Despite being only 20 years old, "Oldboy" has already cemented itself as a classic. Park Chan-wook’s film dazzled audiences with its stunning deconstruction of the revenge genre and propelled South Korean cinema to global attention and acclaim. I recently watched the 20th-anniversary re-release of "Oldboy" at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center and my knowledge of it beforehand was minimal. I knew about the iconic one-shot hallway scene and the awful 2013 American remake being the epitome of Hollywood banality, but that was it. I am glad for my ignorance, for few films have left me as shocked, disturbed and engrossed as "Oldboy."
"Oldboy" immediately hooks you with its mysterious, enthralling premise. Protagonist Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years in a small apartment room for seemingly no reason. We get a brief glimpse of what his life was like during those 15 years: meals delivered through a slot at the bottom of the door, a small TV that is his only connection to the outside world, prolific diary entries and training himself to fight. During this time, his captors murdered his wife and framed him for it, leading to his daughter being adopted by another family. It’s all very bleak and brutal to watch. Choi Min-sik’s performance as Dae-su perfectly expresses the deep anguish the character feels during this time. Then, one day, he’s finally released, starting his journey of revenge on his captors, but the way the story transforms from here is astonishing.
The film initially presents itself as Dae-su’s revenge journey, as we see him slowly put together clues about who held him captive and why. He meets a young chef named Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung), who helps him in his quest for revenge. Their relationship quickly becomes romantic and sexual. His sleuthing leads to him back to the building he was held captive in. Here is where the aforementioned hallway fight takes place and it definitely warrants its veneration. The thrilling, complex fight choreography filmed in a one-shot perfectly captures Oh Dae-su’s exhaustion and brutality as he swings and punches through a cumbersome amount of goons.
Afterwards, Oh Dae-su finally meets his captor, Lee Woo-jin (Yoo Ji-tae). Lee Woo-jin is one of the most fascinating, disturbing villains I’ve seen in a movie. He’s a mix of Patrick Bateman and the Joker: suave, eccentric, calculating and petty. At first, he’s kind of a comedic villain because his inexplicable, obsessive hatred of Dae-su is darkly humorous. Woo-jin saying to Dae-su, “Me? I'm sort of a scholar. And my major is you,” is hilariously corny. However, when his motivations are fully revealed, you feel nothing but disgust and disdain for him. During their first meeting, Lee presents Dae-su with an ultimatum: if, in the next five days, he figures out why Woo-jin imprisoned him, Woo-jin will kill himself; if not, Woo-jin will kill his new lover, Mi-do.
The second half of the film insidiously reveals the intense evil at the core of this story, and I will stop discussing specific plot details now, for the value and power of this movie come from the surprise of the plot developments. The film ventures into some sinister, disturbing territory that will exhaust you. Overall, the film — in a very extreme manner — deals with the theme of revenge and its danger and futility. It also explores how indulging in bitterness and hate only perpetuates more pain and impedes the ability to process the trauma that leads to the desire for revenge in the first place. We see two deeply hurt men, Oh Dae-su and Lee Woo-jin, fully embrace their resentment toward one another and they’re both left broken by the end. It’s not a revelatory message, but it is executed with such intensity and horror that you’re left deeply moved by the end.
The filmmaking and performances throughout are impeccable. Park Chan-wook’s direction is incredibly stylish and expressive, for he is always doing something engaging with the camera, whether that be split diopters, one-takes or point-of-view shots. The editing is equally full of flair, adeptly presenting the film’s montages and surreal, abstract moments. As mentioned before, Min-sik gives an incredible performance as Dae-su, effectively depicting a man experiencing unfathomable horrors. Yoo Ji-tae gives an impressively dynamic performance as Woo-jin, which fantastically captures his pompous qualities and the deep pain at the root of his character.
"Oldboy" is an arduous journey where you’re appalled and exhausted by the end. The film reveals the deep evil humanity is capable of and the infinite depths our pain and trauma can go. This riveting story is paired with some gorgeous filmmaking that's overflowing with style and expertise. By the end, its audacity and disturbing nature will leave you thinking about it for a long time. That’s a sign of incredible art.
