Note: The article contains spoilers for the movie
Southern Forest Land directed by Nguyen Quang Dung has many modifications compared to the 1997 television version and the original novel. The film also shifted towards the action genre to reach more young audiences. However, most of these details are not effective because they are too contradictory and unreasonable.
The newly released film Land of the Southern Forest by director Nguyen Quang Dung has created a lot of controversy.
The image creates a feeling of not being purely Vietnamese, abusing Gen Z language
Immediately after Southern Forest Land Released to theaters, the work caused a lot of controversy surrounding some details in the film. Many viewers commented that the setting and costumes in the film were reminiscent of Chinese and Korean films… rather than creating a Southern countryside atmosphere. Especially the details of Uncle Ba Phi’s clothes (played by Tran Thanh) and the way the actors wear bandanas.
Phuong Nam Forest Land has many details that have been commented on as not creating a purely Vietnamese feeling.
Regarding these controversies, the team responded that the work is not a textbook and is not intended to be a historical document. Previously, director Nguyen Quang Dung explained: “You will see the film has Chinese elements. The West, for me, is a land of many immigrants, with Chinese and Tieu communities. That is a characteristic of the land, which welcomes many regions”.
The film’s costumes and setting were commented to be heavily influenced by Chinese and Korean historical films.
Some other opinions also said that the crew did not pay attention to asking the actors to use the local accent and words of the Southwest region. Not only that, many conversations in the movie are characterized by the Z gene. When An first ate rice and wine during the Doan Ngo Festival, Ut Luc Lam used the word “stick” instead of “like” to ask his younger brother about the dish. Although a commercial film needs freshness, overusing youthful words also somewhat reduces the authenticity of the film.
Ut Luc Lam turned into a super spy, while An was drunk and still managed to steal a grenade
Many details and characters are not developed properly. Ut Luc Lam in the movie version Southern Forest Land was elevated to the main character, even surpassing An. From a cunning petty thief, he is now a super spy who is talented in disguise, knows how to manipulate other people’s psychology and is not afraid to venture into dangerous places. In one scene, the character can pretend to be the wife of a French commander to rescue Mr. Tieu (Tien Luat) and his son who are being held in a strictly guarded barracks.
The rapid change in Ut Luc Lam’s personality in the movie also makes many people quite confused. Initially, the character thought about stealing to make money, even taking things from innocent people who died around him. However, when he learned that baby An had a revolutionary father, he sacrificed himself to take care of the boy. The film ends with Ut Luc Lam’s true background still not completely revealed. However, in the film alone, the new creative features of this character are created quite forcedly and not really reasonable.
Tuan Tran plays Ut Luc Lam.
One detail that was also commented on as quite forced was the part where little An got drunk and stole a grenade from the enemy, causing chaos at the execution site where Vo Tong was executed. Before that, French soldiers had discussed being very careful because this was a trap to capture Hai Thanh. However, they easily let a drunk child and a thief like Ut Luc Lam cause trouble. Mixing humorous elements in such an excessive way somehow makes this segment feel silly and lacking in seriousness.
The action scenes are “cool” like a swordplay movie
In the movie version, the crew added a lot of action elements to increase the appeal. However, these segments in the film were considered unconvincing, not to mention heavily influenced by swordplay works. The movie has many chasing and fighting scenes but it is very superficial and out of place. Like the part where the people chasing Ut Luc Lam in the market show looked extremely fake, as if they were playing and not catching robbers. Or Vo Tong knows how to fly, jump and fight, just like Kim Dung’s movies.
A scene that couldn’t be more “swordplay” is when guilds rescue prisoners, use swords to ambush and fight hand-to-hand with an army fully equipped with guns and bullets. This episode can make viewers implicitly understand that these groups operate very spontaneously, only recklessly but not intelligently calculated. However, the confrontation between the two sides was quite unconvincing and ridiculous.
An action segment like a swordplay movie.
Bad techniques
A very bad factor of Southern Forest Land is the technical part. Right from the beginning of the movie, viewers will be treated to a scene of “storks flying straight” along the water, an image quite typical of the South. What’s worth mentioning here is that the effects in this scene look no different from a cartoon, it couldn’t be more “fake”.
The next confusing effects part is the part where the fireflies form the image of An’s mother in the scene where the boy sits and watches the moon with baby Xinh. Instead of letting the character reminisce like the TV version, the crew tried to create a more poetic scene with a charming river scene on a full moon night. However, the effects were not up to scratch, making this entire segment look very fake and cheesy.
The scene where An – Co – Xinh group shoots a beehive is equally bad as it looks like torn paper pasted onto the film. When the movie was about to end, the audience was once again disappointed by the image of a fake crocodile using CGI. Many audiences wonder if Vietnam doesn’t lack special effects crews for world blockbusters, but when they make their own movies, they end up in this situation?