The South Korean film industry has made its mark on the international scene thanks in large part to their variations on the "extreme cinema" model - outlandish and disturbing horror movies have found success around the world alongside dark and morbid thrillers, of which OldBoy is perhaps the preeminent example. Starring Choi Min-sik as a man kidnapped for reasons unknown and held prisoner in a mysterious apartment for 15 years, it's one of the high points for acclaimed director Park Chan-wook, who recently made his move across the pond to film his first English language film, Stoker. OldBoy is a relentlessly violent revenge movie which shares a similar restraint over the use of guns as seen in The Raid 2: Berendal. No guns certainly doesn't mean to action, and the extended single take fight featuring a hammer-wielding Min-sik has been copied in Hollywood movies countless times since OldBoy was first released. Just make sure you avoid the American remake - even its director Spike Lee has distanced himself from the final cut. What other action films can you think of where the hero never fires a gun? Why not let us know about them in the comments below?
