Oldboy: A Search for Vengeance and the Truth

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Proverbs 13:3

Vengeance is a very powerful thing. It can serve as a form motivation to drive others to wrong others that have wronged them. It can corrupt good men and turn them into obsessed men of evil and no one is exempt from this volatile emotion. From the common man walking the streets to the ancient kings, czars, and emperors of past, vengeance has fueled millions of different acts and events throughout human history. On rare occasion people have succeeded at gaining revenge on others but the majority of the time vengeance often backfires and the results are terrible if not destructive. Vengeance is the keyword in the Korean film Oldboy.

Oldboy begins with the main protagonist Oh Dae-Su sitting forlornly in a drunken stupor in a police station. After he is bailed out by his best friend Oh Dae-Su suddenly vanishes in the rainy and dreary night after speaking with his wife on a pay phone. He later regains consciousness inside in somewhat comfortable looking prison cell. Oh Dae-Su spends fifteen years inside this room with only a bed, restroom and a television to act as “comforts”. As the years go by he learns that his wife has been murdered and that he is the top suspect in the investigation. Oh Dae-Su falls into a routine after spending a decade and a half in the room; eating, watching TV, and sleeping. Suddenly one day is set free and he now has new clothes, a watch, a cell phone, and no explanation is to why he was freed or why he was put in prison to begin with. Suddenly he receives a strange call on his phone and Oh Dae-Su’s confusion grows even more when an unknown voice informs him that he only has five days to figure out why he was put in that prison and who stole his marriage, his wife, and fifteen years of his life from him.

Director Park Chan-Wok is both one of the most acclaimed directors and writers in the South Korean film industry. He is well known for his brutal subject matter and immaculate frames used in his films. Oldboy is a true piece of honest filmmaking due to the fact that Park Chan-Wook makes it well known that his films are brutal and violent and he doesn’t shy away from it when making a film. Oldboy is exactly what Wook says it is; a thrilling revenge film with violent, intense, and sometimes disturbing images and scenes. The entire time you’re watching the film you can picture Wook just off to the side of the camera saying “I warned you” when you watch the graphic content unfold on the screen. Despite the gore and violence on screen Wook makes sure that there is a purpose and isn’t out just to shock people, he wants to send a message with the overall film. Oldboy just isn’t about one man seeking revenge for being imprisoned. The film also carries a strong yet subtle tone about the gravity of words that is ultimately shown in the twisted finale.

Oldboy is actually an adaptation of a Korean graphic novel and Park Chan-Wook also had a great amount of influence when the screenplay was written. A good portion of Oh Dae-Su’s lines are his inner monologue and thus are quick and often times sound confused or misguided. He has no one to talk to in his cell so most of his inner monologue serves as exposition. Although since it is mostly exposition, his inner monologue, while in prison never feels forced or is making the viewer focus on something in particular. It’s his inner thoughts projected for the audience to hear and it makes the film seem even more interesting and intriguing. The writing itself is done exceedingly well. The characters are well developed and there isn’t an odd line or one out of place during the near two hour film. Both the directing and writing is top notch in this thriller.

The cinematography is truly exceptional. With daring angles and clever use of camera work director Park Chan-Wook adds a wild sense of chaos and intensity with how Oldboy is filmed. Some of the views are strange sometimes even wild but they aren’t out of place. These sorts of angles and style of cinematography are only used properly in intense scenes or when something chaotic is happening. It adds to the heightened states of suspense that is set throughout the film. Chan-Wook also uses a long take brilliantly during a vicious and incredibly realistic fight scene in a long corridor. Words cannot do this bit of camera work and direction justice so I’ll let the scene speak for itself. It’s three minutes of some of the best camera work ever used during an action scene.

The acting in Oldboy is powerful all around but the best performance by far is Cho Min-Sik (Oh Dae-Su). Throughout Oldboy Co Min-Sik conveys a wide range of emotions ranging from all over the spectrum: confusion, shock, joy, anguish, etc. His facial expressions are superb such as when he is in prison and he discovers a spare chopstick in his meal. The look of joy that overcomes him as he realizes that he now has a tool that could give him just a chance at escaping is priceless. Min-Sik’s use of expressions is incredible in this film as he convey so much to the character’s sense of confusion and dire need to survive, learn, and realize who imprisoned him and why. Kang Hye-Jeong does a excellent job as Mii-do, Oh Dae-Su’s love interest. She’s a strong young woman but still falls prey to naivety and is easily influenced by someone intimidating unless Oh Dae-Su is there to support her. However no protagonist is great without an equally great antagonist as their foil. 

I will not say too much about the villain (Lee Woo-Jin) due to how closely he is tied with the plot and the incredible twist ending but I’ll say what I can. Asian cinema has its fair share of cocky and arrogant villains but Lee Woo-Jin is one of the best portrayed and sadistic villains I’ve seen in a while. Yoo Ji-Tae portrays the rich businessman Lee Woo-Jin by giving him an almost pretentious aura and a disgusting smirk of accomplishment. He knows exactly what he is doing and in his mind all of actions are completely justified. While Oh Dae-Su is confused, anxious, and violent Lee Woo-Jin is cold, calculating, patiently and incredibly calm in his mentality and attitude. His silent bodyguard serves as a lethal form of protection but the real danger is Lee Woo-Jin’s calculating mind.

Oldboy is a tale of revenge with a mind bending plot and ending. Park Chan-Wook not only makes this film intense and pushes the boundaries with the scenes of violent and subject matter but he also stays true to the message and doesn’t pull any punches. It’s hard to find films like this in the United States since most are strong on shock value but weak on story and the message the film sends. Oldboy was adored by critics, even Roger Ebert, and I’m adding my name to that list. Oldboy is an incredibly well paced, well written, and well done film in general. While it does have its minor flaws, this film is a sweet piece of revenge.