Discussing this movie without giving away any spoilers is tricky because there’s a specific point in this film that, if I had my way, I would dedicate this entire review to. That moment is so impactful and mind-blowing that it left me speechless.
But if I did that, your anticipation might build up too much, and when that point arrives, it might not have the same effect. However, I do want to say one thing: when I watched this movie, I was not here to make anything up; it literally blew my mind.
And if you think that only time travel can mess with your mind, then here’s a little challenge: watch this movie and then tell me if it messed with your mind or not, without any time travel involved.
There’s a saying in English, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” Now, what’s the relevance of this to this review?
Nothing.
It just resembles the movie’s plot, and I wanted to sound a little cool, so I said it. But now, let’s talk about the film seriously.
Freshly Brewed: What’s the Story?
Let’s talk about Oldboy, which was released in 2003. The basic premise of this movie is that a man is captured, kidnapped, and held captive in a room for fifteen years. He’s provided with food and water, a bed, a washroom, and a TV for entertainment, but despite all that, he’s kept locked in that room for fifteen years. The door never opens for him, and he doesn’t even know why he’s being held captive.
For fifteen years, he has thought about all his enemies, wondering who he wronged to deserve this. And then, one day, he’s suddenly released after fifteen years.
Now, he has to find out who held him captive for so long and take his revenge.
During those fifteen years, he also trained in boxing and became an expert fighter because he had nothing else to do but eat, drink, and train.
When I first heard about this movie, I saw the Hallway fight scene, and after watching it, I got the impression that the movie would be full of cool action sequences, a real action-packed film.
Sip or Skip? The Honest Verdict
Now, the movie does have action, although not a lot, but it’s of excellent quality. The central plot is purely about revenge.
This movie is a suspense thriller, but when the main twist is revealed, my reaction was, “Oh f!ck!” But at the same time, the feeling I got was just… ugh, like when someone reacts to seeing someone else’s or even their own poop. And I’m being serious, that thought stayed in my head all day.
Plus, this is rated 18+, so I wouldn’t recommend watching it with your family.
Bitter Sips: The Disturbing Parts
The scene depicted in this film might be a bit over the top for some people. Some of you with weak hearts, who aren’t used to seeing very violent things, might go mad. But that twist isn’t the highlight or the strongest point of the movie.
I liked the character of the villain in this movie, and the main point of the film, the revenge aspect, is so twisted that it’s not a straightforward story. Let me put it this way: you won’t expect the villain’s backstory in this movie. It proves that people can do anything for revenge, absolutely anything, and I mean anything.
The Secret Ingredients: Action & Screenplay
Regarding the action, as I mentioned, this isn’t a full-on action film, but the hallway fight scene is absolutely fantastic. It is truly outstanding, and I should mention that it was filmed as a single-take shot.
One last thing I’d like to add is that the movie’s screenplay is very sharp. You’ll have to pay close attention to every shot, every scene, to understand what’s happening and how the protagonist figures out who the person who captured him is.
Where to Sip? (Streaming Availability)
You’ll also have to pay close attention to the dialogue. Since it is a Korean movie, you can watch it in Korean with English subtitles, or you might prefer the English dub. I can’t speak to the quality of the dubbing, as I watched it in Korean with subtitles.
It’s also available in Hindi, and the Hindi dubbing is very good.
Hollywood also made a remake in 2013 with the same title, Oldboy.
It used to be available on Netflix before, but perhaps not in India anymore. I watched it from a pirated source, but you won’t have to. This movie is available on Prime Video and JioHotstar. Please don’t use pirated sources as I did–there are too many risks involved, like device lagging, adult ads, and malware. So, just don’t.
Conclusion
If you’ve already seen the movie, please try to describe it below without giving any spoilers, and let me know your thoughts. I haven’t spoiled the twist, so I expect you won’t either. What did you think of it? Did it blow your mind?
