Violence oozes from 'Oldboy' red-band trailer

Posted Wednesday, July 10, 2013 at 3:42 PM Central
Last updated Thursday, July 11, 2013 at 3:50 PM Central

by John Couture

If you've seen the original South Korean version of Oldboy, then the level of violence you are about to see probably won't shock you. If you haven't seen the original film, then prepare yourself because it doesn't look like the remake will stray far from its predecessor.

When I first heard that Spike Lee was directing the Hollywood remake, I was concerned because I figured that they'd find a way to make the violent content more mainstream. Then, the cast started to come together and my anxiety waned a bit. Today, the red-band trailer drops and all of that anxiety was instantly transformed into intense desire to see this film.

Josh Brolin displays shades of his No Country for Old Men co-star Javier Bardem in his role as a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned for two decades after his wife is killed. Now, 20 years later, he is unleashed into the world with a singular purpose, vengeance.

Personally, I think they made the right choice in going straight to a red-band trailer. There's no use in trying to hide the violent subject matter and by forsaking the usual route, we can immediately get a feel for how this film will compare with the original.

Oldboy hits theaters on October 25. Oh, I should also point out another cool thing about this film. Do you see the poster up and to the right? That's Josh Brolin actual handwriting in the title treatment. A really cool touch if you ask me.