As a big fan of the original "Oldboy" (not in the sense that I boycotted this movie and own six copies of the original), I watched Spike Lee's version with a bit of a closed mind. I've never been a fan of American remakes of classic foreign films, and was a bit confused that this version came out only ten years after the original. But I wanted to give it a try, since Lee's film portfolio had some good entries in it (I also enjoyed 'Inside Man').
Needless to say, I thought this was a great retelling. Brolin's portrayal as the protagonist was convincing, and I couldn't help but feel terrible for him and the torture he was put through. The action is well done, and there is a realistic progression of events, although the 'identifying the villain in the yearbook' part was kind of unconvincing to me. Elizabeth Olson was pretty good in her role as Marie Sebastian, and Sharlto Copley did fantastic as the villain. Another complaint I had was that the villain in the original was tough and unrelenting while the antagonist in this version was a little weaker, both physically and emotionally in comparison. But maybe that's what makes this version a little more original.
It was intense when it needed to be, it was heartbreaking when it was supposed to be, and overall, I was left with a satisfying experience that I would be more than glad to expose my friends to in the future.
I recommend it.
Needless to say, I thought this was a great retelling. Brolin's portrayal as the protagonist was convincing, and I couldn't help but feel terrible for him and the torture he was put through. The action is well done, and there is a realistic progression of events, although the 'identifying the villain in the yearbook' part was kind of unconvincing to me. Elizabeth Olson was pretty good in her role as Marie Sebastian, and Sharlto Copley did fantastic as the villain. Another complaint I had was that the villain in the original was tough and unrelenting while the antagonist in this version was a little weaker, both physically and emotionally in comparison. But maybe that's what makes this version a little more original.
It was intense when it needed to be, it was heartbreaking when it was supposed to be, and overall, I was left with a satisfying experience that I would be more than glad to expose my friends to in the future.
I recommend it.