Buzz
The entertainment-oriented direction taken by director Nguyen Quang Dung has led to many irrational elements in the Southern Forest.
Note: This article contains spoilers
The Southern Forest directed by Nguyen Quang Dung undergoes significant adaptation from the 1997 TV series and the original novel. The film also shifts towards the action genre to reach a wider, younger audience. However, most of these details fail to deliver due to excessive inconsistency and irrationality.
The visuals create a non-Vietnamese atmosphere, overusing Gen Z language
Immediately after the release of The Southern Forest, the film sparked controversies surrounding certain plot elements. Many audiences commented on the setting and costumes, which evoke thoughts of Chinese or Korean films rather than capturing the ambiance of the Southern countryside. Particularly notable are the clothing of Uncle Ba Phi (played by Tran Thanh) and the way scarves are worn by the actors.
The team responded to these debates, stating that the work is not a textbook, nor does it have the duty of being a historical document. Director Nguyen Quang Dung previously explained: 'You will see Chinese elements in the film. To me, the Western region is a land of many immigrants, with Chinese and Teochew communities. That is the characteristic of the land, where many regions are welcomed.'
Some other opinions also argue that the team did not focus on requiring actors to use the tone, local dialect of the Southern Western region. Moreover, many dialogues in the film bear the hallmark of Gen Z. When An first drinks rice wine during Doan Ngo Tet, Ut Luc Lam uses the word 'hooked' instead of 'like' to ask the younger sibling about the food. Although a commercial film needs freshness, excessive use of youthful language somewhat diminishes the authenticity of the film.
Ut Luc Lam becomes a super spy, while little An, despite being drunk, still manages to steal grenades
Many plot points, character developments are not reasonable. Ut Luc Lam in the film version of Southern Forest Land is elevated to the main character, even overshadowing An. From a petty thief, he is now like a super spy with disguise skills, knows how to manipulate others' psychology, and dares to venture into dangerous places. In one scene, the character can pretend to be the wife of the French commander to rescue Mr. Tieu's father (Tien Luat) who is being held in a tightly guarded camp.
The rapid change in Ut Luc Lam's personality in the film also makes many people quite puzzled. Initially, the character considers stealing to make money, even taking things from innocent people who have died around. However, when he learns that little An's father is a revolutionary, he sacrifices himself to take care of the boy. The film ends without fully revealing Ut Luc Lam's true background. However, individually in the film, the new creative aspects of this character are quite compelling and not entirely logical.
One detail also criticized as somewhat forced is the scene where little An is drunk on rice wine and manages to steal enemy grenades, causing chaos in the court where Vo Tong is being executed. Previously, the French soldiers had discussed being very careful because this was a trap to catch Hai Thanh. However, they easily let a drunken child and a thief like Ut Luc Lam cause trouble. Mixing humor elements in such an over-the-top way somewhat makes this segment feel cheesy and lacking seriousness.
Action scenes as dazzling as martial arts movies.
A scene that looks more like a martial arts movie is when the gangs rescue prisoners, using swords to ambush and fight with a fully armed army. This plot may implicitly make viewers understand that these groups are very daring, but not smart. However, the confrontation between the two sides is quite unconvincing, absurd.
A segment of action like a martial arts movie.
Poor special effects.
One extremely terrible aspect of Southern Land is its special effects. Right from the beginning of the movie, viewers are treated to a scene of 'flying storks' along the waterlogged area, a quite characteristic image of the South. What's notable here is that the special effects in this scene look no different from an animated film, more 'fake' than anything.
The next perplexing special effects segment is the scene where fireflies form the shape of Mother An while the boy sits admiring the moon with Xinh. Instead of having the character reminisce like in the TV series, the crew attempts to create a more poetic segment with the serene riverside scenery on a moonlit night. However, the special effects fall short, making the entire segment look very artificial and cheesy.
The scene where An - Stork - Xinh shoot at the beehive is equally atrocious, looking like paper cutouts stuck onto the film. As the movie nears its end, audiences once again feel disappointed by the image of a fake crocodile rendered in CGI. Many viewers wonder why Vietnam, with no shortage of teams capable of creating special effects for global blockbusters, ends up with such a low-quality production.
