Why Oldboy is the Perfect Action Movie

Oldboy (2003)

This Sunday I will be attending a screening of my favorite director's newest film, The Handmaiden. Bearing that in mind, I decided to revisit one of his earlier works.

Oldboy is one of the three films in a trilogy which Park Chan-wook has referred to as the 'vengeance trilogy'; three unrelated tales of revenge which may be viewed in any order. It is the second in the series, bookended by Sympathy for Mr. Vengance and Lady Vengeance, but because it is the first Park Chan-wook film I watched and also the strongest example of his stylized directing, I feel the need to review this as a sort of introduction to his unique style of filmmaking.

The plot of Oldboy is simple; Oh Dae-Su is a man who was imprisoned for fifteen years without explanation, then suddenly set free. Now, he's angry and looking for the men who imprisoned him, hoping for answers and to avenge the wife and daughter he lost while he was locked away.

With a very western sounding soundtrack filled with trumpets, elaborate waltzes, catchy adrenaline pounding beats, and subtle hints of eastern influence, one can't help but think of soundtracks to Quentin Tarantino films, particularly that of the Kill Bill movies. Even without hearing the music within the context of the film, the soundtrack to Oldboy is absolutely beautiful, it's stunning and works excellently as a standalone instrumental album without the visual or plot accompaniment.

Music is not the only thing which works in Oldboy's favor. The film is also very stylized, it contains a unique and intriguing look which could only be recognized as the work of Park Chan-wook; the film is brightly colored, beautifully shot, edited in a way which lets it flow gracefully through beautifully choreographed fight scenes which are clearly depicted without the use of confusing shaky cam or fast cuts which make it difficult for the audience to determine what is happening on screen.

An example of the unique visual style and dark humor of Oldboy

Of course, one cannot discuss Oldboy without at least mentioning the absolutely incredible hammer sequence, a complex and beautiful fight scene which is choreographed as though it were a classic kung-fu sequence from the late seventies. The most incredible and stunning detail regarding the hammer fight scene is the fact that it is all filmed in one continuous and complex shot, with the camera slowly and steadily tracking the action as our character attempts to complete his journey from the left side of the screen toward his destination at the right, all while swinging his way through hordes of villains. The hammer scene has been referenced throughout pop culture and in more recent American action movies and television shows, but the most recent and emotional was a brief and vague tribute from the fantastic Netflix series Daredevil. If you find that you cannot stomach Oldboy in its entirety (which is completely understandable), I at least ask that you please watch the hammer scene on Youtube, if only to understand that fight scenes can truly be considered art rather than a confusing jumble of shaking cameras and jump cuts.

Bearing this in mind, I feel the need to advise that Oldboy is not for the weak of heart or stomach. As fantastic as it is, it is incredibly violent and deals in some very disturbing subject matter. Admittedly, the truly violent sequences are never once shown on screen, but your imagination has the tendency to fill in the blanks in a much more gruesome manner than special effects could ever pull off - this is something which Park Chan-wook seems to understand very well, and he'll use your imagination against you in such an effective manner that you'll find yourself feeling very squeamish.

In conclusion, Oldboy is one of the greatest films I have ever watched, in terms of acting, cinematography, music, choreography, and plot. Every time I watch it I pick up on more details, more clever jokes and deliberate decisions made by the actors to solidify who their characters are. It's a fantastic film, and one which deserves to be viewed and held up as a landmark in the action genre.

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