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Oldboy

Play trailer 1:56 Poster for Oldboy R 2005 2h 0m Action Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
82% Tomatometer 159 Reviews 94% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Dae-Su is an obnoxious drunk bailed from the police station yet again by a friend. However, he's abducted from the street and wakes up in a cell, where he remains for the next 15 years, drugged unconscious when human contact is unavoidable, otherwise with only the television as company. And then, suddenly released, he is invited to track down his jailer with a denouement that is simply stunning.
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Oldboy

Oldboy

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Violent and definitely not for the squeamish, Park Chan-Wook's visceral Oldboy is a strange, powerful tale of revenge.

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Critics Reviews

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David Sims The Atlantic Aug 22, 2023
There’s a core element of emotional realism that accentuates Park’s brutal narrative beats, leaving us to ponder something more than a bloody body. Go to Full Review
Kambole Campbell Little White Lies Jul 29, 2019
4/5
A lurid, complex, introspective beast, enacting astonishing cruelty on its protagonist like a slow-acting poison. Go to Full Review
Jami Bernard New York Daily News Apr 15, 2013
5/5
Both brutal and lyrical, writer-director Park Chan-wook's existential nail-biter has torture scenes that will have you avoiding dentists, sushi bars and badly appointed hotel rooms. Go to Full Review
Trace Thurman Horror Queers Podcast Aug 4, 2025
4/5
Park peppers his tragedy with sumptuous production design and a lot more humor than you'd expect. Go to Full Review
William Schwartz HanCinema Jun 21, 2025
I don't think I can write in good conscience that this is a bad movie. The camerawork is excellent, as are the performances. There's just not much of a point to it. Go to Full Review
Tom Spoors Loud and Clear Reviews Jan 7, 2025
4.5/5
Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy may frequently shock and disgust you, but you’ll find yourself unable to look away from the excellent filmmaking on display. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Keith Nov 2, 2026 visual masterpiece. See more
Len Sep 9, 2023 great movie but ending is......ick See more
Karina Aug 31, 2023 I was taken way far aback with this one but my god what a master class in filmmaking and payoff that leaves you revolted and amazed. See more
Frank Aug 28, 2023 classic movie still holds up to this day one of my favorite Korean films of all time and it was good to see it in the movie theater cuz the last time I seen this movie was on TV back in the day when I was in high school See more
Kennath Aug 27, 2023 If you’re less than an hour away from a showing and you have never seen? GO See more
Mr. Hollywood Aug 26, 2023 One of the best films ever made! Great story, great cinematography, great acting, great editing, great sound design. Great great great! See more
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Oldboy

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Cast & Crew

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Park Chan-wook

Director

Choi Min-sik

Dae-su Oh

Yoo Ji-tae

Woo-jin Lee

Kang Hye-jung

Mi-do

Ji Dae-han

No Joo-hwan

Oh Dal-su

Park Cheol-woong

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Oldboy

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Oldboy

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Movie Info

Synopsis Dae-Su is an obnoxious drunk bailed from the police station yet again by a friend. However, he's abducted from the street and wakes up in a cell, where he remains for the next 15 years, drugged unconscious when human contact is unavoidable, otherwise with only the television as company. And then, suddenly released, he is invited to track down his jailer with a denouement that is simply stunning.
Director
Park Chan-wook
Producer
Kim Dong-ju
Screenwriter
Im Jun-hyeong, Hwang Jo-Yoon
Distributor
Tartan Films USA
Production Co
Egg Films, Show East
Rating
R
Genre
Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
Korean
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 25, 2005, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Aug 16, 2023
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.7M
Runtime
2h 0m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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