Vietnamese movies overcome the hundred billion dong fever

After a boom period with a series of hundred billion dong films, Vietnamese cinema is clearly slowing down. Recently released works have continuously recorded low revenue, facing mixed opinions about the quality of content and art.

Movie: Mother's Birthday. Photo: Provided by Galaxy Unit

Sales are sluggish, Vietnamese movies struggling

If from the beginning of 2025 to around August 2025, Vietnamese films witnessed spectacular acceleration with films such as "Lat mat 8", "Tham tu Kien", "Mua do"..., then in the fourth quarter of 2025, the market seemed to "cool down". Many works were released in theaters but did not create an effect, even falling into a loss situation.

A typical case is the film “Blindfolded Deer Catcher”, which only earned over 300 million VND as of the afternoon of November 3, a modest figure compared to projects not only in 2025 but also in the past many years for a film shown in theaters. The film was criticized for both its script and acting, becoming a typical example of the situation of “releasing a film to... have a film”.

The horror film “The Haunted House” after initially arousing curiosity has now stopped at 17 billion VND - a moderate result but far below expectations. Meanwhile, the black comedy “The Party Crasher: Mother’s Birthday” only reached 3.3 billion VND, this type of film is quite picky about the audience and lacks new highlights.

Another name is the movie “Cải ma” which, although holding the top spot at the box office at the time of its release, only earned over 11 billion VND. The movie was involved in a controversy related to actress Thien An.

The project has a rather interesting topic but the exploitation angle has not really attracted the audience. Although the film is ranked number 1 at the box office, on weekends, the project only earns 1-2 billion VND/day. Compared to previous outstanding projects, a weekend can bring in revenue of 20-30 billion VND, some films even earn about 40-50 billion VND.

Even highly anticipated projects like “Ngoai's Gold Nugget” - a film that brings together famous actors like Hong Dao and Viet Huong, with meticulous image investment, is currently only at 74 billion VND, unlikely to reach the hundred billion VND mark as initially predicted.

The number of films released in theaters has not decreased, but their quality and appeal have decreased significantly. Audiences are more cautious with Vietnamese films, after a long time of witnessing the gap between promotion and reality.

Vietnamese cinema repeats old mistakes

It can be seen that the main reason for the decline of Vietnamese films is the lack of good scripts and clear direction.

After the hundred billion dong fever, many producers rushed to follow the trend, reusing the old formula: exploiting family tragedy, charming comedy or spiritual elements. This repetition quickly bored the audience, and the box office gradually lost its appeal.

Another problem is the mismatched media strategy. Instead of focusing on content, many film crews try to attract attention with tricks: personal scandals, shocking statements, or over-the-top marketing. This may help the film attract attention in the first few days, but it will not retain the audience if the quality does not meet the requirements.

Compared to the previous period, viewers are now more alert and picky. They are willing to spend money on Vietnamese films, but only when they feel “worth the money”.

Recent successes such as “Fight to the Death” and “Red Rain” have something in common: solid content, sincere emotions and clear human values. That is what today’s filmmakers need to look back on.

In addition, competition with foreign films is increasingly fierce. Every month, Vietnamese cinemas welcome a series of Hollywood blockbusters and high-quality Korean and Japanese films, making it easy for domestic films that are not truly outstanding to be “swallowed up”. Cinemas are also forced to reduce screenings for Vietnamese films if their revenue is low, creating a vicious cycle that is difficult to escape.

However, the market still has opportunities if filmmakers focus on Vietnamese stories, exploiting the depth of Vietnamese culture and people instead of following trends. The hundred billion VND fever has passed, but that does not mean the door is closed. It is just a reminder that audiences are waiting for works that truly touch emotions.

Vietnamese cinema is entering a challenging period at the end of the year. Vietnamese films are forced to renew themselves, from scripts, acting to production thinking to be able to retain viewers.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/phim-viet-qua-con-sot-tram-ti-dong-3383077.html