One of the most shocking & disturbing tales of revenge you are ever going to come across, Oldboy is a genre-defining classic that didn't just set a new benchmark for revenge-thrillers to follow, which as of today still remains unsurpassed, but still remains the finest film to come out from the South Korean film industry, and it is in every way director Park Chan-wook's best work to date.

Oldboy tells the story of Oh Dae-su, who is abducted on the night of his young daughter’s birthday & is held captive in an apartment prison for 15 years, without any clue of why he is there & who has imprisoned him, and is later freed in the same inexplicable manner. Rest of the film…

(Part 2 of "Arielrocks5’s List of films to do for Todd Gaines’ Challenge! (George Lucas Special Edition Gen X Director’s Cut)".

Challenge: A movie listed on my favorite movies list .)

.......fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

I don't know exactly how I can do justice to how much of a horrifying piece this film really is, but I can certainly try.

"Oldboy" is the film equivalent of your worst nightmare. No, not showing up to school in your underwear. Losing your loved one. Losing your own life. Or anything else you would think of as your worst nightmare.

I'm talking about the nightmare you've had, where you're simply trapped. You're left alone, within a small, isolated space. Trapped for what feels like years on…

Oldboy, the second movie of Chan-wook Park's Vegeance Trilogy, is a visceral, devastating and breathtaking ride that follows the story of Oh Dae-su, a man who's locked away for 15 years for no apparent reason, beginning a long process of dehumanization, and who is finally released so he can find the truth about his imprisonment and get revenge on the man who ordered the bizarre arrest. Emotionally sweeping, psychologically taut and graphically violent, Park's cartoonish revenge thriller is a true masterwork that stays with you long after the final credits.

When it comes to thrillers, there are no better contemporary filmmakers than the South Korean, and if I may choose the best and most impactful of them all, my answer…

Holy sh*t what an experience.

This was an excellent revenge film with some noir elements to boot. With plenty of style, a twisting complex plot, and great acting - this one keeps you glued to the screen from beginning to end. It was beautiful on all counts and really makes me want to see this on blu-ray. With the Canadian edition of Park's "revenge" trilogy on sale at the moment, I see no reason not to check out his other films.

A few scenes came off a tad too gratuitous and unnecessary which really prevents it from being five stars for me. Other than that it does a great job of having purpose and reason behind all this violence and…

Oldboy is a mind-blowing experience and a magnificent achievement from director Park Chan-wook. I had previously seen his horror film Thirst, which ranks among my favorites of the genre, and Oldboy contains his usual trademarks, such as the surreal fantasy sequences and stylized violence. The big twist by the end is one of the most devastating I've seen, going places you would never expect. Park just shows extreme attention to detail and even a few scenes that might seem out of context at times are all linked together by its remarkable final act. One other aspect I appreciated is the presence of great thought provoking quotes and proverbs as well as interesting analogies made throughout the film.

All the performances…

A flawless film that really didn't need the remake - which I've not seen in full, so don't really have a valid opinion on.

With his newest feature, The Handmaiden, Park Chan-wook certainly proved himself to be one of the most interesting directors working today. But, the Vengeance Trilogy, which Oldboy is apart of, is an example that Chan-wook has been making great films for well over a decade now. As the most sensational film of the trilogy, Oldboy is edited and directly masterfully with great, though over-the-top at points, performances all round.

What stands out most about Oldboy, however, is the story which, looking past the plot twists on numerous re-watches, is very intricate and darkly profound. In short,…