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Oldboy

Oldboy

2013
Drama, Action
1h 44m
An advertising executive is kidnapped and held hostage for 20 years in solitary confinement. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive mission to discover who orchestrated his punishment, only to find he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy and torment. (imdb)
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Oldboy

2013
Drama, Action
1h 44m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 28.08% from 897 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(897)
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Rated 21 Dec 2013
33
11th
Nobody in the world asked for this.
Rated 26 May 2014
50
22nd
Imagining there was no 'original', this isnt half as bad as has been said. Knowing there is an 'original', this is unnessecary beyond belief.
Rated 14 Feb 2015
40
29th
Impossible to watch & not compare every second to the masterful original. It earns some credit for being a half respectable piece if work on its own merit, but this is proof that what works in a batshit insane Korean masterpiece doesn't come off in a film with Hollywood sensibilities. What Lee changes he does so in error & what he keeps the same he neither manages to reimagine or improve. A tepid, unnecessary remake then, that admittedly is far from bad, but never shackles off its forerunner.
Rated 14 Mar 2014
40
27th
Elizabeth Olsen
Rated 06 Dec 2013
63
16th
Nice camerawork but it doesn't resolve the basic character problems of the original.
Rated 28 Mar 2017
45
9th
Can't say I expected this to be anything other than terrible but it actually does a lot alright up until the ending. Sure Lee lacks the stylistic flair & operatic coherence of PCW but impressively (for Hollywood) manages to hold on to its depraved core before losing its nerve just at the finishing line. The ending just comes off as shockingly amateurish, forced & nonsensical. Doesn't really add anything interesting to excuse itself & loses points for making me think it actually could've worked.
Rated 12 Jan 2019
25
7th
Poor writing, poor direction and some almost self-parodying performances are fatal flaws when the narrative is this absurd. Some of the cuts seem to suggest studio-enforced butchery, but whether fidelity to the director's original intention would have resulted in anything like a good film is doubtful.
Rated 13 Feb 2014
25
19th
Changing, from the far more worthy original plan as a new adaption of the Japanese manga, into a remake of the '03 South Korean film didn't do this project any good, and having the producers re-editing and cutting this down probably made it an even more shallow film. I don't have the original that fresh in memory, but this one comes off as a badly told story that's a lot less captivating. *Preview*: #14#, hype, story, Elizabeth.O!/10-5.
Rated 13 Jul 2014
55
19th
Fairly pointless remake. It adds almost nothing and takes away too much from the original. All points are for competent work.
Rated 22 Sep 2014
14
4th
Right from the get go, Oldboy disappoints in captivating the viewer by making its main character a complete asshole. Before his kidnapping, Lee show's us that Joe is a degenerate drunkard and a deviant. When he gets imprisoned you think, well I guess he deserves it. Whereas the original left that part a complete mystery and kept the viewer constantly guessing. And how did the shitty villain guy know that Joe and his daughter would meet. It was explained in the original. What happened here!?
Rated 11 Feb 2014
2
13th
One of the prime examples of wasted efforts, or rather phoning it in; Spike Lee's take on Oldboy is so by the numbers that even the famous hammer fight scene feels artificial, as if they added one simply because the original had one so why not just squeeze one out like a wet fart. I have no idea what Sharlto Copley was going for in this, but it wasnt either creepy or convincing. the olsen's twins younger sis is hot though, so there's that, I guess
Rated 21 Feb 2014
60
40th
it's not really a bad movie, it's just that the original had so much more impact. the legendary hammer scene was adapted laughably, and sharlto copley is such a lame villain, not to forget samuel l. jackson with that weird cream topping...i like josh brolin, but he couldn't save anything either. and so elizabeth olsen's nice natural boobs were the most memorable thing i took away from this. boy, those were some juicy jugs. i need to get laid.
Rated 07 Dec 2013
70
65th
Can you tell me he isn't pushing his gut out as much as possible for the first half-hour? No. Just like you can't tell me that this movie tried to one-up the antagonist's original motivation, then fumbles all over itself with the protagonist's conclusive decisions. What does it say about American cinema that we need a different ending? More importantly, what does it say about me that I prefer the original?
