OLDBOY. South Korean original and Hollywood remake.

“Oldboy” (2003, Plex) South Korean action thriller. A man is imprisoned for 15 years without knowing the identity of his captor or his captor's motives. When he is released, he finds himself trapped in a web of conspiracy and violence as he seeks revenge against his captor. 


       This movie received a flood of critical acclaim. A cult classic, they trumpet. The fight scenes, although ultra-violent, earned high-fives for their aesthetic choreography. And so on and so forth.

       However, while I agree that this movie undoubtedly appeals to “unconventional” filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino or Ari Aster, I don’t think it is that superb. Just different, that's all. Meanwhile, a 2013 remake by Spike Lee, starring Josh Brolin, is a lopsided awful project. 🎥💻📽


“Oldboy” (2013, Roku) neo-noir action thriller? directed by Spike Lee. A remake of the 2003 South Korean film of the same name, about a man who searches for his captors after being mysteriously imprisoned for twenty years. Stars Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, and Sharlto Copley. 



       Yes, this is a Spike Lee joint. And this joint got good stuff in the likes of dudes Josh Brolin, Sharlto Copley, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Imperioli as Chucky. Elizabeth Olsen is cool as well. They are all cool! But this joint didn't get me high. Sorry.

       A critic says: "Suitably grim and bloody yet disappointingly safe and shallow, Spike Lee's Oldboy remake neither surpasses the original nor adds anything new to its impressive legacy."

No need to add more. 🎥💻📽


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