Old Boy

This fairly faithful remake of Park Chan-wook's internationally acclaimed 2003 Korean thriller stars Josh Brolin as an arrogant, alcoholic advertising executive. Brolin is kidnapped and held in solitary confinement in a hotel-like prison for 20 years, during which time he's framed for the murder of his ex-wife and his young daughter is taken into care. When he's eventually released in an equally mysterious fashion, he sets out to learn the identity of his abductors and uncover their motives. Director Spike Lee follows the plot of the original film almost to the letter, replicating many of its bloody, violent set pieces and the oppressive feel of Brolin's cell, but he never quite delivers the same levels of atmosphere or menace. And while Brolin gives a steely performance as a man confronting his isolation and his conscience, on a journey signposted by guilt and redemption, Sharlto Copley as his enigmatic adversary veers a little too close to pantomime villainy.