“…will surely make you squirm from either the violently-harsh torture scenes or the dramatically-intense story line.”

Some movies are simply not for the faint-of-heart, and today, I felt like dredging up the past and throwing back to a classic, South Korean film that will surely make you squirm from either the violently-harsh torture scenes or the dramatically-intense story line. Oldboy (directed by Park Chan-wook, 2003) is a mystery wrapped inside a veil of dark humor and revenge. Just when you think you know where this one is headed, the story takes a surprising turn that will leave you wondering until the climactic unveiling is reached. This is one of those foreign films that even people who despise reading English subtitles will get so absorbed in the story that they will completely forget the characters are speaking Korean.

This intriguing and creepy tale begins by introducing us to our troubled protagonist, Oh Dae-Su (played by Min-sik Choi). On the day of his daughter’s birthday, when he should have been at home, Dae-Su is being held at a police station, comically drunk and causing nothing but trouble. Unfortunately for Dae-Su, he doesn’t make it home to celebrate with his wife and child. Instead, he is captured and taken prisoner for 15 excruciatingly-dull years. While he isn’t tortured physically, the question of whom and why he is being held captive eats away at him and fuels a desperate curiosity that keeps him going. Instead of shutting down, Dae-Su becomes strong, and the former, shell-of-a-man is cracked wide-open upon his release. Despite his vow not to trust anyone if he ever escaped, Dae-Su makes a connection with a beautiful sushi chef named Mi-do (played by Hye-jeong Kang). Compelled to find answers yet uncertain of everyone, Dae-Su races against his captor’s deadline to discover the motive behind stealing 15 precious years of his life away from him.

With much of this movie dominated by one man, Min-sik Choi absolutely delivers a compelling performance as Dae-Su. On a journey from bum to badass, Dae-Su has to lose his mind before he can become strong enough to find and face his demons. There are even moments where his crazed laughter is maniacal enough to send shivers down any spine, both man and beast included. Ji-tae Yu also delivers a chilling performance as the man Dae-Su discovers is behind his twisted punishment. As the story unravels over the course of two, nail-biting hours, we are fed tiny morsels of information that nudges the story along. For as long as this film is, the jaw-dropping discoveries and strange situations will latch on and keep you guessing.

Oldboy is both artistic and thrilling, and I was impressed with how well Dae-Su’s voiceover commentary describes 15 years of solitary confinement and the emotional toll it takes. Despite the deeply disturbing events, the film maintains a whimsical and airy sense-of-humor that helps to lighten the overall mood. It isn’t often that a gloomy thriller can also be described as comical, but Oldboy delivers completely. This one gets a 9/10 and the honorary title of a classic in my book. After racking up film festival awards in the double digits, it’s hard to argue that this film is anything other than groundbreaking.