The minus points of the Vietnamese 18+ horror film that is causing a global fever

The fact that "The Devil's Restaurant" has become a hit in many countries is a good sign for Vietnamese television dramas. Unfortunately, the work is still controversial, receiving many criticisms about the script and acting.

Devil's Restaurant (International title: Devil's Diner ) attracted attention because it was the first Vietnamese series to be exclusively released globally by Netflix, simultaneously in more than 190 countries.

As soon as it was released, the work quickly became a hit, topping the charts of most popular TV series in many countries, including Vietnam.

However, the series is still controversial because of its quality with many different opinions of praise and criticism. Some viewers think that the project has an attractive idea, promising to bring a new experience. However, the film is still disappointing because of the limited script and uneven content development.

Impressive start but gradually losing steam

As the name suggests, Devil's Restaurant tells the story of a mysterious restaurant, where desperate people come to in their most miserable moments. When they step in here, they will be welcomed by a strange restaurant owner (Le Quoc Nam) and served dishes that are both attractive and creepy.

In return, the diners must agree to a terrifying deal. They will achieve their deepest wishes, but the price to pay is also very high, possibly exchanging the most precious things.

Le Quoc Nam plays the role of a strange chef in Devil's Restaurant.

This is a passion project by Ham Tran directed, cherished for a long time with many bloody, creepy scenes labeled T18 (not for audiences under 18 years old).

The first episode of Devil's Restaurant impresses with its meticulous visuals, carefully invested camera angles and settings, creating a feeling that is not inferior to international works. The storytelling is also attractive enough to draw viewers into the magical atmosphere that the director sets up.

Unfortunately, from episode two onwards, the plot of the film begins to show its shortcomings. Once the audience understands the story and knows what the director wants to convey, everything gradually becomes predictable and loses its appeal.

Because build in the form of anthology (collection film), the content of the film becomes more and more fragmented. Although creating a creepy atmosphere, the stories in the film are not too scary, especially for those who are used to watching horror films.

Uneven acting is the factor that makes the project lose points. Except for familiar faces like Le Quoc Nam or Kieu Trinh and the young cast still handled their characters unnaturally. Their dialogue is not good, sometimes expressing emotions awkwardly and lacking depth.

The post-production is also not great. The film's color scheme is overused with dark tones and dim yellow and red lights to create a gloomy and creepy feeling. This technique sometimes backfires, becoming unnatural and causing discomfort instead of adding tension.

The script is still forced.

In fact, the idea of combining culinary themes with social issues is not new in the horror genre. Previously, films such as The Menu (2022) or The Platform (2019) both succeed in exploring cuisine from a dark and suggestive perspective, reflecting on power, social and ethical relationships through eating.

Most recently, the Thai series Hunger (2023) also seeks to expose the dark side of the lavish culinary world, reflecting the disparity between social classes.

However, Devil's Restaurant has its own bright spots when trying to integrate Vietnamese cultural features into the way of exploiting cuisine and philosophy of life. Through familiar dishes, the film inserts lessons about karma and morality.

The script was written by Ham Tran and screenwriter Tran Hoai Nam. Each episode has completely independent content, revolving around the major sins in Buddhist teachings: Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Pride and Doubt.

But because of trying to include many messages, the film's script still reveals limitations with sometimes forced and illogical developments.

In episodes four and five, many of the plot twists don't make sense and just feel tiresome. The messages of injustice and anger are also not handled well enough, making the character's psychological transformation unconvincing.

In the final episode, the writers wanted to explain and connect the whole story but the result was confusing. Some details such as the origin of the demon restaurant and the forces behind it were not explained or clarified to convince the viewers.

Ignore the restrictions, Devil's Restaurant still a remarkable effort of the crew, especially in the context Vietnamese movies There is still a lack of bold ideas.

The appearance of the work is a positive sign that Vietnamese television dramas are gradually finding ways to innovate and approach international trends.

Some audiences still quite like the direction of director Ham Tran, so they hope the series will continue to have subsequent seasons and overcome the limitations of the first season.

Although it cannot reach the level of famous series like Stranger Things good Black Mirror , it is very possible that in the future Vietnam can completely create works that have great appeal in the world market, even creating a fever like Squid Game .

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