Welcome back to day seven of my horror film recommendations! If you guys have been watching these films, I hope you’ve been enjoying them. Today I’m going to recommend a real classic, and I have to assume if you haven’t seen it already then you have at least heard of it; Old Boy.
This film is actually the second instalment of The Vengeance Trilogy, and follows the story of a man named Oh Dae Su. Dae Su is abducted on the night of his young daughter’s birthday and confined in a hotel-like prison. He is kept in solitary confinement with no human contact, and he is never even given a reason or explanation for why he was kidnapped. After exactly fifteen years of being imprisoned in the room, he is released on a rooftop, again with no explanation.
He sets out, determined to find out why he had been abducted and confined to that room for fifteen years, but along the way meets and becomes attracted to a young woman named Mi Do. It is a long and difficult journey for Dae Su to discover the reasons behind his abduction, and it leads him to an understanding of the terrible ramifications of careless actions in his youth.
So, I must admit that the only reason I watched this film at first was because I had read that it was a classic, and not because the storyline particularly interested me. That was a mistake. After watching this film it is easy to see how it made a name for itself as one of the most recognised Korean thrillers. It has a very unusual premise and enough horrific twists and turns in the plot to keep you on your toes all the way through. There are also a fair few moments of dark humour throughout the film, and it’s just enough to give this film an incredibly interesting feel.
I think that if you’re a fan of the Saw movies, you might also enjoy this film; in some ways the plots have some similarities, as someone gets locked up with no real reason. There is a fair amount of blood, gore and generally unsettling scenarios and content in this film, and those of you with a delicate nature should perhaps steer clear of Old Boy. But, this movie is most definitely a classic, and I feel that any fan of Korean cinema should watch it at least once.
I definitely hope you watch this film, and if you do, then please let us know what you thought of it! Come back tomorrow for another Horror film recommendation!
