A closely contested race

With the usual dominance gone, the April 30th and May 1st holidays witnessed fierce competition among Vietnamese films. This is seen as a positive and much-needed sign for the Vietnamese film market. "Lật mặt 8: Vòng tay nắng" (Face Off 8: The Embrace of the Sun) grossed over 51 billion VND in the three-day weekend (May 2nd to 4th), maintaining its number one position at the box office.

As of 10 AM on May 5th, including early screening revenue and advance ticket sales, director Ly Hai's film has surpassed 151 billion VND. However, compared to "Lat Mat 7," which grossed 200 billion VND in just 6 days, the revenue of "Lat Mat 8" is somewhat modest. Some even argue that this represents a step backward for director Ly Hai.

Notably, this year's April 30th and May 1st holidays also ended the dominance of the "Lật Mặt" series, which had been established and maintained for nearly a decade. "Detective Kiên: The Headless Case," after deciding to move its release date forward by almost a month, from May 16th to April 25th, became a direct competitor to "Lật Mặt 8." With its quality receiving many positive reviews, director Victor Vũ's film proved to be no less competitive, grossing over 130 billion VND, consistently trailing and even surpassing the top spot in daily box office revenue at times.

From a positive perspective, the direct competition between "Lật mặt 8" and "Thám tử Kiên" is a welcome sign for the Vietnamese film market. Besides offering audiences more choices, it creates a race among producers, thereby improving the quality of films. When the market is no longer monopolized, well-made and dedicated films will resonate with audiences. This was demonstrated during the 2025 Lunar New Year film season, when Tran Thanh's film lost its dominant position, unlike in previous years.

Looking back at this year's April 30th and May 1st holiday film season, one positive aspect is that Vietnamese films remain a top choice and favorite among audiences. Even highly-rated blockbusters like Thunderbolts, or animated films like Shin Chan - The Mystery of Tenkasu Academy, and The Green Dinosaur's Journey Through the Comic Book World , only achieved modest box office revenue. This also means that opportunities for upcoming Vietnamese films such as Under the Lake, Red Rain, Making Money with Ghosts 2, and Ut Lan: The Vengeful Spirit of the Treasure… will be even greater if quality is maintained.

HAI DUY

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/cuoc-dua-can-suc-post793905.html