Linh
is like a Vietnamese Zatoichi, except she doesn’t even use a sword. She can
make do with her cane or any staff-like object that comes to hand. She is
looking for the man who stole her eyes, but she is already too enlightened for
revenge. However, the ruthless One-Eyed Cuong is a different story. A showdown
is therefore inevitable in Luu Huynh’s Lost
Eyes (trailer
here),
which screens during the 2015 edition of New Vietnamese Cinema at the Honolulu
Museum of Art.
Linh
was born with supernaturally intense blue eyes. Unfortunately, Cuong, a low
level thug and general underworld whipping boy, receives magical instructions
from a crooked priest allowing him to steal their power to fuel his own
ambitions. Even though he sort of botches the job, he still gets enough juice
from the ritual to become the top kingpin. Tragically, he kills both of Linh’s
parents in the process, but a convent takes in the young peasant girl, where
she duly receives instruction in martial arts.
Through
her own clairvoyant rituals, Linh’s teacher discovers her mother’s spirit now
resides in Cuong’s heart, where she lays massive guilt trips on the savage
gangster. If Linh successfully faces the man who stole her eyes, she will see
her mother once again. So she does not blow into town for the sake of
retribution. However, if she just so happens to get some payback as part of her
loftier goal then so be it.
Lost Eyes is a throwback in
the best way possible. It is mostly about gritty, grungy street-fighting, but
it layers some spiritual seasoning on top, just the way we like it. Frankly,
this is the sort of film that built Golden Harvest back in the day and it still
works for contemporary audiences.
As
Linh, Ngoc Thanh Tâm shows instant star power and profound action cred. Likewise,
Binh Minh chews enough scenery to be a worthy nemesis as Cuong. Thúy Vinh
(still striking looking, despite the film’s de-glamouring) nicely handles the mystical
business as Linh’s priestess-guru. There are also plenty of talented stunt
performers, who will get thoroughly smacked around by Linh and Cuong.
