Oldboy (Blu-Ray)

Chan-wook Park's 'Oldboy' is a tale of revenge. But to simplify the movie in one word would be to do it injustice. Raising questions right from the opening sequence till the very last frame as the credits begin to roll, the story is as engaging as it is thought-provoking. The characters are resolved wonderfully, especially Min-sik Choi's 'Oh Dae-su'. The cinematography and soundtrack lend to the drama, often becoming characters by themselves.The Tartan Asia Extreme Edition Blu-ray is the best way to see the film as of today. Video quality boasts of excellent preservation of grain structure and some impressive black levels. Close-ups reveal a lot of detail like wrinkles, pores and cloth textures. It easily one-ups any previous editions of the film as one can now appreciate the already stunning cinematography on a completely new level.Audio is presented in the form of a DTS 7.1 HD Master Korean track along with a couple of lossy options for the native language. There are two lossy English tracks on the disc, but the movie is best seen in its native language for maximum impact of the acting. I saw the movie in the lossless audio format, and the experience was terrific. The soundtrack is clearer than ever, there is much more ambiance than one might have expected and the dialogue is crisp. Gore-lovers will appreciate the audio detail in sounds that compliment the visual cues of torture and violence. Of course, it might also turn out to be a bit too much for the squeamish.Anyone who appreciates this movie deserves to treat him/herself with this edition. If you haven't seen the movie yet, get this disc anyway. Just be prepared for a ride you might never forget.

I've seen few movies in the past few years that have offered as many delightful surprises as this one. Korean cinema has been winning great acclaim recently, and after watching this film, it's easy to see why. True, the theme of incest may be a little too heavy for some viewers, and I couldn't help but notice that the few people on Amazon who rated this movie low did it only for that reason. These people actually let a 'taboo topic' jade their views to the point where it overshadowed all the great points of this movie. Such a shame. This is not a movie that promotes or glorifies incest; it simply uses it as a backdrop for the story, and that's it.So if you can get over that, then you should watch this movie, because it truly is one of the freshest movies I've seen in years. With superb acting, spectacular cinematography and a plot that is virtually impossible to predict, "Oldboy" is a movie that should not be missed.I can't say too much more without spoiling the story. So I'll just close by saying that if you want to see something different than the all-too-predictable fare that keeps coming out of Tinseltown, then give this one a try. If you do, I can practically guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

You know how effective a film is if after it's over and you're in bed trying to go to sleep, that the film in question refuses to leave your mind for a second and you cannot stop thinking about it. "Oldboy" is such a film, and to deny the fact that it captures raw and brutal emotion within it would be a disservice. Whether you love the movie or despise it, you cannot argue with the fact that it will at some point hit a nerve."Oldboy" tells the tale of Oh Dae-su, who at first sight is just a drunken babbling mess who gives no one any ounce of respect, not even the cops who have arrested him for his drunken and disorderly conduct. He sings, calls them hideous swear words and sees no wrongdoing on his part. After he leaves the station, he is abducted by unknown captors. He is imprisoned in a strange and isolated room... for 15 years. For those 15 years, he nearly loses his mind and wonders what misdeeds of his past has brought him to this horror. After 15 years, he is released without any explanation or answers. Oh Dae-su vows that he will find the truth and get revenge on anyone responsible for his imprisonment. In fact, the whole point is that the captor is planning on Oh finding out the truth, as that is the whole point of his game. Blood will be shed and devastating revelations will make their presence felt."Oldboy" is a film unlike any I have ever seen. Rarely have I ever seen a movie so dark, brutal and unrelenting--and yet be so beautiful at the same time. You really do feel emotionally invested. This is not a simple shoot-em-up revenge thriller. It is something beyond that. It poses questions and investigates the darker side of being human. Not once did I feel myself losing interest. The movie is superbly directed and acted. There is a phenomenal fight scene where it's done in one complete shot, and without it being loud or flashy. I also have to add that this film has one of the best and most haunting music scores since "Requiem for a Dream."Be warned, this isn't for everybody. It is a dark movie and it does not let you off easy. While it's not non-stop action and the movie focuses more on story and character, the violent scenes are really brutal. You can watch it with an English dubbed track, but I encourage you to watch it with subtitles and see it in its original language. Nowadays the English dubs do not do the films justice, as they change words and phrases around to make it seem more in sync with lip movement from the actors. The Blu-Ray version of the film includes 2 disks. There are some nice behind-the-scenes featurettes."Oldboy" is a film that will leave its mark on you, no matter what your final judgment on the movie may be. It takes "revenge" to a whole new and unexpected level and you'll have no idea where it's all leading to until the very end. It's not for everybody, but if you're looking for something that's dark, intense, challenging and beautiful, give it a try. You'll never look at revenge thrillers in the same way ever again. Most likely, no other revenge thrillers will ever come close. - Michael Crane

I was not aware we would be getting the PSP version, not a DVD. We were under the impression based on a number of reviews that we were getting the DVD version. I saw that some got the Blu-ray version and that would’ve been fine also, but we ended up having to get the movie elsewhere because we don’t have a PSP, and we couldn’t watch the version we recieved. I’m sure if you have a PSP this will be fine, but if you’re looking for the DVD or Blu-ray copy, I recommend looking elsewhere.

No scratches or fingerprints on discs. Slight dent on the corner of disc booklet, but nothing to be upset about in the slightest bit. Delivery was expensive and slow but once again, not anything to be upset about considering the item being shipped. Brutal and amazing film of course.