A Two-Hour Emotional Rollercoaster Through the Cu Chi Tunnels

It's been a while since I last ventured to the cinema, and even longer since I sat down for a film that transcended mere entertainment. "Địa đạo" (Cu Chi Tunnels) proved to be the perfect choice for such an occasion. I'll keep my thoughts on its strengths and areas for discussion concise here, inviting those who are considering watching it or have already seen it to join the conversation.

What Struck Me

1. Emotional Depth in Every Scene: For me, "Địa đạo" evoked a myriad of emotions across its distinct settings: day, night, and the world beneath the earth. A group of individuals grappling with life's profound questions, their ideals, fleeting desires, and scarred pasts, converge in one place. Their bond is forged by shared circumstances and a universal question: What am I fighting for? Anh Bay for loyalty, Tu Dap for atonement, Ba Huong for the peace of her loved ones... The only way for them to achieve their desires is to win and survive, day by day, carefully transmitting every signal within the tunnels. This perspective made the Cu Chi soldiers feel incredibly human. They were courageous in combat, yet as night fell, they wrestled with their personal crossroads – between life and death, joy and sorrow, love and hate.

2. The Power of Sound and Contrast: The stark contrast between day and night is perhaps the most evident visual element, but beyond that, it's the sound design, meticulously crafted by composer Clovis Schneider, that truly elevates the film. The audio cues hit precisely the right spots, instantly transporting me to new dimensions as intended by the director. The urgency in every breath, the crackle of radio transmissions, to the terrifying thud of bombs falling and the earth shattering... The music amplified every scene and etched the climactic moments deep into the viewer's mind.

3. Compelling Female Performances: Ho Thu Anh and Khanh Ly genuinely captured the multifaceted nature of women in wartime. They are dreamy, yearn for freedom, experience moments of vulnerability, yet remain resilient, enduring, and strong. Khanh Ly made me dislike her character, Cam, yet also feel profound pity for her; ultimately, she was just a twenty-something girl with little life experience. Ho Thu Anh, on the other hand, made me feel a surge of strength, inspiring me to protect what I cherish.

4. Excellent Makeup and Character Design (Mostly): The makeup and character design, particularly for Ba Huong and Bay Theo, deserve commendation. However, this also leads to one of my points of contention, which I'll elaborate on next.

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Points That Sparked My Curiosity

and Some Questions for the Director

My following observations are more curiosities about director Bui Thac Chuyen's intentions and the team's choices. I understand that cinematic settings involve a degree of artistic license, and I wasn't on set to evaluate their decisions, so these are purely my pondering thoughts.

1. The Scale of the Tunnels: The Cu Chi Tunnels are notoriously narrow, barely accommodating Vietnamese people, who often have to squeeze and crawl through. Yet, in some scenes, the rather large American soldiers appear to crawl through with ample space above their heads. If possible, I think adding more details to emphasize the confined space would have further underscored this reality. Because if it were that wide, any soldier could fit through... right?

2. The Character Design of Uncle Sau: I found the design for this character quite "safe" and somewhat disappointing. A man with a full, square face, salt-and-pepper hair (more grey than black), and glasses. I didn't get the sense that this was a leader from that era. His appearance felt more akin to the post-Doi Moi (reform period) era. And the glasses... did they even have such stylish frames back then? Therefore, I believe the portrayal of a Vietnamese cadre during wartime doesn't necessarily need to stick to pre-existing archetypes like being nearsighted, wearing glasses, or having a square face.

3. The Intimate Scene Towards the End: I understand that the intimate scene late in the film aims to convey the message that soldiers are human beings with hearts, love, and private lives they protect with their very existence amidst a life-or-death battlefield. However, I felt this message was already beautifully and completely conveyed through the embrace in the river between the two main characters. I didn't feel an explicit intimate scene was necessary. Moreover, this particular scene felt somewhat lacking in depth. Instead of using montage to create contrast as seen earlier in the film, the director chose to recreate the spatial contrast through sound accompanied by visuals, making the scene feel rather forced. But perhaps this is just my own preconception, having always framed certain images in a limited way. Warriors are indeed human; they also have deeply personal moments.