Vietnamese 18+ horror movies are causing a fever

The Vietnamese horror series "The Devil's Restaurant" scores points with its ambitious script and impressive visuals. However, the film still has some limitations in its execution, making the stories not really create the necessary weight.

Series Devil's Restaurant (International title: Devil's Diner is the first Vietnamese series to be exclusively released globally by Netflix, simultaneously in more than 190 countries.

The series attracted attention because it gathered a famous cast including Kieu Trinh, Vo Tan Phat, Vo Dien Gia Huy, Ma Ran Do, Lan Thy... This is a passionate project by Ham Tran directed, cherished for a long time with many bloody, creepy scenes labeled T18 (not for audiences under 18 years old).

As soon as it was released, the work quickly became a hit, entering the top 10 of the most popular TV series rankings in many countries, including Vietnam.

Refreshing old motifs

Devil's Restaurant consists of six volumes, build in anthology form. Each episode is about 50 minutes long and has completely independent content but is also linked together.

As the name suggests, the film is about a mysterious restaurant where desperate people come when they are in the most difficult situation, not knowing where else to turn for help.

Here, diners are served delicious but terrifying meals by a strange chef (Le Quoc Nam), on the condition that they make a dark deal.

Then they will quickly get what they want but in return it will be at a very high price.

Each diner has to pay a very high price to get what they want.

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

The motif of "making a deal with the devil" is not new, it has been used in many foreign films such as The Devil's Advocate (1997), Pact with the Devil (2003), Death Note (2006)... These works all explore the story of the trade-off between personal aspirations and the price to pay, bringing profound and horrifying lessons about morality and cause and effect.

However, the writers still skillfully guide viewers through each story. Each episode reveals the hidden corners of the diners' personal lives, revealing secrets that they are willing to sacrifice everything to cover up.

Episode one revolves around a couple who have been trying hard but cannot have children. The wife often blames her husband for only caring about money and not caring about her feelings.

The second episode follows a son trying to escape his controlling mother, while the third follows a father seeking revenge for his lost son…

In this way, the chef character takes advantage of the desires of diners - people who are desperate to change their lives - to manipulate and lead them down the path of sin.

According to director Ham Tran, he not only tells stories that are deeply Vietnamese, but also universal stories about human aspirations, as well as difficult choices when faced with ironic situations.

Buddhist cultural and philosophical elements are gently integrated, creating a difference compared to works of the same motif.

Limited

Director Ham Tran is not a strange name to Vietnamese cinema lovers. He has worked on several projects. horror movie like Soul Stealer (2014), Seven spiritual mountains (2019) but enough to make a good impression.

With Devil's Restaurant , the filmmaker continues to promote the strength in film editing, adjusting the rhythm appropriately to create a sense of suspense and keep viewers interested through each episode.

The director does not overuse jump scares to scare. Instead, he focuses on psychological developments to build a tense atmosphere, creating a sense of insecurity and suspense.

It must be said that Devil's Restaurant The visuals are very impressive. The effects and techniques are skillfully handled to bring realism. The scenes of cutting fingers, slicing tongues or bleeding… easily make viewers shudder.

Acting is also a plus. “Comedian” Le Quoc Nam brings a new image when becoming a mysterious and scary chef. Kieu Trinh has no difficulty playing the role of a domineering, cruel but also loving mother.

Supporting actors such as Vo Tan Phat, Vo Dien Gia Huy, Ma Ran Do… also played their roles well. They conveyed the pain, despair and desire of each character, helping the story create emotions for the audience.

Actress Kieu Trinh appeared in episode two of the series.

However, Devil's Restaurant There are still some limitations. Although it creates a creepy atmosphere, the stories in the film are not too scary, especially for those who are used to watching horror movies.

Many details are still a bit forced or predictable, making the film's message not create the necessary weight.

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.

Six episodes Devil's Restaurant has many ambitious ideas but the implementation is still a bit safe. However, this is still a horror series worth enjoying, bringing interesting experiences to the audience.

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