re:mote voices

Title: Old Boy

Cast: Min-silk Choi, Ji-tae Yoo, Hye-jung Gang, Dae-han Chi, Dal-su Oh

Director: Chanwook Park

Chanwook Park was included in the Asia Extreme season of 2003 with his film Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance, which was a stylish and convoluted revenge thriller. From there he returns with Old Boy, which in the scheme of things would probably have been included in the Asia Extreme season of 2005 – especially as the 2004 season draws to a close. However Old Boy did rather well on the festival circuit, particularly with this summer’s Cannes festival, where it won an award from a panel headed by Quentin Tarantino.

As a result Old Boy has been getting something of a remarkable level of publicity. Which is novel, but deserved, Old Boy is undoubtedly something special. Chanwook Park surpassing himself with just how well done and fucked up Old Boy is.

Dae-su is an average business man, wife, daughter, and drink problem. One night is snatched from the street and locked in a room. With this we follow Dae-su as he tries to understand where he is, why is he there, for how long is he going to be held. But he is never told, instead he is kept in this one room, with a bed, tv and toilet, and food is supplied by his captors. Through the TV he soon finds that his wife has been murdered, and that with his disappearance he is the main suspect.

Dae-su watches Korea and the world change over the course of 15 years. Keeps journals trying to account for who he might have offended so much, and tries to remain sane. With all those years passed, he is suddenly and inexplicably released from captivity. He tries to piece events together anyway, but as his tormentor keeps interfering with him, he quickly is presented with a deadline – he has 5 days to work out why he was put away and by who, or that person will kill everyone he has ever loved.

Old Boy is an intense film from beginning to end. Containing a number of scenes which are likely to make the squeamish flinch. Along the way Dae-su befriends Mido, a sushi chef, and they form a curious bond. While at the same time there are encounters with the various villains, who are such larger than life characters. Though in saying that, by the end of the film it doesn’t really feel that Dae-su could be described as a hero – having undergone such an overwhelming transformation.

The way the film deals with the mix of TV footage and CCTV to cover elements of the captivity provides a distinctive feel. As does the way the film is handled on so many levels. Particularly the fight scenes with Dae-su versus a gang of thugs, which are some of the most impressive and strikingly choreographed and executed sequences I’ve ever seen.

In so many ways Old Boy covers some appalling events and scenarios. On the other hand the execution and composition of the film are particularly brilliant.