Plot Summary

Oldboy follows the harrowing story of Joe Doucett, a man who is suddenly abducted and imprisoned in a dark, windowless room with no explanation and no contact with the outside world. For twenty long years, Joe endures physical isolation and psychological torment, never knowing why he was taken or who is responsible for his captivity.

When all hope seems lost, Joe learns through a television broadcast that his wife has been brutally murdered—and that he himself is the prime suspect. Soon after, he is inexplicably released. Thrust back into society, Joe becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind his wife’s death and identifying those who destroyed his life.

As he digs deeper, Joe realizes that his freedom is an illusion. Every step of his investigation is carefully manipulated, leading him through a labyrinth of secrets, violence, and moral corruption. What appears to be a personal quest for revenge gradually reveals itself as part of a far more elaborate and cruel design.

Directed by Spike Lee, this American remake reinterprets Chan-wook Park’s 2003 cult classic Oldboy (1) for a new audience. The film stars Josh Brolin as the tortured protagonist, alongside Elizabeth Olsen and Samuel Jackson, delivering a bleak and unsettling exploration of vengeance, guilt, and the devastating consequences of obsession.