Movie review : Old Boy

“Old Boy” – Korean, with English subtitles. R (21)

Story Sypnosis:
On Dae-Su was kidnapped on the day of his daughter’s birthday. For 15 years, he was imprisoned in a room where television was his only form of entertainment. One day he is released and, bearing hatred and curiosity, starts on a search for his mysterious enemy. He is aided by a beautiful young woman, Mido, who turns out to be someone closely connected to him.

Review:
A rare offering from the Korean movie industry. Definitely a cut above the rest of the shows that made it to local screens. The story can be quite slow, as in all Korean dramas, but the suspense keeps the attention and unfolds at a steady rate. An action thriller with scenes of humour injected, especially when the male lead shows off the knowledge that he had gained from watching television programmes. Certain scenes could prove to be too bloody for the weak at heart. A very smart and intricately thought out plot which slowly reveals its secrets. Only glitch was in a scene, set in the 1970s, where one of the characters was reading a autobiography on Sylvia Plath which had Gywneth Paltrow on the cover. However, given the fact that it is a Korean film where most of the targeted audience would not have much insight into English literature, it is a forgivable mistake. Overall, this is a must watch for the season.