I have been avoiding this post for a while. Last week I got this great idea to spend a day watchiing Old Boy (original and remake) and then make this glorious post on what I liked and disliked about both. All I can say is that someone should have warned me what a terrible idea that was.

I think that now is the perfect time to FINALLY finish Old Boy & then watch the remake since they are both on Netflix.

— Young Ajummah (@Young_Ajummah) June 28, 2014

  If you’ve never seen the movies and you have a weak stomach, I implore you NOT to watch these movies (at least the original). Honestly both versions made me sick to my stomach though I will say that the original was a good movie.  So if you are still with me and are still interested in my thoughts, read on.

Old Boy (2003) 

  The original movie is about Oh Dae Su, a drunk play boy who is kidnapped after his friend bailed him out of the drunk tank. I mean seriously, one moment he’s there and the next he isn’t.   He spends the next 15 years trapped in what looks like to be a hotel room going crazy and looking crazier.     He has no idea where he is, why he’s been kidnapped or anything. The only thing he has to keep him company is the tv. Which he watches ALL THE TIME. Honestly if I were in that situation, I’d probably do the same. He hears from the news that he’s been framed for the death of his wife and now his daughter has been adopted and living elsewhere.  Something in him snaps and he begins to plan his escape. It only took him 6 years to decide this. In the next 9 years he watches every kung-fu flick that comes on and begins to emulate what he sees. He’s training and anything that comes on the boob-tube that can help his cause, he’s doing it. And then he’s finally out. First thing he sees when he gets his bearings is a man getting ready to jump off the roof with his dog. Why take the dog with you but hey, I’m just a viewer. This is the start of him going on a mission to find out who’s kept him captive, who’s framed him and most importantly WHY. He meets a young woman and decides to accept her help as he goes on this journey. Oh Dae Su is a machine. He battles 20+ dudes and comes out on top. I don’t want to spoil the entire movie but lets just say that Oh Dae Su finds out who is behind all of this AND why. He finds some love along the way…but you may not agree with it. I won’t say why, but the movie left me feeling some kind of way.    

#OldBoy was freaking crazy. I mean Oh My Lord. I don’t even know how to feel about this. — Young Ajummah (@Young_Ajummah) June 28, 2014

Old Boy (2013)

Rather then quit while I had the chance, I decided to power through like an idiot. Why? Didn’t I learn from the first movie? I guess not. The premise is the same (though I hoped they’d changed some important parts). Joe Doucett gets kidnapped after messing up a major deal that could cost his job. In this version, he is held for 20 years and eats nothing but mandu. He spends the first umpteen years drunk before deciding to get clean and get himself out of that particular hell hole.

The people who have him decide that right as he is about to escape, it’s time to release him so they do…by putting him in a suitcase in an empty field.  Da fuq?

This version really doesn’t differ from the original aside from having a non Asian cast and a few other minor details. The part that I disliked about the original is the same thing I disliked about this one. But hey, what are you gonna do. I guess it adds to the plot. Or something 0_o.

Anyways the bottom line to this is the movie (original) is pretty good, creepy disgustingness aside. The remake was just ehh to me, I missed the internal dialogue I got to hear from Dae Su. Also the evil side kick in the original is a personal favorite of mine ever since I saw Cruel City.

So have you seen either of the Old Boy’s yet? What did you think of it? And what did you do to get the…nasty taste out of your brain?

You can find both versions on Netflix if you are really interested.

@tayfan2 yes. I’ve watched both Old Boy’s AND I Saw The Devil. I should have a soul of steel now. 0_o

— Young Ajummah (@Young_Ajummah) June 29, 2014