Oldboy

Park Chan-wook directed and co-wrote the neo-noir action thriller film Oldboy. The film is an adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name, and it follows the story of Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), who is imprisoned in a cell that resembles a hotel room for 15 years without knowing the identity of his captor or the motivations of his captor. Dae-su is finally released, but he is still entangled in a web of conspiracy and violence. When he falls in love with an attractive young sushi chef, Mi-do (Kang Hye-jung), his own quest for vengeance becomes intertwined with romance.

The film received the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, as well as high praise from the jury's president, director Quentin Tarantino. Oldboy has received positive reviews from critics in the United States, with film critic Roger Ebert stating that it is a "powerful film not because of what it depicts, but because of the depths of the human heart which it strips bare." It was also praised for its action sequences, particularly the single-shot fight sequence. It has been hailed as one of the best neo-noir films of all time and has been named one of the best films of the 2000s by several publications.

Detailed information:

Directed by: Park Chan-wook

Starring: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung

Release date: 21 November 2003

Running time: 120 minutes