Oldboy (2003) - A true piece of Asian culture - 9/10 (20/08/10)

This movie got everything that a good movie needs and deserves absolutely its place within the one hundred best movies of all times on this site!

It has its own and unique character because of a typical Asian strange atmosphere, an excellent acting, some very good ideas and interesting twists throughout the movie. You have a twisted revenge story mixed with a fatal love story in a very philosophical and moral context that makes the viewers judge and think a lot. Topics and antithesis like future and past, love and hate, revenge and forgiveness are all covered by the story and lie much closer than one may expect. The topics and the story with all its twists are complex, but very easy to understand for everyone and it is easy to approach to this movie although it is a very unique and special one. Even after several views, the movie remains profound and surprises you and is still entertaining - no matter for watching it alone at home or during a little alternative DVD night with friends with whom you may surely discuss about this piece of art!

The film is a rare masterpiece, heavy and disturbing, but not because of a few very well done gore and action scenes, but because of the profound and twisted stories of the main characters who are all lost sinners in a very fatal way. The movie has the class to be more than an inside tip but a mainstream movie, but in the same time, the movie is far away from the ordinary revenge stories and doesn't deny his Asian flows and roots. It is a very intellectual, philosophical and personal movie, but some excellent, absurd and even artistic action, crime movie and horror elements keep the tension high so that this movie doesn't have any lengths. It is more than an entertaining movie and when you've seen it once, you will surely fall in love with it and this film request multiple viewings!

It is fascinating how profound and artistic the Asian cinema is in comparison to a too serious European cinema and a too superficial North American cinema an this movie is an excellent example for this fact and may convince you to get more connected to the Asian cinema. Let's hope that there will be no American remake because of this movie's international inside success, because they won't be able to create the same kind of uniqueness and atmosphere. This movie is a true piece of Eastern culture!