Top 6 Vietnamese Horror Movies You Must Watch in 2019

The film revolves around a mysterious story involving three close friends: Trang (played by Yu Dương), Ngọc (Mai Bích Trâm), and Jina (Tống Yến Nhi). The story begins when Jina and Ngọc suddenly disappear after a livestream in an elevator. This traumatic event haunts Trang, leaving her terrified of elevators, and she must confront her fear to uncover what happened to her two friends. The plot thickens as Ngọc also vanishes while livestreaming in the same old hospital elevator. Trang is then forced to overcome her elevator phobia to discover the truth and save her friends.

The Elevator depicts the modern fears of young women in today's society, highlighting the dangers of being alone in an elevator. It also serves as a cautionary tale for impulsive youth facing dangerous challenges. In addition to lead actress Yu Dương, the film features veteran actors such as Xuân Hiệp and Kiều Trinh, as well as rising stars like Mai Bích Trâm, Tống Yến Nhi, Trương Diệu Ngọc, and Neko Bảo Tiên. The film is set to be released around Halloween 2019.

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Cast: Yu Dương, Mai Bích Trâm, Nguyễn Xuân Hiệp, Tống Yến Nhi, Trương Diệu Ngọc
Director: Peter Mourougaya

Release Date: 31/10/2019

The Haunted Hospital is a Vietnamese horror film featuring the famous couple Trấn Thành and Hari Won. Trấn Thành plays Thành, a kind-hearted doctor who has just graduated and begins working at a hospital. What seems like a stable job soon turns eerie as he encounters strange phenomena and restless spirits. Hari Won plays a beautiful nurse who joins him on his quest to uncover the mystery.

Thành (Trấn Thành) is a recent medical graduate who applies for a job at An Tâm Hospital. He is quickly hired, as few people dare to work in a place rumored to be haunted after dark.

After experiencing a series of unexplainable events, Thành teams up with nurse Hằng (Hari Won) to uncover the chilling secrets hidden within the so-called haunted hospital. While classified as a horror film, The Haunted Hospital also includes comedic, romantic, and even martial arts elements towards the end. However, the film suffers from a lack of coherence, as it tries to incorporate too many ideas, resulting in noticeable flaws in how the characters handle situations. This makes it difficult for viewers to fully connect with the story unfolding at An Tâm Hospital.

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Cast: Trấn Thành, Hari Won, Thu Trang, Tiến Luật
Director: Võ Thanh Hòa
Producer: Nhất Trung

Release Date: April 15, 2016 (Vietnam)

The Family Curse tells the story of Nam, a young man who returns home after studying abroad, eager to reunite with his mother and fiancée. However, at the airport, he is greeted by a strange young woman holding a letter from his mother, urging him to visit a mysterious mansion in a distant location.

Strange events begin to unfold at the mansion—heavy, oppressive rooms, eerie noises in the dead of night, shadowy figures lurking in the corners, and a cast of mysterious people surrounding the estate. The sudden disappearance of An Nhiên, Nam’s fiancée, adds to the mounting horror. As Nam uncovers the hidden secrets of the mansion, he is forced to confront the harsh and tragic truths about his family’s past.

The cinematography of The Family Curse is thoughtfully crafted, with beautiful camera angles that convey the emotions of the characters. Lighting plays a crucial role in this horror film, balancing the darkness necessary to create an unsettling atmosphere with just enough light to reveal the characters’ expressions and details.

The film focuses on frequent scares, starting with Nam’s entrance into the mansion in the first ten minutes. Quick-cut scenes and sudden, shocking images deliver classic horror movie thrills. Additionally, the sound design amplifies the fear factor, adding to the film’s creepy atmosphere.

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Cast: Phi Huyền Trang, Khương Ngọc, Mỹ Uyên, Lâm Vissay
Director: Đặng Thái Huyền
Producer: Lê Đình Trọng
Screenwriter: Đặng Thái Huyền

Release Date: August 18, 2017 (Vietnam)

The girl from the Mekong Delta in the 18+ film The Spiritual Mountain discovers the dark secret behind her husband’s healing rituals. Sỏi (played by Hoàng Yến Chibi) is a mute and deaf girl who is looked down upon by her neighbors. Her life changes when a healer named Huỳnh (Quang Tuấn) arrives in the village and chooses Sỏi as his assistant. They marry, and Huỳnh becomes famous, with many women seeking his healing services. However, Sỏi begins to notice strange behavior from her husband.

The Spiritual Mountain is based on a real-life case from 2000 in Đồng Tháp, where a shaman named Hai Tưng (real name Phạm Văn Tuấn) practiced black magic and lured young women to their deaths. The film keeps some of the key elements of the true story, such as the rural setting, the isolated lifestyle of the villain, and the mysterious night-time visits to the healer’s home.

