Oldboy

The sad truth is this remake was most likely doomed from the start. For despite director Spike Lee and star Josh Brolin's worthy efforts, everyone knew it wouldn't and it couldn't go as far as the South Korean original, which disturbed a legion of fanboys when it landed a decade ago. To be fair, its rumored over an hour was cut from the film, so who really knows how faithfully good a rettelling Lee and Brolin could have done if given the chance? Some crucial plot points are tweaked or switched, at times to better fit American audiences, yet the basic story remains intact. The problem is, it's a story most people will find loathsome and repellent. If you think I'm joking ask yourself how seeing Elizabeth Olsen naked could ever be a bad thing? Oh yes, the twisted plot of the film manages to sully even that which is un-sulliable. A remake nobody wanted and even if Lee's near 3hour version (which will hopefully be released) is terrific, an impossible movie to sell to the mainstream.