Detective Kien: The Headless Horror

Great movie with talented actors and actresses. The story was well written keeping the audience guessing on what will happen next. Sound was well played. Scenery was beautiful which appears to be at Ha Long bay. The detective was well played by Quoc Huy. All the supporting people were well played. The story was set in the olden day in northern Vietnam where a number of people was murdered with the head chopped off! Some scary scenes will make the audience entertained. Well worth watching and hope there will be part 2. The story based on a novel. Many people still believe in ghosts in Vietnam. Well done.

When the young "Nga" (Doan Minh Anh) goes missing, her aunt "Miss Moon" (Ngoc Diêp) can't get the local authorities to investigate, so she writes a pleading letter to renowned judge's detective "Kiên" (Tín Nguyen) to see if he will come and look into things. When he arrives, complete with his official badge of office, he sets the cat amongst the pigeons in the small community that's not without it's suspects. To add to his problems, it seems that this village has an history of troubles, with a legendary water ghost reputedly emerging from the river and terrorising the population then leaving decapitated bodies to wash up all over the place. Now "Kiên" is a man of science, and now (reluctantly) allied with his enthusiastic new sidekick they discover that nobody in this village is quite whom they seem and with the chief, his wife, his daughter, the potter, the shaman, the lover and just about every one else in the mix, he has his work cut out trying to discover the truth. Though I found the production a little bit sterile, there is still quite an amiable chemistry between our detecting duo and with plenty of lies, deceit and red herrings the story carries along nicely until a denouement that's acrobatic, messy and leaves us wanting - whether we want it or not - needing more. It hits the ground running and doesn't hang about for a couple of hours that I though had shades of "Vienna Blood" (2019) to it. Worth a watch.

Starting from bad: the actress Dinh Ngoc Diep who plays the role of the aunt. Her facial expressions and lines that are supposed to be comic gave me the feeling to be badly acted and out of place most of the time. In general the comical moments in the movie do not blend well with overall vibe.

Another big disappointment is the paranormal element: not what I expected after seeing the trailer, and I wish it had been handled differently.

On the positive side it is worth mentioning the Direction. The special effects are quite good and did not left me the feeling of being cheap of anything like that. The Storyline is solid. Some good twists and emotional moments.

In the end, considering this a be a local vietnamese production, I was pleasently surprised by the general quality of it.

I would rate this movie a 7- , much better than the latest Hollywood productions.

A movie whort watching and 2 hours well spent in my opinion.

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There truly is no single word capable of capturing the exquisite beauty of this film. It stands out as the best Vietnamese movie I have ever had the pleasure of watching! I am particularly impressed with the visual effects; they are incredibly well-executed and elevate the storytelling to an entirely new level. The seamless integration of VFX really enhances the movie's breathtaking scenes and adds a layer of depth that keeps you engaged throughout. Story and Emotion While the setting captures your eyes, the story captures your heart. It is a poignant tale of love, sacrifice, tradition, and resilience. The characters are deeply human-flawed, hopeful, and shaped by the times they live in. Their struggles reflect not just personal conflicts, but the broader socio-cultural tensions of Vietnam's past.

The pacing is deliberate, giving time for moments to breathe and for emotions to unfold naturally. There's a quiet power in the storytelling-it doesn't rely on grand drama or exaggerated twists, but rather on genuine human experiences, conveyed with sensitivity and realism.

Performance and Direction The performances are uniformly excellent. Each actor brings subtlety and nuance to their role. There's a grace in the way emotions are portrayed-often with more silence than words, more gestures than dialogue. The direction is confident and compassionate, with a clear vision and a deep love for the culture being portrayed.

It's been a long time since I've experienced such an outstanding Vietnamese film. The movie was excellent, resolving all its issues neatly, leaving no unanswered questions by the end. Visually, the film was stunning - the color palette, costumes, and sound design were flawless. Overall, the actors delivered incredible performances, especially the ones portraying the antagonists.

In terms of horror, the film didn't evoke as much fear as Qua Tim Mau (another movie by director Victor Vu). However, I've always felt that there's a very modern message in Victor Vu's horror films: that there are no real ghosts or demons in this world - it's humans who harm each other.

This film was truly excellent and absolutely worth the price of admission.