Oldboy Movie Review: An Action Thriller That Will Leave Your Eyes Wide Open
- Deepanshu Sharma
- Jul 9
- 3 min read
Action thrillers in 2025 have become a go-to for mass cinema. It feels like every such film you go to watch in theatres or OTT has the same tropes carrying it through its runtime. However, there are a few films in the genre that have the capability to make you question ‘what did I just watch?’ That is exactly the reaction you will have after watching the 2003 South Korean action thriller Oldboy, at least I did. In this Oldboy movie review, we will discuss the things that make it stand out even today.
Often regarded as a classic by film fans, Oldboy is the film that changed the game for action thrillers back in its time. Based on a manga of the same name, the Park Chan-wook directed film introduced a twisted psychological edge to thrillers that inspired a whole generation of filmmakers—similar to the effect The Godfather had on American cinema.
Oldboy (2003): Plot Summary (No Spoilers)
The story of Oldboy revolves around Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) who is kidnapped and imprisoned in a hotel room for 15 years without any human contact. During his 15 year imprisonment, Oh Dae-su keeps wondering about the reason for his imprisonment and the identity of his captor– Lee Woo-jin (Yoo Ji-tae)– to no success. Upon release, he finds himself in a web of events and provocations following which he vows revenge on his captor. While plotting his revenge, he falls in love with a chef and makes her a partner on his mission. The narrative continues as they close in on the mastermind behind Oh Dae-su’s imprisonment before their inevitable confrontation.
Oldboy Movie Review: What Makes It a Cult Classic?
On the surface, Oldboy might sound like any other revenge movie with an interesting opening. But that is the least impressive thing about it. The magic of this Park Chan-wook film is in its mysteries that hide behind all the other action elements, until the final confrontation. For the longest, the film feels like an action-based story but as it gets closer to the end all those tropes and becomes a psychological thriller instead. The revelation in the end feels like a massive explosion that will leave you thinking about this film for a while. At the same time, it will make you reorder your list of suspense films and even score them differently. Simply said, you won’t come out as the same person that went in to watch the film.
Oldboy also features great action scenes that are expected from any film in this genre. With the exception of the hallway scene that deserves a special mention due to its iconic status. It is a one take scene wherein Oh Dae-su fights of multiple people in a narrow hallway, giving viewers the feeling of a real fight. All in all, the action is good, and the movie keeps on getting better, even when the punches stop.
The cinematography of the film is also remarkable, giving viewers the perfect frame in every scene. Moreover, it suits the thrilling and suspenseful feeling of the story, starting from non-vibrant colours and building from there.
The styling in the film is also on point as it only gives viewers what they need and don’t come in the way of storytelling. Both its protagonist and antagonists can be found wearing a black suit in most scenes, which goes hand in hand with the film as a change of outfit would only serve as a meaningless distraction.
Overall, Oldboy is not one of those classics that you watch to check a box or tell your friends. You hear about it; you give it a chance and then you sit with yourself before you nod in agreement with its rave reviews. If you’re someone on the lookout for a good action thriller, then this film should definitely be on top of your watchlist.
After reading this Oldboy review if you have an urge to watch this movie for yourself, then you'll be pleased to know that it is available for streaming on JioHotsar for free.
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