Oldboy

A simple story told in a needlessly incomprehensible way. The visual aspect is captivating, the music is amazing and the actors are great, but the story itself, particularly its conclusion, left me cold. The Asians are simply different, as they express themselves differently and perceive things differently – and with Oldboy, whose story otherwise has something to it, I didn’t experience what the individual dramatically escalated scenes were trying to tell me. But I’m very curious about the American remake. (24/10/2004)

Well, wasn’t that a shock. After a long time I was flabbergasted by a twist! A great story, fantastic performances and direction, and a very interesting narrative style. The cultural differences can be felt and I didn’t get the emotional side of Old Boy, but thumbs up for everything else. PS: This is one of those films where bringing the story closer through a western remake would not be out of the question, provided it gets in the hands of a competent director, of course. (27/05/2010)

I can't help but find it unnecessarily overly violent, transparent (when the two met in the bar and she told him he reminded her of someone, my first thought was what the guy learned at the end) and a bit of boiling water. Yeah, the filming probably wasn't easy, and while there is something to be gained from the film, it's nothing world-changing, for me it's an average film. Basically, I don't even know what to admire about it or what I really liked about it. Too bad, I was looking forward to it quite a bit. (15/04/2013)

I have a problem with Asian films because their emotionality is beyond me. I don't deny the camera finesse, a few visually memorable scenes (although judging by the reviews I was expecting a much, much more visually striking work), but a three-minute fight in one uninterrupted shot, a close-up of teeth being pulled and a live octopus being eaten don't make a memorable film. First and foremost, it's about the story, and the story here – told in a somewhat incomprehensible way for my taste – couldn't quite reach me, as well as the twist and emotional outpourings in the last twenty minutes. I can't help it, Oldboy is overrated in my eyes, which is not to say it's not worth watching. (27/06/2005)

Asian miracle, which didn't affect me. The music accompaniment is flawless, but visually, even the highly praised scenes reach the limit of mediocrity. If there is something brilliant, it's the punchline, too bad that right after it, director Park "adds blood" and loses me again on the way to the climax. I understand everyone who was moved by the last minute or captivated by the film as a whole. I understand them, but I will never belong with them. (29/12/2005)