America!

I love that the director put up a title slate at the beginning of the film that said this isn't based on events in the past or present, and these events will never happen in the future. So chill.

A great nihilistic, violent gorefest that feels like a mixture of art film, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and those Two Days in the Valley type puzzle films that were around so much in the nineties.

Right off the bat we are treated to a shot we've seen in many Vietnamese, Taiwanese or Thai films, of a couple on a moped, peacefully driving down the beautiful street while listening to music. And then it seems like the director says, "Fuck that" and something very unexpected happens. And it gets much worse.

I don't get all the commentary in the film, but like many of the best films with messages, even if you don't "get' them, you're keen to research and discover them. I'm sure there is commentary on America's place in Vietnam, since all the horrors are centred around a KFC, American tourists are useless and their imports, like fried chicken, are harmful. But the Vietnamese people may try to appropriate it, like blending Pepsi and Coke. And maybe some puke too.

I'll be watching this again quite soon, and hopefully finding a couple good articles to read on it even sooner. A great debut!