Old Boy - 原罪犯 [2004]

[silverbear 72]

 

Title: Old Boy

Released: 2004

Genre: Thriller

Director: PARK Chan-wook

Run Time: 2 hrs

 

Casts:

Choi Min-sik

Yu Ji-tae

Kang Hye-jeong

Ji Dae-han

 

Synopsis:

One day in 1988, an ordinary man named OH Dae-su, who lives with his wife and an adorable baby daughter, is kidnapped right in front of his house. He later wakes up to find himself in a private makeshift prison. While suffering from his debacle, Dae-su becomes shocked when he watches the news and hears that his beloved wife was brutally murdered. The police suspects Dae-su to be the murderer after finding his blood on the murder site. Shocked by the news, Dae-su examines his arm and finds a needle mark. Dae-su makes an attempt to commit suicide, but it ends up in failure. As time passes, he begins to write down all the things that he had done which might have brought trouble or pain to other people. He mutters to himself, “I hurt too many people … And I’m sure the man who imprisoned me and murdered my wife is one of them…†Since then, Dae-su adjusts to the cell’s darkness while training his mind and body. He swears to take revenge on the man who destroyed his happy life. By the time Dae-su’s whole body becomes covered with tattoos, revealing his long sentence, sleeping gas is sprayed into the room and Dae-su passes out.

 

Coming to his senses, Dae-su discovers that he’s been released with a wallet filled with cash and a mobile phone. While he eats in a Japanese restaurant, a strange man calls Dae-su and asks him to figure out why he was imprisoned. After the guy hangs up the phone, Dae-su falls down unconscious and later wakes up in someone’s home. It belongs to a young woman named Mido, a cook working in the Japanese restaurant he was eating at. Dae-su talks to Mi-do about his 15 years in confinement, and Mido cries for sympathy and promises to help him seek vengeance. With Mido’s help, Dae-su begins to visit various people who might have a grudge against him. But all his efforts come up short.

 

One day, a guy, who has an I.D. called Evergreen, contacts Mido while she’s chatting on the Internet. He asks her to say hello to Dae-su for him. Later, Dae-su finally finds the private prison he was confined in. There, he discovers a cassette with a recording that only says… “Imprison OH Dae-su for 15 years. He talks too much…†Short on clues, Dae-su starts tracking down the guy with the Evergreen I.D. The lead bears fruit as he finally runs face to face with his kidnapper. The culprit tells Dae-su that he’ll never find out why he was imprisoned if Dae-su kills him now, so instead, the kidnapper proposes a game. The man tells Dae-su that if he discovers the real reason why within five days, then he will kill himself. If not, he will kill Mido, the girl who helps Dae-su.

 

In order to evade tails and any wiretapping, Dae-su and Mido seek refuge in a cheap motel, and have a passionate night together. The following day, Dae-su visits a high school named, Evergreen High School, based on the clue, “Evergreenâ€.

 

In the school, Dae-su finds a photo of his kidnapper in the album. His name is LEE Woo-jin and he has a sister called LEE Soo-ah. Dae-su finally remembers the day when he witnessed Woo-jin and Soo-ah making love in a warehouse in the school, and later told his friend what he saw. After that day, word got around the whole school, and Soo-ah killed herself from torment. Dae-su rushes to Woo-jin’s house and tells Woo-jin to kill himself since he finally discovered the reason why he was imprisoned. But unexpectedly, Woo-jin hands a package to Dae-su. Trembling with fear, Dae-su unties the package and hidden secrets about Dae-su and Mido’s relationship are revealed…

 

+credits to movieXclusive+

[Guest LordJd]

Honestly, the best move ever, watched it twice, the ending blew me away. I heard Hollywood is trying to make an re-make, God help us all...

[Guest arne1985]

Oldboy was the first Korean movie i saw. Since then I adore Asian films.

You also should check out Chan-Wook Parks other (revenge)movies, like "Lady Vengeance" and of course "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" - highly recommended.

Although I was a bit disappointed from his new movie "I'm a cyborg..."

[Guest No.07]

Now I so love this Movie

 

Plot is a good

 

so cool Movie

[Guest kingtut9]

very twisty movie...after finishing, most people don't understand what happened. go figure! lol

[Guest bernz]

A really Dark and scary movie...

 

Whoever wrote this movie was bold, brash and really on the edge... 10/10 for the scenes and the graphic display of eating the live octopus really made my day...

 

Bernz

 

Please wait for my AVATAR and my SIG (Haven't decided which is good yet.)

[Guest llgeroll]

oh, it's very Difficult movie. but you have to see this.!~

[Guest ngk2m]

definitely unlike any movie i've watched before.

my roommate hasn't watched it yet and she's kinda scared to haha

[Guest mishymia]

i like this movie but i prefer lady vengance more...this one was slightly too weird for me

[Guest Paranoidandroid]

Fun action-thriller meshed with a well-thought story, Old Boy is probably the best Korean flick i've seen.

[Guest dltbxkf]

We don't need to say.

Just See it.

And feel it.

full of energy

[beloved 0]

one of the best korean movies, at least to me. the tongue cutting part towards the ending was a bit too far gone for me. i closed my eyes for that

[emar32 0]

i read the plot summary before watching the movie and i knew that it was going to be 'dark.' after watching the movie, i was impressed with the twist and turn of the storyline.

[Guest castor1564]

This movie really shows how crazy and sick Koreans are! It is really scary what their minds come up with. They are heavily influenced by the Japanese. It is sad that the Chinese are the only normal Asians out there. I am not trying to disrespect Koreans in anyway when I say this. I love Koreans

[Guest foolsnaked]

I saw all "vengeance" trilogy and Oldboy is the best and it's the best movie from Chan-wook Park I think. Terrific movie.

[Guest pkboy]

what a mind-frick. I loved this movie though. It was simply amaaazing!!

[Guest back2basix]

I love this movie so much!! I see it once every year

[Guest doraemon87]

I love this movie. ^^ especially the scene where he pull out the teeth ... hahaha

[Guest ilovebieredor]

This is my idea of a perfect movie. Loved the twists and turns. The ending was a bit freaky though..

[Guest wallaceinus]

This is a must-see movie in your life. Everyone should see it even if you don't like Korean movie.

 

It has 3 series. There are all about revenge. So crazy but so cool image, acting and directing and story.

 

[Guest vlong212]

Yeah, this was a great movie. I think the best one out of the "series" of 3. Aren't they making a hollywood version of this movie. Sounds kind of lame.

[Guest leok]

The live octopus eating was one thing, but finding out at the end that he had sex with his own daughter... dang. Great movie though, have yet to watch Lady Vengeance.