Dae-Su (Choi Min-sik) gets kidnapped and trapped in a hotel room where he remains imprisoned for 15 years. Upon his release, he seeks vengeance against his kidnapper.

      The less you know about the plot, the better because the screenplay by writer/director Park Chan-wook, Hwang Jo-yun, and Lim Jun-hyung is filled with many surprising twists and turns. Why was Dae-Su kidnapped? Why was he released? Those are among the many questions you'll have, but the film doesn't answer them right away. The screenwriters do an impeccable job of interweaving the right amount of exposition and just the right time which leaves the audience at the edge of their seat. The suspense is Hitchcockian albeit with much darker twists. The plot becomes increasingly complex and even confusing at times, so it takes patience to finally understand what's going on and why. There are small yet significant details that you may not notice the first time around. Repeat viewings are essential. There are even some surprisingly moving and thought-provoking scenes beyond all of the action and thrills, but never does Oldboy feel tonally uneven or clunky.

      Gloriously remastered in a 4K digital print, Oldboy looks even more visually stunning and stylish that's truly heightened on the big screen. The use of lighting, colors, sound design and camerawork combines to create an atmosphere, immersive and gritty experience. There are also some visually poetic shots, i.e. during a scene with a snowy landscape. In terms of violence and gore, the filmmakers don't hold back or leave anything to the imagination. They push the envelope with some of the on-screen deaths which are brutal, so this isn't a film for the faint of heart. Choi Min-sik gives a solid performance as does the villain. Moreover, the pace moves at just the right speed--occasionally it's a slow-burn, but the pace moves faster during the well-choreographed action scenes. At a running time of 2 hours Oldboy is a wildly entertaining, twisted, gripping and exhilarating ride that deserves to be among the timeless crime thriller classics like Seven. See it on the largest screen possible. Be sure to skip the dumbed-down, forgettable remake by Spike Lee.