"Whether it be a grain of sand or a rock, in water, they both sink"

Once in a while, there are film that will redefine cinema. I say that boldly, because I think "Oldboy" is one of them. The minute I finished this film on a streaming site, I had to find out whether it was available in stores here, and luckily, the local comic store had it on the shelf. This is one of those gleaming gems that everyone has to see.

Loosely based on the Manga of the same name by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya, it follows the tale of Choi Min-sik as Oh Dae-Su, a man who is kidnapped and locked away in a make-shift prison for 15 years, all without a reason why. Almost as strange as his imprisonment, he is later released, neatly dressed, however believes to be under some sort of hypnosis. After meeting a sushi chef by the name of Mi-do (Kang Hye-jeong), he is contacted by a man claiming to be the one responsible for his captivity. With the help of Mi-do, he sets out on a path of vengeance, leading up to the ultimate truth of "why he was released".

I have several scenes which still leaves me in awe, from the chopstick tunneling, the hall fight, to a duel between Oh Dae-Su and the white haired Mr. Han. It was very well done, really keeps you glued to the film. I have to say, it holds its own against thrillers that we normally see here in the states. Choi Min-sik's protrayal really shines here. One of the best actors in Korean. Although he does star in the Park Chan-Wook's third and final vengeance film, "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance", his performance captivates the film.

The film has been well received by critics everywhere and is ranked by CNN in the Ten best Asian Film ever made. There was some news of a Hollywood remake of Oldboy (figures), being helmed by Steven Spielberg and Will Smith set to star in, but as of November of 2009, the producing team said that the proposed project is dead.

One of those movie that you have to check out. Is out on DVD. Check it out.