Rated 14 Feb 2014
68
68th
Brolin and Lee seemed to have fun shooting this, as the 2013 version of Park's beloved (and overrated) film -- ostensibly considered a cult object and the most important contemporary film of South Korea over the last decade -- looks pretty stylish -- I found the hotel segments amazing, as well as the action scenes (tracking shots included) -- and way funnier than the original. It's not be taken seriously -- thanks Copley --, but it manages to create its own weird, both tragic and comic tone.
Rated 28 Nov 2013
50
47th
What's the point? The remake doesn't bring anything new to the table. What it does is be a slightly dumbed-down, less poignant version of a film we've already seen. It's more accessible, I suppose, but this material is already pretty perverse; if you're going to see it, you should go all the way and watch the original.
Rated 09 Jul 2014
70
50th
This might be an unpopular opinion but I didn't find this movie any worse than the original. I mean, the mere fact that it exists is annoying, but it's not an abomination or anything. I wouldn't say that any of the changes that they made are an improvement over the original, but they're alright.
Rated 10 Dec 2013
76
76th
I had issues with the pacing and the overly mobile camera, that aside it's still a great story and I was impressed that Spike Lee kept some of the racier subjects in it rather than watering it down for the Western audience.
Rated 02 Jul 2014
3
38th
This is nowhere near as bad as its reputation would have you believe; Lee is an interesting enough director to add his own personal touch to what could've been an otherwise perfunctory remake. However, it does suffer from a rather slapdash feel that makes it feel less organic than the already-schizophrenic original. On the flip side, it doesn't drag its feet like Park's film does and its conclusion is more satisfying in some ways as a result.
Rated 05 Jan 2014
37
8th
Palladium: Orjinalinin stilize şiddetini, şiirsel yapısını umarsızca, biraz da küstahça klişelerle dolu bir Amerikan filmine çeviriyor. Genel olay örgüsü ilgi çekici olduğu için yine de izlenebilir ama, dahası kesinlikle yok.
Rated 12 Feb 2014
66
55th
I haven't seen the original, so I can't speak of the necessity/fidelity of this remake. What I can say, though, is that this is some berserk shit. HIGHLY watchable, but it makes not a whiff of sense and you kinda want to take a shower when it's over. It's admirably stylish, gonzo pulp, though, so your mileage with it may vary. Definitely memorable, to say the very least.
Rated 30 Oct 2015
30
14th
The story logic wasn't as sharp as the original's. Totally implausible that father and daughter would meet under the circumstances herein if it truly were part of some master plan. Explanation isn't given in this version, and it kind of throws the whole thing off balance. Very nice camerawork, some appealing action, and a good performance by Brolin are really what this version has going for it.
Rated 05 Jan 2017
82
81st
I never saw an American remake of "Oldboy" coming, never even thought to ask for it. The moment I saw the preview, though, I was floored. there's a whole lot of people saying that this is just a rehash of the original, I'll not disagree, but it's a rehash with Josh Brolin and Sam Oackson, one where I don't have to read subtitles, so my entire attention can be devoted to watching the fists fly. That is not something that I can complain about.
Rated 14 Dec 2017
78
92nd
More reviews here : http://movie-freak.be
Rated 21 Feb 2014
31
7th
what have you done Lee?
Rated 18 Oct 2014
80
79th
Full disclosure, haven't seen the original yet. I enjoyed this one though that may be partly why
Rated 20 Oct 2014
55
13th
I really like Josh Brolin and this movie is fine but the original does everything better.
Rated 06 Mar 2014
60
15th
You'd probably be better off watching the Korean version twice...
Rated 25 Jun 2014
60
14th
It's impossible for me not to compare it to the original, and given that, this film sucks out any bit of quirk and charisma which made the original fantastic.
Rated 30 Nov 2013
10
5th
I'll still always pine for the Steven Spielberg/Will Smith remake that never was. Though Spike Lee's is as close as you could get. As pointless as the original without the bizarre Korean atmosphere.
