Rating of
2.5/4
Chris Kavan - wrote on 07/01/14
People who have seen the original will scoff at this remake - people who have never seen the original Oldboy will probably be turned off by the subject matter - it's no wonder Spike Lee found himself in a no-win situation and the film tanked hard. I, for one, didn't think it deserved that much hate - I though Sharlto Copley made an excellent villain - with an even more heinous and interesting back story than the Korean film. That being said, the violence is too cartoonish, the acting a bit too over-the-top (especially Josh Brolin) and it feels like a pale imitation of the original. But still worth a watch - and the end twist is still a killer.