The latest offering from the UGC Tartan Asian Film Festival is "Oldboy", having already seen a few of the films featured in this festival I thought I knew what to expect, but boy was I wrong, if you think the Japanese film makers are twisted you aint seen nothing yet. If this film is truly representative of Korean films I don't think I want to see another one!
Think Tarrantino meets Hitchcock in Korea, immediately you think you are on to a truly spectacular film and you are for the first half.
My advice is to walk out before the second half starts; don't ask why just do it and you would have seen an amazing film.
Oldboy features a very impressive tarrantino style fight scene and also some Tarrantino-style graphics on screen (think the square in Pulp Fiction). Mix in with this the suspense and mystery created by a good Hitchcock movie, and you have a first rate viewing experience.
Basically it's a story of an ordinary man who is kidnapped and framed for the murder of his wife. For 15 years he is imprisoned in a small room, in which he is allowed to watch TV and is fed. As you can imagine, having watched on TV him being accused for the murder of his wife and having no idea why or who has imprisoned him he goes a little crazy. However, he also keeps a journal and writes down every possible person that would have a reason to do this to him whilst training very hard for his revenge.
This is where the story gets really good; he tries to track down his kidnappers (who strangely let him go after fifteen years) and find out why they did this too him.
Warning: as soon as the reason why becomes clear, get up and leave, just leave and be satisfied that you have watched a really good film. DO NOT stay to see the end, as you will regret it...
Other film reviews by Josie on LeftLion
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