The final confrontation will have you at the edge of your seat and covering your mouth as you gasp in horror.
Another great scene involves a fight scene done in one take that lasts about five minutes. With the camera facing the side, Dae-su confronts a gang of thugs inside a long corridor. This is an ugly, vicious battle with none of that fancy shmancy Jackie Chan choreography. This is dirty street fighting as men attack each other, sometimes falling, sometimes missing.
Park also punctuates the film with moments of dark humor. Such as when Dae-su holds a hammer over an intended victim. Both men hold their positions as a dotted line appears, tracing the trajectory of the hammer to the head. The villain's right-hand man, Mr. Han (Kim Byeong-ok), is both amusing and menacing at the same time. Han is a short Judo master with cropped, bleached blond hair. He throws Dae-su about with superhuman strength and, in appearance, reminded me of Takeshi Kitano in "Zatoichi."
Yu Ji-tae plays Dae-su's tormentor and his handsome, babyface features make him even creepier. Yu pulls off a chilling performance that reaches its peak during the climax.
I wish I could talk to you about the film's ending, but I'd hate to spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet. Suffice to say, the final confrontation will have you at the edge of your seat and covering your mouth as you gasp in horror.
VIDEO:
The video is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The picture is sharp and the colors stand out. No blemishes to speak of.
AUDIO:
The audio is presented in three tracks. There is Dolby Digital 5.1 and a DTS track, both of which are in the original Korean language. There is also Dolby 2.0 stereo track in dubbed English. I only watched the film in English for about a minute, before the terrible dubbing annoyed me enough to switch it off. Watch it in Korean, friends.
EXTRAS:
There is an audio commentary track by Park and cinematographer, Jeong Jeong-hun. It is in Korean with optional English subtitles.
An interview with Park runs about seven minutes and features the director answering questions in front of an audience.
Also included, are several deleted scenes, a photo gallery, and two trailers.
FILM VALUE:
"Oldboy" is not for the faint at heart. This is a bloody thriller packed with tragedy of Greek proportions. There is a somewhat absurd plot twist revealed at the end, but the gruesome mood of the film and the strong performances make you buy into it. Park has an amazing eye and his visual flair is another joy of watching this film. From the minute we are dropped into the film to the dizzying conclusion, "Oldboy" will grab you and never let go.
Park also punctuates the film with moments of dark humor. Such as when Dae-su holds a hammer over an intended victim. Both men hold their positions as a dotted line appears, tracing the trajectory of the hammer to the head. The villain's right-hand man, Mr. Han (Kim Byeong-ok), is both amusing and menacing at the same time. Han is a short Judo master with cropped, bleached blond hair. He throws Dae-su about with superhuman strength and, in appearance, reminded me of Takeshi Kitano in "Zatoichi."
Yu Ji-tae plays Dae-su's tormentor and his handsome, babyface features make him even creepier. Yu pulls off a chilling performance that reaches its peak during the climax.
I wish I could talk to you about the film's ending, but I'd hate to spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet. Suffice to say, the final confrontation will have you at the edge of your seat and covering your mouth as you gasp in horror.
VIDEO:
The video is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The picture is sharp and the colors stand out. No blemishes to speak of.
AUDIO:
The audio is presented in three tracks. There is Dolby Digital 5.1 and a DTS track, both of which are in the original Korean language. There is also Dolby 2.0 stereo track in dubbed English. I only watched the film in English for about a minute, before the terrible dubbing annoyed me enough to switch it off. Watch it in Korean, friends.
EXTRAS:
There is an audio commentary track by Park and cinematographer, Jeong Jeong-hun. It is in Korean with optional English subtitles.
An interview with Park runs about seven minutes and features the director answering questions in front of an audience.
Also included, are several deleted scenes, a photo gallery, and two trailers.
FILM VALUE:
"Oldboy" is not for the faint at heart. This is a bloody thriller packed with tragedy of Greek proportions. There is a somewhat absurd plot twist revealed at the end, but the gruesome mood of the film and the strong performances make you buy into it. Park has an amazing eye and his visual flair is another joy of watching this film. From the minute we are dropped into the film to the dizzying conclusion, "Oldboy" will grab you and never let go.
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Average user rating (1-5):
[release]16384[/release]