Oldboy

Well, this was an absolutely insane mindblow that scores points in every way. The central conceit is famously brilliant, Josh Brolin was perhaps the best possible fit, I ate up his entire role, and the dark, gloomy execution that gradually reveals the pieces of the puzzle, and the way shreds the viewer to pieces in the last three minutes makes it even more successful. In short, I don't know what to praise first. The amazing Elizabeth Olsen in a supporting role is also a delight, and besides all the above, there are some unexpectedly intense fight scenes (which reminded me of the church scene from Kingsman) - so a real kick-ass flick. I'm blown away and Oldboy is for me the new cult-classic of the mystery mindfuck genre, definitely a must see for everyone as it mixes genres perfectly and doesn't let the viewer's attention go for a minute. (07/01/2022)

Oldboy is a brutal thriller with a great noir atmosphere and a secret that makes a point that will bring you to your knees, hidden until the last minute. Josh Brolin was a great choice, as he portrays the personal and physical qualities of the character much better than the Asian actor in the original version, which was interesting in terms of art and its exotic audiovisual aspects, but it didn’t work narratively. It left me cold. Spike Lee developed the story, focused primarily on it and the characters, without underestimating the importance of the key battle with the hammer, which is top-notch in this version as well. I won’t give Oldboy a fifth star due to the the overused “mandatory” casting of Samuel L. Jackson in the role of another iconic, eccentrically dressed character, and due to the overdone digital effects in the climax, which take out some (important) brutality out of the film. (09/12/2013)

Great remake! I wasn't too impressed with the original, probably because I was just starting out in Asia, so I really enjoyed the new Oldboy. The film grabs you from start to finish and doesn't let go! Even though there are only three action scenes, they are fucking brilliant and bloody. The pace of the film is very fast and dynamic, there is always something going on, being solved. Josh Brolin was perfect for the role, he's a proper tough guy! Just a great thrilling ride that will keep you entertained. 75%. (21/02/2014)

If it wasn't an American remake, I'd give it an even higher rating. However, Spike Lee took a great Korean film, or rather its comic book source, and made a similarly good film out of it. The absolutely great casting led to the film being more accessible to Western audiences in this regard. The plot is well constructed, but the Koreans already nailed that aspect. In some cases, it was almost too obvious that Spike Lee didn't just draw inspiration from the Korean film but outright lifted some great scenes from it. Sharlto Copley once again excels in a fantastic villainous role. It’s great, but it’s just a repeat of the original. (07/05/2014)

I’m right on the fence between three and four stars. I should mention from the start that I’m not familiar with the original Korean version (I definitely plan to check it out in the future), so there won’t be much comparison here. The story managed to captivate me. Josh Brolin did an excellent job; I was completely engrossed in his antagonist's actions, and the casting was spot-on. I also enjoyed the overall audiovisual presentation, the fantastic cinematography, and the rest of the cast (Samuel L. Jackson felt like a bit of a miscast here, as he didn’t have much to do, while Sharlto Copley was a perfect fit in my opinion). Everyone’s raving about the final twist. I admit, I didn’t expect it, and it was well done, but I was disappointed with everything that followed. It felt like the twist and the subsequent events didn’t quite match up, and I was expecting a bolder catharsis. So, I’ll probably lean towards three stars. But definitely give the film a watch. For me, it’s 7/10. (14/01/2022)