Oldboy

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10 / 10
1 Review
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Overview

With no clue how he came to be imprisoned, drugged and tortured for 15 years, a desperate man seeks revenge on his captors.

Media

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The New Canon: 'Oldboy'

Cast

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Actor Avatar
Choi Min-sik
Actor Avatar
Yoo Ji-tae
Actor Avatar
Kang Hye-jung
Actor Avatar
Kim Byeong-ok
Director:
Park Chan-wook
Writer:
Hwang Jo-yoon, Lim Joon-hyung, Park Chan-wook
Release Date:
2003-11-21
Run Time:
120m
Tagline:
15 years of imprisonment, five days of vengeance.
Genres:
Action Drama Mystery Thriller
Keywords:
aggressive alcoholism anger based on manga captivity catholic dark comedy daughter father daughter relationship flashback hammer hostility imprisonment incest loneliness martial arts neo-noir rage revenge sin south korea suspenseful time torture tragic transformation
Financials and Popularity

Budget: 3,000,000.00 $

Revenue: 17,500,000.00 $

Vote Average: 8.2/10

Vote Count: 9770 Votes

Movie Popularity: 19.9362

Spoken Languages: Korean

Review

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  1. Insomniacs Reviews
    10 Based on 1 Votes
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    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 10/10 THE SUMMARY Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is an average man who, after a night of heavy drinking, is kidnapped and imprisoned in a hotel room for fifteen years without explanation. His only connection to the outside world is a television that informs him his wife has been murdered and he is the prime suspect. When he is suddenly released with no warning, he is given five days to figure out why he was taken. What follows is a visceral, pained journey of vengeance that leads to a truth so dark it redefines the very meaning of the word "punishment." THE PROS This is the gold standard for the "epic status" 10/10 rating. It hits the top mark because Park Chan-wook’s direction is a total highlight of world cinema, blending a pained, operatic tragedy with the grit of a neo-noir thriller. Choi Min-sik gives an honest, legendary performance; his transformation from a broken prisoner to a pained, hammer-wielding force of nature is visceral and unforgettable. The iconic hallway fight—a single-take, three-minute brawl—is a masterclass in action choreography that feels entirely grounded and sincere. It’s a fair shout for the most gut-wrenching reveal in movie history, a massive head-scratcher that manages to be both horrifying and incredibly pained in its emotional logic. THE CONS Earning a 10 means the "cons" are strictly for those with a pained sensitivity to extreme content. The film is visceral and unapologetically brutal, which might make it a bit of a slog for anyone not prepared for its dark themes. It misses no marks technically, but the central "taboo" at the heart of the mystery is so pained and controversial that it remains an honest point of debate for audiences even decades later. If you’re looking for a light evening of "guaranteed bangers," this pained masterpiece is going to leave you feeling more hollowed out than entertained. THE VERDICT 10/10. An epic, visceral, and pained masterpiece that is essential for any serious film site. It’s an honest 10 that proves vengeance is a dish best served with a pained, lingering trauma. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • During the pained and famous live octopus eating scene, actor Choi Min-sik, a devout Buddhist, reportedly said a pained prayer for each of the four octopuses he had to eat to get the shot perfect and sincere. • The legendary single-take hallway fight took three full days and seventeen takes to perfect; the only digital addition to the visceral sequence was the pained knife stuck in Oh Dae-su’s back. • Because the production ran out of snow in South Korea while filming the pained, ambiguous finale, the crew had to fly to New Zealand to capture the epic, snowy landscape—only to have the airline lose their luggage, forcing them to rent local gear and remake costumes on the fly. THE VIBE Like a hammer hitting a concrete wall. It smells of live seafood, cheap hotel wallpaper, and the metallic tang of old, pained blood.

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Oldboy

Comment (1)

  1. Insomniacs Reviews

    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 10/10

    THE SUMMARY
    Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is an average man who, after a night of heavy drinking, is kidnapped and imprisoned in a hotel room for fifteen years without explanation. His only connection to the outside world is a television that informs him his wife has been murdered and he is the prime suspect. When he is suddenly released with no warning, he is given five days to figure out why he was taken. What follows is a visceral, pained journey of vengeance that leads to a truth so dark it redefines the very meaning of the word “punishment.”

    THE PROS
    This is the gold standard for the “epic status” 10/10 rating. It hits the top mark because Park Chan-wook’s direction is a total highlight of world cinema, blending a pained, operatic tragedy with the grit of a neo-noir thriller. Choi Min-sik gives an honest, legendary performance; his transformation from a broken prisoner to a pained, hammer-wielding force of nature is visceral and unforgettable. The iconic hallway fight—a single-take, three-minute brawl—is a masterclass in action choreography that feels entirely grounded and sincere. It’s a fair shout for the most gut-wrenching reveal in movie history, a massive head-scratcher that manages to be both horrifying and incredibly pained in its emotional logic.

    THE CONS
    Earning a 10 means the “cons” are strictly for those with a pained sensitivity to extreme content. The film is visceral and unapologetically brutal, which might make it a bit of a slog for anyone not prepared for its dark themes. It misses no marks technically, but the central “taboo” at the heart of the mystery is so pained and controversial that it remains an honest point of debate for audiences even decades later. If you’re looking for a light evening of “guaranteed bangers,” this pained masterpiece is going to leave you feeling more hollowed out than entertained.

    THE VERDICT
    10/10. An epic, visceral, and pained masterpiece that is essential for any serious film site. It’s an honest 10 that proves vengeance is a dish best served with a pained, lingering trauma.

    INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
    • During the pained and famous live octopus eating scene, actor Choi Min-sik, a devout Buddhist, reportedly said a pained prayer for each of the four octopuses he had to eat to get the shot perfect and sincere.

    • The legendary single-take hallway fight took three full days and seventeen takes to perfect; the only digital addition to the visceral sequence was the pained knife stuck in Oh Dae-su’s back.

    • Because the production ran out of snow in South Korea while filming the pained, ambiguous finale, the crew had to fly to New Zealand to capture the epic, snowy landscape—only to have the airline lose their luggage, forcing them to rent local gear and remake costumes on the fly.

    THE VIBE
    Like a hammer hitting a concrete wall. It smells of live seafood, cheap hotel wallpaper, and the metallic tang of old, pained blood.

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