'Hộ linh tráng sĩ' đẹp mắt nhưng quá tham lam
Conceived over nearly 10 years, with 83 days of filming and 7 months of post-production, Guardians of the Spirit is one of the most ambitious Vietnamese film projects of 2026. Director Nguyen Phan Quang Binh and his crew chose a path few dare to tread: creating a large-scale historical fantasy film that blends action, martial arts, and adventure.
The film is inspired by the legend of the 99 coffins transported from the imperial capital after the death of Dinh Tien Hoang to conceal the king's true resting place. From this historical mystery, the filmmakers constructed a journey for the warriors tasked with protecting not only the late Emperor's remains but also the "sacred land" and the nation's destiny against forces plotting to destroy them.
To bring this world to life, the production assembled a massive cast including Tuan Tran, Tran Thien Tu, Johnny Tri Nguyen, Quach Ngoc Ngoan, Do Thi Hai Yen, People's Artist Tu Long, People's Artist Nhu Quynh, Hua Vi Van, Le Vu Long, Nguyen Thuy Hien, Le Minh Thuan, and more.
The film features 12 action sequences, with significant investment in costumes, weaponry, and filming locations, and was released in IMAX format. All of this shows that this was not a project approached with hesitation. Guardians of the Spirit aims to prove that Vietnamese cinema is fully capable of telling historical fantasy stories using the language of modern commercial film.
Câu chuyện của Hộ linh tráng sĩ ôm đồm nhiều thứ, dẫn đến nhiều đáng tiếc.
As of noon on September 1st, the film's box office revenue reached approximately 20 billion VND, failing to break into the top 2 of the charts. The ticket sales efficiency per screening was also lower than that of its direct competitors.
Unfortunately, the ambition did not translate into corresponding box office results. After the initial release days, the film failed to create the necessary breakthrough despite having a high number of screenings and debuting during the National Day holiday.
However, it would be unfair to dismiss the film's entire effort based solely on revenue. The most obvious achievement of Guardians of the Spirit lies in its visuals. The mountains of Ninh Binh appear majestic, ancient, and weighty. The cliffs, caves, rivers, and forests do not merely serve as a backdrop but actively participate in the narrative. Humans appear small against the vast nature, allowing the film to find a natural epic quality without needing to constantly emphasize it through dialogue.
Tựu trung, Hộ linh tráng sĩ vẫn là bộ phim đáng thưởng thức.
But these production strengths cannot mask the work's biggest issue: a screenplay that is overly ambitious and cluttered. The film attempts to cover the secret of the 99 coffins, the escort journey, court upheavals, treasonous plots, the romance between Nguyen Phong and An Nhien, father-child bonds, community ties, loyalty, sacrifice, and the fate of the nation. Each element has the potential to be the center of its own film, but when placed together, they compete for attention.
Nevertheless, a positive sign is that the producers quickly listened to feedback and released a new 135-minute cut, trimming about 20 minutes from the early screening version. This is a rare decision for a Vietnamese film already in release.
The new cut cannot fully resolve the structural issues inherent in the script, but it has made the viewing experience clearer and more seamless. More importantly, it demonstrates the receptive attitude of the filmmakers.
Guardians of the Spirit remains a work worth enjoying on the big screen, especially for audiences interested in action, martial arts, and the beauty of Vietnam's mountains. The film has not reached the stature it set for itself, but it has at least proven that Vietnamese cinema has the production capacity to enter the realm of large-scale historical fantasy.
