Oldboy

"At the heart of all tragedy, the Greeks saw a phenomenon they called hamartia: a fatal error born of unavoidable ignorance. Combined with a fundamental moral flaw, hamartia inevitably led on to destruction. For the Greeks, humans were cursed not just with mortality of the flesh, but also hamartia-driven mortality of the spirit. Hamartia was the Gods being Divine Jerks, randomly toying with human lives for their own pleasure, through cat-and-mouse games the latter could not hope to win." - Ventakesh Rao, "The Gervais Principle" "'These children belong to me, these riches belong to me.' Thus says the foolish man, and he is full of woe. Truly, one does not belong to oneself. Wherefore the children? Wherefore the riches?" - Buddha, The Dhammapada None of us has much control over our lives. We don't get to choose our parents or country, and have no meaningful autonomy until two decades in. Even after reaching maturity, we're at the mercy of economic downturns, capricious bosses, malevolent strangers, and so on. Oldboy is about the futility of heroism and vengeance. Our protagonist, Oh Dae-su, has been imprisoned in a hotel room by an unknown captor for 15 years. On escape, he has only two questions. Who? And why? Over the course of the film, he learns the answers. He also learns that life is a series of traps within traps within traps, and that living in willful ignorance is better than being driven insane by bleak reality. Just about anyone will strongly empathize with Oh Dae-su (and with the villain, Lee Woo-jin, who is no less trapped in his own way). Oldboy riffs on a few Greek myths (notably Oedipus Rex), and is in some ways an ode to their timeless wisdom. Both lead actors are perfect for their roles, and director Park Chan-wook is able to wring out emotions from them which put Hollywood's best to shame. This is my favorite film, and many years after I first watched it, I can't stop thinking about it. I've never seen a film that captured the human condition so well.

more of a 4 and 1/2 star but amazing foreign film, only issue is that it does take a while to get on board with the story but this is masterfully made with amazing cinematography, writing, acting, pacing, plot and action

Oldboy may have been released over 20 years ago, but it truly never feels dated. Some films lose their edge with time — this is not one of them. It remains sharp, disturbing, darkly funny, and emotionally gripping in a way that still feels bold even today. What struck me most is the way the main character’s narration is delivered. There’s a subtle humor woven into his reflections — not forced comedy, but the kind that feels painfully honest and human. Even in the most extreme and nearly incomprehensible circumstances, there are moments that feel oddly relatable. That balance between absurdity and realism is incredibly hard to achieve, yet this film does it effortlessly. The situation itself is intense and psychologically complex. At times it’s difficult to fully process what’s happening, but that confusion is part of the experience. Instead of pushing you away, it pulls you in deeper. Watching how he navigates such a brutal and impossible reality is strangely entertaining — not because the events are light, but because the character’s resolve and unpredictability keep you fully engaged. And then there’s the corridor fight scene. That sequence alone has become legendary. You can see its influence echoed in numerous films that came afterward, but none quite capture the raw, exhausting realism of the original. It isn’t flashy — it’s gritty, painful, and human. Its impact is far greater than just being an action scene; it changed how fight choreography could be presented on screen. Director Park Chan-wook proves here that he is more than just a filmmaker. He understands human drama at a profound level — the ugliness, the irony, the vulnerability — and he translates it visually with precision and boldness. Every frame feels intentional. This is not just a revenge story. It’s a psychological descent, a moral puzzle, and a visual statement all at once. Even after two decades, Oldboy stands as a film that challenges, unsettles, and stays with you long after the credits roll.

This is not so much a movie review as the movie is excellent, but to watch out where you get this movie from. The movie that was sold to me is only playable outside of the United States region and thus a worthless desk. Why Amazon sells movies that are region locked in the US is beyond me, but they need to be more diligent weeding these listings out.. Be careful. Buyer beware. If you see around marking on the disc case, it will not play in the United States. Such a disappointment and very misleading had to return.