Rated 17 Aug 2014
50
14th
No one asked for this, but it was difficult not to watch it knowing its existence. Sure enough, there isn't any improvement for the original (ok ok Elizabeth Olsen name) and it seems very superficial. It isn't as bad as everyone says, but it isn't great.
Rated 19 Apr 2014
71
49th
I haven't watched the original. I wanted to wait and see it first but it never happened. Good film but having heard so much about the original it left me a little wanting.
Rated 09 Jul 2014
43
4th
Spike Lee's remake isn't necessarily bad, but it has the disadvantage of being compared to its original source. Sometimes - lots of times, actually - remakes work out, but Lee's vision is lifeless compared to Park's. The film feels rushed, copies its source material in some places and blows past it in others, and finds itself in a different ending that's really misguided irony. It's an ending that should satisfy no one, and so should satisfy everyone. That's where it fails as a film.
Rated 09 Aug 2014
30
11th
Samuel L. Jackson with his yellow Mohawk is the only thing worth watching in this remake.
Rated 11 Dec 2013
85
29th
Olsen and Brolin have good chemistry, which is important if the ending is going to work at all. As a whole, however, Spike Lee's "Oldboy," for all the chances it tries to take, and all the value it has as a genre flick, lacks the juice, and feverish imagination, it's predecessor had in spades to make it an uncompromising work of cinematic art.
Rated 22 Apr 2014
85
32nd
I like it a lot. Good remake of the original. Acting was good, filming was good, it all came together nicely.
Rated 05 Mar 2014
46
18th
Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The end might've actually been tied together better than the original, but the original had WAY more style and WAY better characters and mood. Overall, nowhere near as good as the original and don't see why this was even made.
Rated 23 Apr 2014
29
19th
Better than the original. But only because it's less boring and better directed this time around. The characters and story are still ridiculously contrived. Spike Lee would have been better off working from a fresh script I think, as this is certainly one of the poorer films he's made. Extra points for Elizabeth Olsen.
Rated 30 Nov 2013
70
54th
OK, I'm no Spike Lee fan, but the negative reaction to this smells. So it's a remake of a popular Korean film (with f*****g subtitles) so what? Apparently it's being treated as sacrilege. On it's own it's a reasonably good film. Halfway through, there is a sequence of martial arts action which I initially thought was totally stupid--because it is. Then it hit me, it's a send-up parody, and if it isn't, it serves that purpose anyway. How many Kung Fu films have we seen where the hero is ass
Rated 31 Dec 2013
77
46th
I wish they had left the ending the same, it just doesn't pack the same emotional punch. But Josh Brolin does bring a certain griminess to the role and the whole thing feels icky, so it's still effective.
Rated 14 Nov 2014
76
64th
Not nearly as good as the original Korean film but for an American adaptation, it is actally compentant and corrects the illogical plot mistakes in the Korean version.
Rated 31 May 2015
5
3rd
"Heaven make me free of it."
Rated 09 Dec 2013
75
37th
It's not as good as the original, that pretty much goes without saying. But, taken on its own terms - difficult to do, admittedly - it works well. The source material is, of course, strong, the cast here do a solid job, and Spike Lee's direction suits the subject well. Was it a necessary movie to make? Maybe not, in the grand scheme of things, but I don't think that makes it a bad film.
Rated 09 May 2015
85
93rd
An absolutely mental story, but the mystery had me intrigued to the very end. It was an interesting watch and a really enjoyed it (except for the attempted big Asien style fight scene - fail!)
Rated 05 Mar 2014
77
47th
Oh, boy. This one is a pretty crazy one. I loved the plot. Just absolutely loved it. I haven't seen the original version of this yet, but I plan to for sure. The acting and direction on the other hand, were pretty weak. Spike Lee did some pretty weird things with the camera and they just didn't work...
