4. Oldboy (2013)
As one of the most internationally acclaimed and beloved South Korean movies of all time, 2003’s Oldboy is widely considered a cinematic classic. Its story is a gripping tale of revenge, told expertly through a lens of brutal violence and stark emotion. Ten years after its release, Hollywood deemed it appropriate to make an Americanized remake.
Starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, and Sharlto Copley, the 2013 remake lacked the character of the original. It was considered largely inferior to the South Korean original, and failed to add anything of note to the story. It also failed to live up to its predecessor’s gritty and unforgettable tone, instead offering only a pale imitation of Park Chan-wook’s 2003 masterpiece.
Perhaps the only addition of note was the remake’s apparent intention to dial up the shock factor. This ultimately fell flat, too, and the 2013 film went down as one of history’s most pointless movie remakes. It turns out that trying to reinvent a timeless classic just 10 years after its release turned out to be every bit as ridiculous as it sounds.