Ngoc Le
 |
|
Secret past: Tran Bao Son (centre) plays the part of an amnesiac with an incredible secret and Vu Thu Phuong (left) plays his wife in the new film Inferno. — File Photo |
HCM CITY — An intriguing story about an amnesiac who tries to piece together his turbulent past and uncovers a spine-chilling secret is set to thrill audiences in Viet Nam and the US.
Award-winning Vietnamese-American Victor Vu's Giao Lo Dinh Menh, to be released as Inferno abroad, is Hitchcockian in its use of twists and turns rather than action to entertain viewers.
A wealthy and powerful businessman wakes up from a coma after a deadly car explosion with his memory lost.
He finds himself in the middle of nowhere with an insecure and mysterious wife, a best friend who later becomes an enemy, a ringleader who holds the key to many of his secrets, a mysterious woman stalker, and a tyrannical mother.
His face has been reconstructed after being badly burned in the inferno.
His past comes back to him in pieces like a jigsaw puzzle as he traces his relationships to solve one riddle after another: a dark wife who is having an affair, a love rival who mysteriously disappeared, and a dead corpse uncovered from an abandoned piece of land.
A magnificent sleight of hand by the director sees the plot unravel in a completely unexpected fashion.
"It's the best Vietnamese movie I've ever seen," said Mike Johnson, an American based in HCM City for more than a year, who claimed to have seen every Vietnamese film released since he came here.
"The quality of Vietnamese movies is getting better and better, and each film is better than its predecessor.
"Better sounds, better images, better directing, and better performances."
Le Thi Bich Khuong, a young film buff in Binh Thanh District, said Inferno is like a breath of fresh air for Vietnamese cinema in that the normal structure is turned upside down.
Vu Thu Phuong, who acts as the wife, told Viet Nam News the role was her most challenging ever.
"It was acting within acting. She has to act in her life.
"She has a pile of secrets that she tries to bury and actually holds the key to all the puzzles."
HCM City's charming suburban villas, elegant bridges over the Sai Gon River, the night lights, booming downtown area with its high-rise buildings have been captured beautifully by cinematographer K'Linh.
The film also features Tran Bao Son, Hua Vi Van, Tang Bao Quyen, and Binh Minh.
Inferno was releasesed in Megastar cineplexes across the country yesterday and will show in the US next month. — VNS