Park Chan-wook builds a trap so perfectly designed that you don't realize you're inside it until the walls are already closing. Oldboy is less a film you watch and more one you survive — the twist doesn't just reframe the story, it retroactively poisons every frame before it. Not an easy watch, but an unforgettable one.

This review is for the Arrow 4k home disc release. Oldboy is still a fantastic film. The new 4k transfer is a mixed bag. It's definitely a step up from previous releases. The detail is sharp, color grading is clear and much improved from the blu-ray, and the "smudginess" of previous versions is largely absent. However, many scenes contain minor artifacting. This isn't film grain so much as what I'd call digital noise: odd jittering or pixelation during certain scenes. It's especially apparent in light backgrounds, such as in the bright sky or snow. I haven't seen this mentioned in other reviews, probably because most people are watching on a TV. But on a 4k projector, the problem is definitely there. It's not terrible, just slightly distracting. There are a lot of films from the early to mid aughts that look bad in 4k due to shift to early digital technology. However, this is a little surprising here considering Oldboy was shot on standard film, and this is a brand new transfer (not an upscale). I can only conclude the conversion was not as good as the film deserves. The Neon 4k release is completely separate; I haven't seen that one to compare due to its hefty price tag. All that said, Oldboy still rocks. It's a kitchen sink of a film; a thriller with comedy, horror, insane plot twists, and a single action sequence that happens to be one of the greatest of all time. I'd recommend this 4k release with the caveats concerning the artifacting.

You know how effective a film is if after it's over and you're in bed trying to go to sleep, that the film in question refuses to leave your mind for a second and you cannot stop thinking about it. "Oldboy" is such a film, and to deny the fact that it captures raw and brutal emotion within it would be a disservice. Whether you love the movie or despise it, you cannot argue with the fact that it will at some point hit a nerve. "Oldboy" tells the tale of Oh Dae-su, who at first sight is just a drunken babbling mess who gives no one any ounce of respect, not even the cops who have arrested him for his drunken and disorderly conduct. He sings, calls them hideous swear words and sees no wrongdoing on his part. After he leaves the station, he is abducted by unknown captors. He is imprisoned in a strange and isolated room... for 15 years. For those 15 years, he nearly loses his mind and wonders what misdeeds of his past has brought him to this horror. After 15 years, he is released without any explanation or answers. Oh Dae-su vows that he will find the truth and get revenge on anyone responsible for his imprisonment. In fact, the whole point is that the captor is planning on Oh finding out the truth, as that is the whole point of his game. Blood will be shed and devastating revelations will make their presence felt. "Oldboy" is a film unlike any I have ever seen. Rarely have I ever seen a movie so dark, brutal and unrelenting--and yet be so beautiful at the same time. You really do feel emotionally invested. This is not a simple shoot-em-up revenge thriller. It is something beyond that. It poses questions and investigates the darker side of being human. Not once did I feel myself losing interest. The movie is superbly directed and acted. There is a phenomenal fight scene where it's done in one complete shot, and without it being loud or flashy. I also have to add that this film has one of the best and most haunting music scores since "Requiem for a Dream." Be warned, this isn't for everybody. It is a dark movie and it does not let you off easy. While it's not non-stop action and the movie focuses more on story and character, the violent scenes are really brutal. You can watch it with an English dubbed track, but I encourage you to watch it with subtitles and see it in its original language. Nowadays the English dubs do not do the films justice, as they change words and phrases around to make it seem more in sync with lip movement from the actors. The Blu-Ray version of the film includes 2 disks. There are some nice behind-the-scenes featurettes. "Oldboy" is a film that will leave its mark on you, no matter what your final judgment on the movie may be. It takes "revenge" to a whole new and unexpected level and you'll have no idea where it's all leading to until the very end. It's not for everybody, but if you're looking for something that's dark, intense, challenging and beautiful, give it a try. You'll never look at revenge thrillers in the same way ever again. Most likely, no other revenge thrillers will ever come close. - Michael Crane

Looks like the discs are fine but the case got busted in shipping. As long as it works I’m not worried about it.