Oldboy (2013)

Out with the new, in with the old

Octopus lovers rejoice! Not a single eight tentacle invertebrate was harmed during the making of Spike Lee’s updated version of the 2003 Korean cult hit Oldboy. Yet minus a recreation of that that now infamous scene from the original which took raw sushi consumption to new levels, Oldboy 2013 is essentially a blow by blow re-tread of Chan-wook Park’s opus and as such falls disappointingly flat. Granted, the film avoids sullying the reputation of its predecessor completely, which is something at least; especially considering the recent string of other diabolical adaptations that here shall not be named *cough *The Wicker man *cough*. But neither does it expand upon the story in any great way, nor offer any notable re-interpretative gumption to justify the whole idea of a remake in the first place. It’s strange; one would have thought that if anyone had the cajones to take the material in new and imaginative directions it would have been Spike Lee, a director known for making challenging and unusual films (Inside Man, Do The Right Thing). Yet here he is, unwilling to take any substantial risks or move more than one iota beyond the benchmark already set by Park.

Though the plot is ludicrous in subject Lee plays it safe in structure, choosing a rather linear story progression without any of the en medias res techniques of Park, (though there are ample flashbacks) that can be broken down into three distinct acts. Firstly we are introduced to Josh Brolin’s main character Joe Doucett (the phonetic similarity of his name to the main protagonist of the Korean version, Oh-Dae-Su is surely no coincidence); a flawed individual to put it mildly. Joe has a habit of drinking too much, has a strained relationship with his ex-partner and young child and tends to upend closed deals at his advertisement firm by advancing, so very unsuccessfully, on his client’s lady-friends. In short, he’s a bit of a fuck up.

After a particularly rampageous bender one evening, Joe gets kidnaped and is incarcerated in a cell decorated to look like a room from the stickiest of American motels. This nightmarish scenario comprises the ‘second act’, in which Joe loses his mental stability somewhat, befriends some mice, goes tea-total and writes letters to his daughter while teaching himself martial arts via mimicking the moves of the Kungfu films being continually played on the cell’s TV, with the hope of one day doing some serious damage to the person/persons responsible for his predicament.

Twenty years pass and Joe is suddenly released. Soon after he is contacted by his captor (Sharlto Copley), who tells Joe if he succeeds in solving the mystery of why he was captured within a given time frame he will hand over a briefcase full of diamonds and commit suicide in front of him. This prompts a race to discover the truth which comprises the ‘third act.’

Within this frankly batty concept, Brolin largely convinces as bad-egg Doucett and pretty much carries the whole film, especially during the padded out introductory and imprisonment scenes, which comprise some of the film’s best moments. The illusion is dampened to some degree, by the spectacular failure of the make- up department to make Doucett look like he’s aged much more than a year despite spending two decades in a room without any natural light. Aside from a buzz-cut and slightly reddened eyes Brolin more or less looks exactly the same when he is released as when he is taken prisoner. Maybe we’re meant to believe he’s born with it because this age-defying look definitely isn’t down to the people in charge of the Maybelline.

All credit to Brolin however whose portrayal of Doucett’s gradual breakdown is palpable, though it must be said Doucett seems more aware throughout the whole ordeal than the hapless Oh-Dae Su ever was. This is because Brolin never quite manages to truly persuade us that his character has completely lost his grip on his sanity, just that he has gotten more vengeful, more violent.

And let’s make no bones about it this is a violent film, almost to the point of needless gratuity. You can certainly sense Lee made some decisions purely for the shock factor. Nonetheless there are some dynamic action sequences, most notably on a football field involving some cocky jocks and another which sees Brolin dispensing a truckload of henchmen with only a hammer. But again, these scenes have been copied and pasted directly from the original and match them almost beat for beat; beat-down for beat-down. Fans might get some enjoyment seeing these moments re-enacted, but will mostly feel disappointed that they have seen the same thing ten years ago, and done better at that.
Sitting beside this abundance of violence is some rather absurd imagery which allows for some darkly humorous touches. Doucett riding hell for leather in pursuit of a van on a pink framed bike with tassels, hammer in hand, springs to mind. Also the psychedelic goings on during the incarceration segment is bound to draw one or two giggles. 

Yet alongside this intentional humour is the unintentional hilarity of several aspects of the film, chiefly Copley’s performance as Doucett’s captor Adrian Pryce. Copley plays the villain of the piece so camp, so queer, it serves to pull the viewer right out the already loopy proceedings to the point of distraction. The performance wouldn’t look out of place in aCarry On film. Also, the less said about the goofy subplot involving Doucett’s bar-owner mate ‘Chucky’ the better.

Elizabeth Olsen provides some humanity as Mia, an aid worker who chances across Doucett and decides to help him, though the character is, for all intents and purposes, nothing more than a plot device. As such Mia comes off as a little wooden, despite Olsen’s bare commitment to the role.

And so we move towards the inevitable final payoff, which fails to be anything but anticlimactic to those familiar with the story. As you’d expect with an original premise being told for a second time, the final twist loses its impact instantly, fizzling out and leaving the film with no-where to go. It’s almost as if Lee has been biding his time, building up to the big reveal and when we finally arrive it feels weathered, a bit saggy and ironically a little old.
Ultimately, those who venture to see Oldboy 2013 will fall into two camps. Those who have no preconceptions will probably find this a solid if somewhat flatfooted revenge flick and will no doubt be entertained for much of the two hour running time. But those who have seen 2003’s Oldboy will be frustrated with the way Lee has played it too safe, opting for a rather shallow straight-down-the-line recount, and would do better to just re-watch the Park’s version.

In fact, that’s probably something everyone should do, so much more unsettling, funny, strange and just plain better is the original. Rarely is there any actual need to remake successful foreign films for western audiences and Oldboy 2013 will no doubt add fuel to such an argument. After all, there’s that old, old saying: if it ain’t broke, don’t try and fix it by casting Samuel L. Jackson with a bleached white mohican.