Oldboy is one of those movies that you have to see to appreciate the work of Park Chan-wook. The film about revenge, love, and losing one’s hold has been a favorite among those cinephiles and those heavily into South Korean cinema. NEON is hoping to make an impact on the popularity of the film for its 20th anniversary with a theater of the masterpiece. The distributor got the domestic rights for the 2003 classic movie, and NEON has released a trailer for the special occasion.
Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy has received praise over the past decade and cemented the director as one of the best of this generation. Bloomberg called the film “an incredible piece of cinematic storytelling” and has required essential viewing of Asian movies. I’m a massive fan of this movie, and consider it one of the best, if not the best, films to ever be made – yes, I’m looking at you, Citizen Kane.
For those not in the know, the story of Oldboy follows Oh Dae-su, portrayed by Choi Min-sik as an ordinary businessman and father who finds himself in a far-reaching conspiracy. Oh Dae-su was kidnapped and imprisoned in 1988 and released 15 years later. The man, now freed, has five days to find out who locked him up and why in this gritty revenge action feature. The dark, disturbing, and twist-filled film continues as Dae-su meets and grows an intense relationship with Mi-do (Kang Hye-jeong), who takes him in.
Check out the trailer:
Oldboy has relentless brutality alongside a compelling start and fantastic cinematography. One thing to note is a highlight of the film that features the now infamous corridor fight scene that would make anything Marvel has made blush. Also, the close two-minute trailer has no spoken word but features a breathtaking rendition of Radiohead’s Exit Music (For A Film) that encapsulates the beauty of Oldboy.
The movie was the second part of Park’s Vengeance Trilogy, which also included Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Lady Vengeance. I highly recommend those two films as well. A word of advice, see Oldboy when NEON releases in theaters this August – but do not read anything on the film. Trust me; it’ll be worth it.