Matisse van Rossum’s review published on Letterboxd:
With the release of Spike Lee's remake of Oldboy, I decided to watch Chan-wook Park's original today. I've heard all the hype this film has gotten over the years and after viewing it, I can say that the hype is well deserved. Oldboy tells the story of Oh Dae-Su, a businessman who is imprisoned for 15 years without knowing why or who his captors are. At the end of the 15 years, he is released for an unknown reason and embarks on a journey of blood-soaked revenge. It's a story of conspiracy, love, and violence.
Though revenge stories are not particularly original in and of themselves, this is a creative approach to a sub-genre plagued by cliches. The plot is strong and the various twists and turns are well supported and developed. Though it seems to get convoluted at times, it ties off all its loose ends and it's easy to get wrapped up in the story. Park weaves a web of intrigue and mystery as Dae-Sue tries to discover who imprisoned him and why. It's a very stylized film, taking place in a gritty, neon underworld hidden amidst 21st century Seoul. The tight, neat cinematography contributes to the almost surrealistic atmosphere of the film. By far the most impressive sequence for me was the choreographed fight scene in the hallway done in one long, smooth shot. It reminded me of the lengthy dolly shot in Jean-Luc Godard's weekend, and while not as long, I found it equally impressive.
My one biggest issue with Oldboy was the lack of development of the villain, Woo-Jin. By the end, his motive has been explored and developed thoroughly, but as a character, he's pretty one-dimensional. Other than this, the film is tight-knit and clean cut. I'm very interested to see how Spike Lee has remade Oldboy. As it stands, this is a film that I don't believe needs a remake and can stand strongly on its own, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see.