"Red Rain" - Tragic, heroic, and visually stunning.

(Baohatinh.vn) - Hundreds of viewers in Ha Tinh who attended the premiere of the film "Red Rain" were deeply moved and filled with pride about the struggle to protect the homeland.

Báo Hà Tĩnh•22/08/2025

The film "Red Rain" (script by writer Chu Lai, directed by Meritorious Artist Dang Thai Huyen) is 124 minutes long. "Red Rain"—the biggest film project in the past 10 years of the People's Army Film Studio—authentically recreates the fierce battle fought by our army and people during the 81 days and nights of defending Quang Tri Citadel in 1972.

A large number of viewers in Ha Tinh lined up to buy tickets and arrived early at CGV Vincom Ha Tinh cinema before the early screening on the evening of August 21st.

The film opens with a train carrying soldiers to the front lines, accompanied by their loved ones. They depart with the mindset of dedicating everything to the South and the reunification of the country, carrying with them the memories, worries, and hopes of their homeland.

These soldiers were only eighteen or twenty years old, from diverse backgrounds—students, farmers, electricians… They came from all three regions of Vietnam—North, Central, and South—as the squad leader of Squad 1, Ta, told his comrades: "It seems the whole country is going to war." From the very first moment they entered the battlefield, they immediately faced the ferocity of enemy bombs and bullets, with intense bombing and shelling along the Thach Han River…

But after a moment of bewilderment, the young soldiers charged into battle. Not only did they see bombs, bullets, and the enemy's ferocity, but they also received the most direct warning from their commander: Entering the Citadel meant certain death. Hundreds of comrades fell each day in that battle, but those who remained undaunted. Facing life and death, enduring rain, cold, and hunger, they remained steadfast, fighting to their last breath.

Some impressive scenes from the film. Photo: DPCC

Alongside the story of the brave young soldiers fighting for every inch of land against the enemy is the story of the negotiations at the Paris Conference between representatives of the various sides, making the narrative even more dramatic and meaningful.

Veteran Ha Van Kham (Thanh Sen ward) expressed: “I was a soldier who participated in many battles during the resistance war against the US. Watching the film “Red Rain,” I felt deeply moved, as if I were seeing myself and my comrades fighting in those battles. The film realistically recreated the fierce battles fought by our army and people back then. I am proud, but I also deeply miss my fallen comrades.”

Veteran Ha Van Kham (a spectator from Thanh Sen ward).

Traveling nearly 20 km from Cam Hung commune to watch the first screening of the film "Red Rain" with her children and grandchildren on the evening of August 21st, Mrs. Hoang Thi Thao (86 years old) was moved: "I am happy to see my children and grandchildren watching the film and crying. I told them: our country has never surrendered to the enemy, even the strongest enemy, even if it meant sacrifice, our grandparents, fathers, and uncles were always ready to stand up and fight to the last breath. We must always be grateful to the heroic martyrs, the soldiers who took up arms to protect the Fatherland."

Recent films about the Vietnam War have been a controversial genre, failing to live up to expectations regarding the realism of battle scenes and even the storylines… But, “Red Rain” has far exceeded the initial expectations of many.

The film "Red Rain" was meticulously produced in terms of setting and personnel.

Mr. Nguyen Hoanh Hai Trieu (Ha Huy Tap ward) shared: “The film is captivating, the characters, despite being numerous, each have their own story and distinct personality, and the plot is compelling. In particular, the film features elaborate set design, from wide-angle battle scenes to close-quarters combat scenes using martial arts… everything is very realistic and visually stunning. The special effects for explosions and gunfire are also much better than those in recent Vietnamese films on the same subject. All of this has made the film appealing to young people like me and has awakened in me a strong sense of national pride.”

Besides the direct stories of soldiers fighting on the battlefield, "Red Rain" also features a pure, simple, yet heartfelt love story between a soldier and a boatwoman on the Thach Han River.

The performances were all realistic, clearly portraying the characters' personalities and characteristics.

In particular, a strong point of "Red Rain" is its portrayal of soldiers on the other side of the battle lines and their families (Quang, a general of the Republic of Vietnam). The film has many metaphorical and cinematic images, including the scene where Cuong – a revolutionary soldier – and Quang fight hand-to-hand on the 81st day of the war. Both fall, as Quang realizes that the war he represented was meaningless. They die from the bullets of the remnants of the Republic of Vietnam army, their scarves torn into an S shape during the struggle. Or the scene at the end of the film, after peace is restored, where the two mothers of the two soldiers sit together in a boat, releasing flowers into the river to commemorate their sons and the soldiers… These are scenes with a dialectical and deeply humanistic message.

With its rich content and artistic merit, "Red Rain" is a worthy film for audiences to watch in theaters, especially during the nationwide celebration of the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2nd). Watching the film reveals the immense sacrifices, hardships, and bloodshed of our ancestors who dedicated their lives to the country's peace and development.

To serve our audience, in the coming days, we will increase the number of screenings and prioritize all capacity for "Red Rain". On average, we will schedule about 20 screenings of "Red Rain" each day to meet the public's demand for movie viewing. Currently, advance ticket bookings for the next four days have reached 65-70%.
Mr. Nguyen Tri Hung - Director of CGV Vincom Ha Tinh Cinema