The perspective is mainly from Sỏi, who starts with admiration for her husband but gradually grows terrified of him. The first half of the film focuses on her character—her feelings of inadequacy, the surprise of being chosen as Huỳnh’s assistant, and her suspicions of him. This part is the film's strength, with psychological tension and eerie undertones created through the subtle expressions of the lead actor. In the second half, the film shifts its focus to the villain's crimes, intensifying the pacing.

However, the film reveals its weaknesses in the latter half due to disjointed narrative threads. Key scenes, such as when Huỳnh commits his crimes, are rushed and not given enough screen time, which may confuse viewers unfamiliar with the true story. The pacing is uneven, with some parts too fast and others dragging. The character played by Đinh Y Nhung, who plays an important role, is introduced hastily, and her psychological development is underdeveloped. Despite these flaws, the film shines in its tense moments, especially when Sỏi uncovers the truth and confronts Huỳnh.

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Cast: Quang Tuấn, Nguyễn Thanh Tú, Hoàng Yến Chibi, Đinh Y Nhung

Director: Lê Bình Giang

Country: Vietnam

Genre: Crime

Producer: Galaxy Studio

Release Date: October 8, 2019

The Silent Well is a psychological horror film directed by Trần Hữu Tấn. The film stars Trịnh Tài in his debut role, alongside veteran actors such as NSƯT Phi Điểu, Trung Dân, Duy Phương, Bích Hằng, Hữu Tiến, and Minh Hy.

Set in the rural Mekong Delta during the 1990s, the story follows Thiện Tâm (Trịnh Tài), the eldest son of a wealthy family, who returns home after being in a coma for six months due to an accident in Saigon. Upon his return, he begins to notice strange occurrences around him: his grandfather is gravely ill, and his cousin Hai Lầm (Minh Hy) is ostracized for being pregnant out of wedlock. Meanwhile, his father (Duy Phương), mother (Bích Hằng), and uncle (Hữu Tiến) seem entirely indifferent to Hai Lầm’s whereabouts. Their primary concern is urging Thiện Tâm to retrieve his grandfather’s property documents. As Thiện Tâm experiences disturbing visions of his cousin, he embarks on an investigation into Hai Lầm’s disappearance, uncovering dark secrets about his so-called family home.

The Silent Well also conveys a strong social message, critiquing the deeply rooted gender discrimination that persists within families. Despite being part of the same family, Hai Lầm’s position is that of a servant to Thiện Tâm. She is denied an education and forced to carry out all the household chores. Her grandfather treats her coldly, and she is expected to relinquish all the good food and special treatment to her older cousin. Whenever something goes wrong, Hai Lầm is automatically blamed, no matter the true culprit. Even her uncle is looked down upon simply because he has a daughter, which leads him to drown his sorrow in alcohol, often taking out his frustrations on Hai Lầm. This tragic and pervasive situation reflects a reality that still exists today, and in some ways, it is more terrifying than the supernatural elements of the story.

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Cast: Phi Điểu, Trung Dân, Duy Phương, Bích Hằng

Producer: Production Q

Director: Trần Hữu Tấn

Country: Vietnam

Genre: Horror

Release Date: October 24, 2019

House of Guests follows a group of friends who specialize in wedding photography: Thông (Huy Khánh), Phương (Mạc Văn Khoa), Bình (Hoàng Mèo), Vy (Katleen Phan Võ), and her boyfriend Huân (Jay Quân). During a photo shoot, they decide to visit Vy’s remote and mysterious hometown in the mountains, scouting for a backdrop. The house they stay in has an eerie atmosphere, with unsettling events making everyone suspicious that Vy's younger brother, Hoàng (Tiến Ngô), may have died. The horror elements in the film are effectively set up, with the gloomy, old house and creaky wooden floors that echo chilling noises at night, creating a tense atmosphere that makes even the bravest feel uneasy.

Compared to the third installment, this film trims down unnecessary lengthy arguments, focusing more on humor. Almost every situation is ripe with comedic potential, thanks to the hilarious antics and expressions of the cast. The group’s efforts to confront the ghostly presence or uncover the secrets of Vy’s house are explored in a deliberately over-the-top manner. The dynamic performances of Huy Khánh, Mạc Văn Khoa, and Hoàng Mèo ensure a seamless emotional flow, filling in any gaps left by other aspects of the film.

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Cast: Huy Khánh, Mạc Văn Khoa

Director: Lý Hải

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Country: Vietnam

Release Date: April 12, 2019