Rated 11 Feb 2014
58
44th
Neither as good as it could have been nor as bad as it should have been. In trying to resolve some of the problems with the original it ends up creating it's own problems which would require a remake to fix. Not very Spike Lee nor as strange and unexpected as the original, an honourable failure.
Rated 23 Sep 2015
1
3rd
No.
Rated 19 Sep 2014
68
24th
Like most remakes this one is not as good as the original. Josh Brolin does give an excellent performance in this film. There are some scenes that are really well done and others that fall flat. I would say watch the original instead of this version.
Rated 07 Feb 2015
68
38th
Creative idea, kinda. Script was blase, acting spotty. But the direction was nicely handled, and it was compelling enough to keep me interested throughout.
Rated 06 Jul 2014
83
12th
1259: i hate criticker! how she can guess my probable score so close!
Rated 15 Oct 2017
0
1st
Terrible remake...shame...
Rated 12 Feb 2014
75
65th
You can't teach an OldBoy new tricks. Josh Brolin at the end: http://youtu.be/H_v15nCtDnM?t=2m34s
Rated 04 Dec 2013
50
23rd
I do not hold the original as some brilliant cinematic masterpiece. I like it well enough. I enjoyed this one enough and probably would have liked it more had I not seen the original first and thus knew everything that was going to happen. Still though, it's enough of a mimic that it was basically unnecessary. Useless? Yes. Blasphemy that deserves vitriol? No.
Rated 15 Dec 2013
50
22nd
Despite my best efforts, nearly everything I'm thinking about this is in comparison to the original film. And I don't mean that I'm constantly pinpointing any difference as worse, just that I keep zeroing in on the differences when I think about it. It leads me to think that it just doesn't have enough of strength to really be good, but I also can't really make that call having not seen this without knowledge of the original. I know I didn't hate it though, so there's that, I guess.
Rated 03 Jan 2014
0
2nd
the last 15 minutes of the movie are the most sick, deviant, pervert, psychopathic I have ever watched in my life and when I say that I don't mean that it was bloody or too violent or something like that, it is just sick as hell. Till the last 15 minutes the movie is interesting and good. I read you shouldn't watch this one with a fool stomach, they're right I was felling like I would throw up after the last 15 minutes. ThesickestmovieIeverwatchedIhopeIwilleverwatch andIcanimagine
Rated 12 Feb 2014
43
34th
Some okay scenes but not exactly a necessary remake. See the original version instead.
Rated 05 Mar 2014
70
54th
Obviously the Korean version was way better. This American version shamefully changed a lot of the story. One of the things I really missed was that 'oldboy' wasnt scared of other humans when he came out of the box. Also, there was no hypnotising woman which was a shame. And this movie wasnt about a brother-sister relationship, but about a weird father-daughter relationship.. Ending was cool though. The badguy should have been more dramatic. The main actor was cool :).
Rated 12 Nov 2014
30
9th
Poor remake.
Rated 06 Mar 2014
55
13th
a very poorly executed remake
Rated 31 Dec 2014
62
22nd
Not by any means good and trounces on one of my favorite movies, but if all you're looking for is to be entertained, you could do much, much worse. Even Copley's terrible turn is enjoyable.
Rated 16 Feb 2016
52
39th
First thing that needs to be said is that this is not in fact a remake of the Korean film of the same name, It is different and much more faithful adaptation of the Japanese Manga series Old Boy written by Garon Tsuchiya and illustrated by Nobuaki Minegishi. Due to the fact that this adaptation is closer to the source material it contains most of the same failings which lessen the power of the film. The beginning, some of the imprisoned scenes, Samuel L. Jackson and the lame hammer fight are wha
Rated 19 Feb 2014
60
30th
Unneccesary remake that pales in comparision to the original in every single aspect. Most of the changes don't make sense and many scenes feel forced. Still it would have been a decent movie by itself, if there wasn't a much better version already.
Rated 09 Mar 2014
40
8th
This is way, way worse than the original and not only that - is sucks big time as a movie. It's so american and candied, you won't stand it.
Rated 03 Sep 2014
51
10th
There are a few effective and shocking scenes, but it's very sadistic and doesn't have the emotional realism of the original. My only hope is that this drew more attention to that film.
