Oldboy
Dir: Park Chan-wook
2003
****
The second but unconnected film in Chan-wook Park's vengeance trilogy is an explosive one to put it lightly. There are so many layers to pull back in this one that you'd be excused for feeling more than a little dizzy before the end. It's a pure mix of the darkest Manga, Park Chan-wook twisted mind and Asian Extreme cinema. The story hooks you in from the outset, shocks you with it's ultra-violence and then deeply disturbs you with it's shocking realisations. Somehow, after all that, there is a beautiful and tender message, albeit soaked in blood. Not for the fainthearted but unmissable for those who want to see something unique and rather special. The direction is unmatched in its violent beauty.