Old Boy (2003)
Directed by Chan-Wook Park
(R), 120 mins, Sout Korea

Review By - Molly Celaschi

Old Boy is the second film in the Revenge Trilogy by Park. The first is Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and the final being Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.

After being imprisoned for 15 years, Ho Dae-su (whose name means “getting along with everybody”) is released and finds he only has 5 days to find his captor and seek his revenge. Once the captor is found, Dae-su will learn about a past he conveniently forgot and find he is in for an even bigger surprise during the final confrontation.

The film is mesmerizing, hypnotic, and well edited with flashbacks and jump cuts. Park makes an elevator ride feel like a roller coaster. There is a notable fight sequence referred to as the “one-take corrider scene” where Dae-su takes several men in mostly hand-to-hand and hammer-to-head combat.

This is a powerful film. It is a meditation on our addiction to TV, the bloody thirst for revenge, and the tomfoolery your mind resorts to when it is forced to relive your memories. The film will make you question the importance of forgetting, forgiving, and the satisfaction, or lack there of, in seeking revenge.

The movie has an incredible build leading up to the finale. The end scene is full of twists. You will be amazed and you watch the truth slowly unravel. You learn that one memory is not as it appears and that another more important memory holding the key to the puzzle was completely forgotten. You will learn that getting the revenge is not the most important thing, but instead be able to live with yourself is. You will find that neither man will be able to do so, which leads to an explosive ending. There is also a bizarre, if not disgusting, love story at the center of this.

Favorite Quote: Too many good ones to mention. It is a tie between “Be it a grain of sand or a rock – They both sink” and “Revenge is good for your health, but Pain will find you again.”

DVD Extras: Commentary, Multiple Deleted Scenes, Interview with director, Still Gallery, and Trailers from Tartan Asia Extreme.

Bottom Line: You will be entranced while following the plot and pleasantly shocked the surprise ending. I will be seeking out Park’s other work as well and I suggest you do the same.

Rating: 8.5/10

Read all of Molly’s reviews and articles in her Archives