Journey from the fall (A film review)
Faith. It is one of the few things that nobody could’ve ever taken away from you. But sometimes, your faith is being measured, Just like the main characters of the film “Journey from the fall”, A Vietnamese film that was written and directed by Ham Tran.
The film is set on the time when Vietnam War has just ended. American soldiers returned to their homeland while Vietnamese was turned over with the Chinese Communist Government. Those Vietnamese who allied with Americans to free their country to any form of communism were captured. They were forced to manual labor and undergone re-education program in Re-education camp site by teaching them communism ideals by their own kind.
Despite of the fact that his life is at stake anytime, Long trusted his faith to his ideals-that one day, his homeland (Vietnam) will be completely freed to communism or such. His faith for his country made him a choice to let his family go on and live without him. He also considered that he’s already dead when Vietnam crumbles underneath the Chinese communism.
I think there are strong images that were also included in this film that holds the key for better understanding it. First is the Legend of Le Loi. The Legend of the Hanoi River is a story that tells how Le Loi who was an ordinary farmer became the first emperor of Vietnam. The story goes like this, Le Loi borrowed a magical sword to the turtle king, King Quy who lives in Hanoi River to defeat the Ming army who invades their homeland and after that, He was hailed as their emperor. As I watched how long’s life was told, It seems that his decisions and experiences are quite the same with Le Loi. He was an ordinary loving head of their family living peacefully together with them but not until the war broke out and he had to join the army of America just to free Vietnam from Chinese communist invader. He was captured by communist but he tried to escape the re-education camp site and went to the River. Though he was killed by a gun not a sword.
Second is the box ‘Bartolina’ and the boat that his family used to escaped in Vietnam. It made me think about the definition of Freedom. It made me think that how much it would cost just to gain their ideal ‘freedom’. It was also said in the film by some characters that how can they considered that Vietnam was truly free when it feels like they were put in bigger box.
Lastly, the kite. Before the war, Long’s family loves to fly a kite during sunny days but was ended so soon when the war started. In the scene wherein long was shot in a river by the officer a flashback of them flying a kite so high made me think that maybe, It symbolizes that he’s going away or his life is beginning to fade away.
Moreover, I think that aside from family, friendship, patriotism, faith and freedom. It also tackles the theme of individuality in terms of ideals. For me, I’ve come up with the realization that you cannot push your ideals, mind-set and your perspective to others just because you were told that you are right. There’s always another side of the story.
so what do you realized by watching this film?
Share your thoughts now in the comment section below!
The Movie Buff 🎥 