More ‘Oldboy’ Remake Rumors

The man pictured above just found out about the Oldboy remake.

Speculation abounds, and has for some time. Ever since I first saw Oldboy there has been vague speculation about a remake. Speculation that makes fanboys shudder and foreign film fanciers cry in a corner. Oldboy could get remade… in English. Spotty reports have come in (via Slashfilm) basically saying the same things that we have known before. Remake possible, Steven Spielberg possibly at the helm with Will Smith possibly starring.  The only new stuff we got is that Matthew Vaughn or Danny Boyle could pick it up if Spielberg decides to pass and that Mandate Pictures, a small company owned by Lionsgate, is showing interest in a script by The Cell, I Am Legend and Thor scribe Mark Protosevich.

Not being that big of a Spielberg fan, the only bit of this news that even comes close to exciting me is the possibility of Danny Boyle helming a British style remake of director Chan-Wook Park’s original. The thought of seeing a limey Oh Dae-Su (Oldboy‘s main character) burst from a suitcase on top of a high rise in a foggy downtown London fills me with hope. But other than that one shining image, all I can see is a toned down mess in front of me.

The Korean original (though much changed from the manga source material) got its critical and cult acclaim from being brutal in its action and unapologetic in its story telling. Park tells of an ordinary man imprisoned for 15 years with no clue as to why. As suddenly as he is taken he is released and given three days to figure out who locked him away and why. What unfolds is a peek into madness and an exploration of the little things we do every day that change our lives in ways we cannot imagine. As for the brutal action, take a look at my article on violence in Korean cinema, you’ll get what I mean.

Part of what I think makes Oldboy such a great film are the little Korean touches. The first thing Oh Dae-Su does when he is released is eat a live octopus (watch this behind the scenes video if you dare). Both because it is a Korean delicacy and because it is the best way for the character to connect with something living after 15 years without contact with anything, by eating something alive. For Korean audiences the scene was less shocking; but for foreign film goers the scene became famous for its impact, both due to the striking visual and the thematic representation of extended ramifications after a deed is apparently done. I can only imagine that the remake would also incorporate guns in a more prominent fashion, taking away from the protagonist’s quest to exact revenge with his by his own hand. This, however, could save corridor fight scene from being tampered with.

Unlike Let Me In, the prospect of this remake does little to excite me.  Oldboy is a truly great film that needs no help whatsoever. With potentially volatile subject matter, chilling visuals and independent stylings this film might be best under the popular radar, a true gem for viewers looking for more than entertainment, which is what the remake will no doubt strive to be. But, in the event that the remake is made, be assured I will be back with my, hopefully, unbiased review.

What Do You Think? Discuss.