Movie Review: OLDBOY (2013)
Written by Anthony Sargon
Remakes need a purpose for existing, and the need to be in English does not constitute a valid purpose. Chan-woo Park’s 2003 film is highly regarded among film critics and audiences alike, and revisiting the story seemed unnecessary from the start. Spike Lee’s remake might impress folks who have never seen the original, but for those who have, the experience will prove far less satisfying.
After being imprisoned for 20 years in the same room for reasons unknown to him, Joe Doucett is suddenly released with a handful of cash and a bag of unsent letters meant for his daughter. Joe has one objective; to find out why he was imprisoned, and to kill the person responsible for it.
The main issue with this remake – other than there being absolutely no need for it – is that it over-simplifies the story and spoon-feeds it to the audience instead of making us think and make the connections as the protagonist makes them. There’s a sense of mystery and weirdness really missing from this update. Spike Lee thinks that dressing Samuel L. Jackson up in a ridiculous outfit will make up for that weirdness, but he again completely misses the point. There have also been some changes made to the story, but they end up hurting the film instead of setting it apart, and that’s a shame.
The performances are solid, but not spectacular. Josh Brolin is the only piece of the puzzle that really works, but even he is often let down by stilted dialogue. Elizabeth Olsen is fine as a young nurse he encounters while searching for his abductors, although there wasn’t much chemistry between the two. Sharlto Copley is one of my favorite actors working today, but he was a little too over-the-top as the villainous Adrian. He sounds like a mustache-twirling cartoon villain, and along with the also over-the-top Sam Jackson, you have a duo that feels very out of place in what’s normally a much darker story.
To Lee’s credit, the film looks great and is very nicely shot. There are also some cool nods to the original, including a small cameo by an octopus and a slightly different take on the hallway fight scene. And like I said, Josh Brolin is perfectly capable of carrying the film, and he certainly makes you care (somewhat) for Joe Ducett. It’s just upsetting that his character’s arc and motivations haven’t properly made the transition to this update.
The Verdict:
Spike Lee’s Oldboy has a few redeeming moments, but it’s ultimately inferior to the original, and highly unnecessary. Stream the original instead, trust me.
Numerical Score: 6/10
Read the Original post on A Geek's Blog
