Vengeance according to the Oxford English Dictionary is defined as “the act of punishing or harming someone in return for what they have done to you, your family, or your friends”. It is perhaps the biggest staple of action cinema with so many plots centered around this notion. “Foggy Mountain” is one of the latest to follow this well-trodden path. As Well Go USA release it onto the various media platforms, it's time to look at this Vietnamese tale and see if it can add anything new.
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An underground fighter Phi (Peter Pham) wants to retire after a last contest to raise money to fix his wife's sight. Despite winning, he is betrayed by gang boss Ba Rau (Thach Kim Long) who had bet on him to lose. After being knocked unconscious, he escapes to find his wife dead. Swearing revenge, he goes in search of his enemy who has escaped and fled. He encounters his former pupil Bang (Le Thao), village chief Vang Pa (Pham Huy Thuc) who has been blackmailed into aiding Ba Rau and several children whom Phi inadvertently becomes protector of. Despite these distractions, he remains focused on his mission, even if it means losing his own humanity as a result.
On surface, “Foggy Mountain” ticks most of the standard cliches familiar with the genre. The slain wife Lahn (Truc May) is as always incredibly virtuous and largely seen in flashback. So, at first glance it's a standard stereotype. The focus being on the actual act of vengeance itself, there is rarely time to see the actual relationship between the hero and those he is seeking vengeance for. We get the usual slushy cuts to their relationship during the movie's progression but it's in the way we would expect with fond memories without ever providing any depth. To add to the cliches, Phi was fighting to fund an operation to save her sight. Then in the last 10 minutes, we get a reveal that turns things around. Whilst it could be seen as another way to make her more virtuous, it works brilliantly. It adds depth to the central villain and works in context of him always having a plan. It also is a reveal that throws the act of vengeance itself and questions it, providing a moment of thought that is very rare in action cinema.
It also allows some depth to an otherwise one-note humorless central role. Phi is consumed with revenge and whilst rediscovers some humanity in his rescuing of the captured children, vengeance is his ultimate goal. At the outset of the feature, he is reminded that “If everyone wanted an eye for an eye, then the whole world would be blind”. Throughout, there are references that revenge is ultimately futile and it's implied that he is damming himself in his quest. Initially he rejects Bang's pleas to help rescue and protect the children only to relent. The final act allows him to restore his humanity although the final shot leaves him with an uncertain future.
For a revenge narrative to work, you need a suitably loathsome villain to engage the audience and empathize with the blood quest. Here we get two. Thach Kim Long is excellent as the central antagonist. Completely Machiavellian and always one step ahead of the game. His permanently smiling features only encourage the audience to will his demise. His henchman, Voong Akor is a perfect counterpart. During the chase in the forest he doesn't run, instead walks steadily like a masked killer in a slasher film. Simon Kook brings a solid presence and is reminiscent of the type of supporting villain that Bolo Yeung would play. A giant physique with martial skills to back it up. His confrontation with Phi is as bone crunchingly brutal as you would expect.
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The action direction is very well done. There is a little bit of enhancement in some of the sequences but more to emphasise the impact of the blows. Hence, we get punches through objects and a bit of wirework once a blow has been struck. It's not too apparent and the sparing use only makes it more effective. The action is clear and not too hurried, with some of the combatants given different styles to avoid over repetition.
With a short running time (86 minutes) you are never going to get a lot of depth in terms of characterization. It does tick a lot of the standard cliches that would be expected, yet despite this and what appears a limited budget, it has enough ideas and action to justify giving a try. Definitely worth a watch.
