Oldboy

2003 • 119 minutes

About this movie

Often cited as one of the best films of the 2000s and possibly the definitive example of extreme Asian cinema, Oldboy is a brutal, lyrical modern classic of the revenge genre. Based on the Japanese manga of the same name, the film tells the horrific tale of Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a businessman who is inexplicably kidnapped and imprisoned in a grim hotel room-like cell for 15 years, without knowing his captor or the reason for his incarceration. Eventually released, he learns of his wife's murder and embarks on a quest for revenge whilst also striking up a romance with a young, attractive sushi chef, Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung). He eventually finds his tormentor, but their final encounter will yield yet more unimaginable horrors...

Ratings and reviews

I have seen hundreds of Korean films which all started in 2003. Old boy is a fine film but certainly not the best. If I were to do a top 20 list of Korean films Old Boy would not be in it. Most people who rave about Old Boy and Park Chan-wook, have not seen enough Korean movies to make that statement.

Amazing, simply the finest South Korean movie.