Foggy Mountain, a martial artist arts action thriller hailing from Vietnam, hits Digital this week from Well Go USA. It is one to watch.
Vietnam is not historically known for its Martial Arts movie industry, but that may be on the verge of changing. Foggy Mountain, a well made, low budget martial arts movie follows the very formidable Vietnamese martial arts action Fury films.
Its plot is a simple revenge thriller, an aged old martial arts movie troupe. The script is universal and solid. The setting, the "Foggy Mountains", of Vietnam lends itself to a dramatic backdrop for the film. It actually takes on the role of an ancillary character.
The Direction by Phan Anh is good. The cast is filled with little known actors, outside Vietnam, who do a good job creating compelling characters in highly watchable performances.
The fight choreography is very good. The filmmakers opted for realistic martial arts choreography and weapon choreography rather than flashy and "over the top" scenes. These are realistic, and part of the film's strength. They remind me of the fight sequences of South Korea's Revenger, a great film.
Peter Pham stars in this one, and he is a rising star. His martial arts curriculum vitae includes a plethora of styles including Taekwondo, JKD, Kung-fu, and more. He is a very gifted martial artist, and understands how to translate these skills to the silver screen in a way that is reminiscent of Iko Uwais, who we perceive as one of the top martial arts movie stars in the world today.
Pham not only succeeds in his execution of the fight sequences. He does a solid job in the dramatic undertones, which drive his revenge filled journey. The film clearly wants dimension to the story, and the characters, and Pham is part of making that work. With little dialogue we see him as an amateur fighter, a master, a family man, and dangerous foe. I see great things in Pham-both in and out of the Vietnamese martial arts film industry.
Foggy Mountain is a hidden gem and worth watching. I recommend it.
Also released under Dinh Mu Suong and The Foggy Mountain.
