To start off; This is the one and only film that kept me quiet for a whole 5 mins after seeing it. I literally couldn't close my mouth, and yet there wasn't any sound coming out of it. Oldboy had such an impact on me that words are too little to describe that impact. Therefore this film is definitely in my top 3 films ever made. It belongs there because it has a massive ingredient that a lot of films seem to miss out on; a divine plot. Even though the acting and screenplay are world class, the plot is really the cherry on the cake.When it comes to screenplay Park Chan-Wook is unique (at least for western standards) in his way of filming. The colours are so vivid and it seems like he wanted every shot to be a piece of art. One tip: If you like the shooting in 'Oldboy', have a look at 'Sympathy for Lady Vengeance', the third part in Park's revenge-trilogy. It's even superior to the camera-work in 'Oldboy'. Don't, however, expect a story like Oldboy's, because you would be very disappointed.When it comes to acting and the music, this film is also one of the better films ever made. The music sticks in your head and every time I put in my Oldboy-DVD and the theme-song comes up, I'm just flooded with good memories (even though the plot doesn't have a single reason to be happy about). The characters are also presented very well by the outstanding cast. Especially Choi Min-Sik and Yu Ji-Tae set a very convincing performance. I really appreciate this film being respected as it should be, by having a place in the top 250. If, however, it was up to me it would be even higher in the ranking. I don't see why films like 'The Usual Suspects' or 'Memento', which are fantastic pieces of film-making and which without a doubt deserve a place in the top 250, are higher in the top 250 than 'Oldboy'. They serve the same cause; a fantastic plot. But those plots can't stand in the shadow or even come close to the plot of 'Oldboy'. The one and only reason is that those two films are better known and from a western production company. If we were all living in Asia, no doubt 'Oldboy' would be in the top 20 of all time. My advice to people who haven't watched this film yet: Go see it! This is definitely a must- see. If you have a weak stomach, pull yourself together and still watch it. Don't be as shallow as a lot of people here tend to be. Look beyond the violence and see the things I mentioned before: world class acting, cinematography, music and last but certainly not least the plot. Once you've opened yourself up you'll find a whole new world of cinema. Enjoy!

I am saving the second half of this for another day.It is marvellously funny, and not a little peculiar, even for a Korean film.Eating an octopus alive isn't the most obvious way to remedy a vitamin deficiency, and relying on your ability to distinguish one particular dumpling from hundreds to get your revenge is uncommonly optimistic.I'd have gone for kimchi soup myself, even though it has fewer tentacles.Having a remote control to your pacemaker so you can stop your heart when you feel like it might be quite a popular option. I think my father would have liked such a remote, near the end of his life.Then there's the case of the third chopstick.. and the homage to 'Marathon Man"....and to Kafka, though seeing an empty carriage on the Seoul underground is probably the bigger surprise.

A brilliant, brutal and bloody mystery with many twists and turns. The "hallway scene" and the whole final confrontation sequence are unforgettable as is the movie as a whole!

Altho I can't say that I did not like the american remake as much as this one, still, you can feel the originality in this masterpiece. Also it is obvious how Hollywood adapted the movie for wider audience, since this movie has 10 times more gore, sexuality and R rated scenes that are some points are hard to be watched. Still, the movie would not be even half of what it is without those scenes. The only negative aspect for me was the slow-tempo building which makes the movie a bit boring at some moments, that was not the case in the remake. All in all, a crazy psycho story that will bust you out of your shoes, great typical asian acting and a brutal ending. 8/10