Rated 26 Oct 2014
5
4th
Ugh, i don't even really want to know what i'd think of the original at this point but i'm pretty sure this is in no way an improvement.
Rated 05 Jul 2014
66
39th
Any remake of a well regarded film suffers from negative comparisons to the original, and honestly I don't think this film shatters the reputation of the original - regardless of what language it's in, Oldboy is a bit of an airport paperback, and Brolin brings a bit of a sociopathic bent to his role, Spike Lee provides some interesting shots and some subtle political push, and certain scenes are better while some are worse. The big problems of characterisation aren't solved at all though.
Rated 15 Nov 2017
20
4th
Why?
Rated 15 Jun 2014
15
4th
Remake THIS!
Rated 11 Aug 2014
65
8th
The point could never have been to equal the Korean masterpiece. There are not only clear differences, but necessary reimaginings owing to the fact that one could've never recreated its most radical and iconic elements. But Hollywood was going to do it; and though it's not inspired art like its predecessor, it's the most consistent, well-paced and solidly effective Spike Lee joint in a decade, and one of the most original American thrillers in some time as well.
Rated 28 Jan 2015
24
11th
Spike Lee really can't do subtlety--not there is much of that inherent in this material. But it could have benefited greatly from a certain restraint in quite a few places, and one wonders why he was even attracted to it in the first place. Go watch the Korean original instead.
Rated 30 Sep 2014
3
14th
Oldboy is a completely pointless remake and it doesn't have anything to add or offer fans of the Korean original or a new audience. I wasn't engaged at all and I felt completely disconnected from the story. The pacing is all over the place, there's numerous plot holes and it just feels like a toned down, poor mans attempt at ripping off the original. At the core of original was a real sense of mystery whereas this is paint by numbers. Josh Brolin isn't the problem, but almost everything else is.
Rated 09 Mar 2014
2
14th
Never really justifies its existence. The original is there, and better.
Rated 09 Jan 2019
19
10th
An abysmally moronic film that fails to understand what people liked about the Korean original and attempts to imitate it in the poorest way imaginable. Gone is the slick presentation and style which is replaced by Hollywood's idea of "cool" that comes across as laughably juvenile. While I thought the big twist in the original was pretty dumb, this movie manages to somehow make it worse with nauseating acting and the lead-up to the motivation being even more retarded and ham-fisted.
Rated 23 Jan 2019
18
7th
In a word : unnecessary.
Rated 20 Mar 2019
30
10th
As useless American remakes come and go, this one seems to miss the point more than usual. It's barely the same revenge-fueled story when you add in the hostage and big money, and the suffocating feeling of being followed is pretty much completely absent. Spike does a good job with it visually even if they edited the joint out of the Spike Lee (how can you do that!!!!!) Also, lol at the token Asian reference being the wrong country.
Rated 23 Jun 2020
25
5th
It took him 4 years to realise there was a camera? My goodness, this was truly awful. Come on, Spike.
Rated 25 Feb 2021
0
1st
https://esperwatchesfilms.tumblr.com/post/644131038377967616/oldboy-2013 I'd give it -30. The acting is excellent. But holy hell, I hate this story so much because the main character isn't even redeemable. He's a shit human and shitty things happen to him, and honestly, I'm not remotely sorry for his horrible douchebag ass. But to be fair to this film, it held my interest despite me hating most of its content. There's no worse crime than being boring, and it definitely isn't that.
Rated 19 Jul 2021
33
1st
The original is one of my favorite movies and this is such an unnecessary remake. It lacks character and depth, feels rushed and isn't better than the original in any way. Brolin does a decent job as Joe, but he isn't even close to Min-sik Choi's portrayal of pain and agony.
Rated 11 Oct 2021
100
94th
Revenge is a dish best served cold.One of my favourites.
Rated 15 Jan 2023
55
14th
-bad adaptation
Rated 26 May 2023
45
5th
26.05.2023 Kartal, İstanbul

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