioli), who owns a nearby bar. Chucky helps Joe make a list of the people who might have done this to him. Joe also befriends a nurse named Marie (Elizabeth Olsen), who believes his story after seeing the poor conditions he's in. Together they search for answers as Joe plans his revenge, but the real question is why he was held captive for so many years and then all of a sudden released. 

Josh Brolin wasn't bad in the lead role, while Elizabeth Olsen also delivered a solid performance, but the film relied heavily on the chemistry between both characters and it wasn't really there. Samuel L. Jackson had a wacky supporting role, while Sharlto Copley played a convincing villain. His performance reminded me the most to the original character because he was more creepy than actually frightening. There were some minor changes to the ending which I thought weren't as effective, but perhaps it had to do with how shocking I found the original film. This film is much shorter than the original and perhaps it's not all Lee's fault considering the studio didn't allow him to release his original 140 minute cut which could have given the characters a better background story. This version felt rushed at times. If you have't seen either film skip this remake and watch the original instead.

My Review: Oldboy (7/10)

¨ Even though I'm no more than a monster - don't I, too, have the right to live? ¨

(7/10) Oldboy has become a cult classic among film fans because the images in the movie are so strong, raw, and nothing like you`ve seen before, that they stay with you for quite some time (and I mean ¨raw¨ literally because in one scene the main character eats a live octopus, how is that for a first?). The story is very original and the twists keep on coming as the movie reaches its climatic ending. Oldboy is actually based on a Japanese Manga written by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiva of the same name. This is the second of three movies that Chan-wook Park directed of the Revenge Trilogy; the first was Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and the third Lady Vengeance. I haven`t seen either of those films yet, but critics agree that Oldboy is his best one of the three. The three are also separate movies so you don`t have to see them to understand the plot. Oldboy currently ranks in the IMDB top 250 films at the 113th spot so as you can see it is a much respected film among viewers. This is perhaps one of the best Korean movies I`ve seen, as I really didn`t enjoy The Host as much as almost everyone else did. I think this is a superior movie and much more complex as well. Yes, there is plenty of violence, but it is very different from other revenge films and it really took me by surprise. The plot is a very original one, it is developed really well, and I have to admit the less you know about this movie before you see it the better because the experience is very unique. My expectations however were a little higher for this film, but it didn`t disappoint either.

Dae-su Oh (Min-sik Choi) is the main character of this film. On the eve of his daughter`s birthday he is detained by police officers for being drunk and for disorderly conduct. Dae-su seems to be the typical alcoholic who doesn`t even know what he is saying and you can tell this is not the first time this has happened to him. His friend, No Joo-hwan (Dae-han Ji) has to come and bail him out so he can make it to his daughter’s birthday. Once they are released from the police station, Dae-su decides to call his wife and daughter from a phone booth. No Joo-hwan takes the phone from him and lets his wife know that he is safe and he wil be taking him soon, but when he hangs up there is no trace of Dae-su. He has been kidnapped for an unknown reason and is imprisoned in an undisclosed room. Dae-su narrates what is happening to him. He remains imprisoned for 15 years without having a clue to who has captured him and for what reason. His only connection with the outside world is a small TV. One night he discovers that his wife has been murdered and police suspect him as the killer because they have found traces of his blood in the house. Dae-su cannot wait to escape and get his revenge although he has no clue who might have done such a horrible thing to him. After a long 15 years he is finally released for no apparent reason and now it is up to him to discover why he had to endure such punishment and he is in search for revenge. After being released he begins a friendship with Mi-do (Hye-jeong Kang), a female chef who helps him investigate what has happened. The plot begins to develop from this point on with many twists and unexpected turns which make this a very gripping movie.

The premise for Oldboy is very original and the story really grabs your attention from the very beginning because you want to know what the heck is going on. Why would somebody want to imprison someone only to let them out 15 years later without ever explaining anything? As the plot develops the questions begin to be answered. This is not your typical revenge movie; it is very original and has many twists and surprises. It is also a very raw and violent movie so it is not for everyone. I really thought the weakest part of the movie was the dialogue, but the good plot holds your attention anyway. Min-sik Choi does a good job as the main character as he is not your typical hero and has several flaws. He is more of an anti-hero. Some of the action scenes are made really well, there is one memorable scene where Dae-su fights a bunch of guys in a corridor reminiscing Tarantino´s Kill Bill. Oldboy is not close to being one of my favorite films, but I have to admit that it is a very unique experience. The film isn`t entertaining, it is more artistic than anything else and the final 30 minutes really were the highlight of the film for me. The ending reminded me of Shyamalan`s earlier films like The Sixth Sense or Unbreakable because of the surprise ending.