Spike Lee’s ‘Oldboy’ Remake Trailer

UK Release Date: 6th December 2013

Stars: Spike Lee (director), Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Lance Reddick, Michael Imperioli, Max Casella.

Plot: An advertising executive is kidnapped and held hostage for 20 years in solitary confinement. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive mission to discover who orchestrated his punishment, only to find he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy and torment.

Remakes happen. In the past few years of cinema it’s very hard to find a film that is not a remake or a sequel or an adaptation of something. But there are some things that should be left alone. And you can’t help but think that this Korean CLASSIC should have been left alone. But apparently it needed to be remade for an audience that can not be bothered with subtitles.

Saying that though, the material seems to be in very strong hands. The trailer looks fantastic, heightening expectations and building anticipation. The cast that has been brought together is pretty strong and Spike Lee clearly knows what he is doing. There are a lot of things in the trailer that fans of the original will be glad are still here: the hammer scene, the video-game-esque fight scene.

However, the most worrying thing for me is the content change. One of the best parts of the Korean Oldboy was the theme of incest. But of course that has to be dropped because an American audience couldn’t possible be confronted with such a taboo theme in the mainstream of pop culture. This means that elements do have to be shifted somewhat largely from the original and it does become more about the revenge rather than the relationships between characters. Hopefully Oldboy does not become just a generic action film (albeit a brilliant one) but I long for it to remain as a wonderful piece of cinema, like the Korean version.

The Woman in Black is Getting a Sequel… What!?

Over the past week there has been a flurry of pointless sequels being announced. Is it any coincidence that the announcements have come at the same time as the cinema release of Wrath of the Titans, a pointless sequel in itself? I don’t think so. First, it was announced that Twins would be getting a sequel called Triplets, where Eddie Murphy plays long lost brother of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito, seriously. The news of Dumb and Dumber 2 followed starring Jim Carey and Jeff Daniels. And now The Woman in Black is getting a sequel and I could not be more furious.

The Woman in Black was a grand return to cinemas for Hammer and became the highest grossing British horror film for twenty years. It received mixed to positive responses from critics and I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it to be very entertaining. But it does not need a sequel! For anyone that has seen the film they will know that the story is rounded off nicely at the end and everything is tied up.

I think that with the announcement of The Woman in Black: Angels of Death, as the follow up is to be called, is proof that it does not matter whether a film NEEDS a sequel or not, if it is a commercial success you are practically guaranteed another film. And because The Woman in Black does not need a sequel there is a high probability that the quality of a second film will be significantly lower than the original. The Woman in Black is one of my favourite stories of all time and I do not want to see it ruined with a needless sequel made just for financial gain.

Obviously, Daniel Radcliffe will not be reprising his role. Angels of Death takes place forty years after the events of The Woman in Black and will follow a couple and their experience upon encountering Eel Marsh House, the house which the woman in black haunted in the original film.

Whether the sequel turns out to be good or not, it is still pointless!

The Woman In Black Review

 

***WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***

The Woman in Black is a story I have known for years. In school I read the book and went to see the stage adaptation, which to this day remains one of the best experiences of my life. Since it was announced I have been looking forward to seeing the movie adaptation of one of my favourite stories, throw in the fact that Daniel Radcliffe was playing the lead character and my excitement levels go through the roof. Today, I went to see The Woman in Black and it did not disappoint.

Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) is struggling in his life. His wife died giving birth to their son, Joseph, and he is now facing financial problems as well as being under pressure from his employers. Arthur is sent away to the North East of England to deal with the deceased Alice Drablow’s estate, Eel Marsh House, a task which the locals seem concerned with when Arthur arrives and they all instantly want him to return to London. Whilst dealing with all of the paperwork at the Drablow estate Arthur begins to have visions of ‘The Woman in Black’ and strange things begin to happen in the house, along with children committing suicide in the local village. Despite the villagers insisting that Arthur leave, he takes it upon himself to solve this mystery and try to put an end to the haunting events that plague this place.

It is a great ghost story, in my opinion, and one that needs to be passed down through generations. This film does a great job of staying authentic to the book and putting across a very creepy and chilling tale. Radcliffe portrays Arthur Kipps brilliantly as a terrified man being scared half to death by the strange goings on at Eel Marsh House, but then again, if I’d spent seven years on the run from Voldemort I’d be able to pull off being scared pretty convincingly too. He really does come of age with this film as he tries to be taken seriously as an actor away from the Harry Potter franchise, although I still have trouble believing him as a father, unfortunately.

The way the film is shot is terrific so credit to James Watkins who directed the film. There are lots of moments in the film that will make the audience jump and maybe even scream, but it is bound to be an enjoyable experience. Sometimes it feels as if there is a lot of effort put in to making the audience jump too much in a short space of time but I felt that there were long pauses where nothing scary, as such, would happen and so on balance the film carries itself very well. The second act in particular is very impressive.

The climax of the film does feel slightly rushed in places, although very satisfying. The very end, with Arthur being reunited with his wife as the Woman in Black watches on is sure to bring on some debate. Has she stopped killing the children of the village or hasn’t she? Is killing Joseph and Arthur her way of saying thank you to Arthur? Is it a sort of ‘you reunited me with my family so I shall do the same for you’ kind of thing? All audience members will have their own different interpretations of the ending but there is one thing we should all agree on. This film is great.

My Rating: 7/10.