Old Boy

[Tiger]

was round at a mates weekend before last having a smoke and a drink, when he says late on 'oh brillant old boy is on film four'. i had no idea what this film was about and when i asked my mate 'he said i've no idea, Dom (another friend) says its a great film'

So we sit down to watch said film set in Seoul, with subtitles, and one of the vicious, but brillantly shot/acted vendetta movies unfolds before our eyes.

probably due to my state, its defo one of those films i'll need to watch again as there were a few points in the film were things moved so quickly that i had little time to ponder them, as i was concentrating on the story as it unfolded.

basically its the tale of a guy who after a night out, awakes in a single room, where he's kept for 15 years with no explanation, and no contact with the outside world apart from a tv set. on his release he sets out to find who imprisoned him & act out revenge.

there's a fight scene in the film which is brutal, very intense, but completely believeable, and one of the best cinematic fight scenes i've ever scene. But i should warn you that people who are easily offended shouldn't watch this film.

however on the flip side i'd say anyone who likes challenging films, great acting, and cinematography should track this film down


spoiler below
please don't read this bit if you haven't seen the film, as while the ending left me gobsmacked, feeling a little disorentated with all that went on, and to be honest a little sickened, its much better watching it with no idea of what to expect. however the end scene where the main character has everything explained to him, and opens the purple box is great cinema, despite its subject matter. up until this point i had wanted the lead despite his faults to exact his revenge, but the twist came completely out of the blue to me and i now feel was the directors way of explaining the futility of revenge and how it doesn't solve the reasons why you wanted revenge in the first place.

when i watch it again it'll be good if the film a little like say donnie darko or fight club makes more sense second time around