Personal Favourites: Oldboy

Oldboy

A personal favourite and one that serious film lovers should watch is Park Chan-wook’s ‘Oldboy’. The plot centres around the story of Oh Dae-Su, who has been locked up in a room for 15 years. His lack of knowledge about his captors or the motives behind his imprisonment so drives him into insanity, with TV being his ‘teacher, friend and lover’. After suddenly being let out, he begins his brutal search for his captor. Though the plot sounds like the generic ‘revenge’ story, it soon turns into a twisted, psychological, romantic thriller. Whilst is easy to get lost in the various plot twists that Chan-wook repeatedly ‘hammers’ into our brains, the end result is a climax that is truly sadistic, disturbing and shocking in nature. 

 This is certainly not a film to watch lazily, and is one that will require a second viewing. Nor is it a film for those with weak stomachs, with its use of violence, D.I.Y dentistry, suicide and a notorious ‘octopus scene’. Overall ‘Oldboy’ is a brilliantly acted, dark, violent and thrilling feat of cinema that challenges our concept of the traditional, Hollywood revenge story with nightmarish and horrifying consequences. 

Check out my other 'Personal Favourites' in the Features section.