"Money Traps" - A Warning About Fraud and Greed

Belonging to the psychological crime genre, director Oscar Duong's film "Money Trap" draws viewers into a dramatic story while sending a clear message: money doesn't fall from the sky; ill-gotten gains always come with traps or unforeseen misfortunes! The film is currently showing in theaters nationwide.

Movie poster.

The main character is Dang Thuc (Lien Binh Phat), a financial specialist working at SM Group. He and Tam (Tam Trieu Dang) are both colleagues and lovers. Thuc's younger sister, My (Mai Cat Vy), has a serious heart condition and needs 900 million VND for surgery. Thuc seeks help from an old friend to borrow money. The friend sends him a link to the DealZ app, asking him to download it to his phone and follow the instructions to earn money. Depending on the amount of money, the accompanying tasks will be simple or complex. Thuc chooses 100 million VND and completes the first task quite easily. He gradually chooses higher amounts, up to billions of VND, wanting to treat his sister's illness, marry Tam, and pay off Tam's mother's debts. However, the tasks Thuc needs to complete become increasingly difficult, even illegal. Having fallen into the money trap and unable to escape, Thuc and many others must pay a heavy price for their greed…

"Money Trap" explores the high-tech fraud theme that is currently attracting social attention. The film's novelty lies in its sophisticated and unique scam: offering money and demanding the completion of a task. Completing the task earns money; failing to do so results in a heavy price, even death. And somehow, all actions of the person carrying out the task are monitored and recorded, used to control and force them to complete the mission. Therefore, those who are "caught" cannot escape. The same applies to Thuc. The more he struggles and resists, the more he is pursued, ultimately meeting a bitter end.

The film starts well, with a fairly logical plot development that pushes the characters into a corner where they have no choice but to sell themselves for money. As the film progresses, more surprises arise. The app not only controls and manipulates the person performing the task but also offers features like emergency support and fulfilling the task performer's requests… Other victims of the app gradually emerge, and surprisingly, they are all acquaintances of Thuc. And each of them meets a tragic end.

The film's biggest weakness lies in its plot development and ending. The choice of an open ending might be intended to set the stage for a sequel, but it should at least answer the basic questions of the viewers. A plot twist should be resolved, but many plot twists are created without being addressed: from the mysterious death of the boss to the events in Thuc's mission. Even Tam's decision to join the app at the end of the film, understood as revenge for Thuc, is only briefly mentioned without explanation. Ultimately, how does that app operate? What power is behind it that allows it to reach a global audience? What is the significance of the final scene featuring a famous Korean actor, or is it just a publicity stunt? The lack of answers disrupts the film's narrative, leaving viewers feeling disappointed.

However, watching the film makes it even clearer to the audience: money obtained through dishonest means will sooner or later bring disaster. Therefore, don't be greedy!

CAT DANG

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/-bay-tien-loi-canh-tinh-ve-lua-dao-and-long-tham-a202245.html