Johnny Trí Nguyễn nói "từng đề xuất phim chiếu thử lấy ý kiến khán giả".
On August 29, Johnny Tri Nguyen shared a "confession" after the producers of Hộ linh tráng sĩ: Bí ẩn mộ vua Đinh decided to release a shortened version of the film. The new cut, executed by director Nguyen Phan Quang Binh and director/editor Ham Tran, will be updated in cinemas starting the afternoon of August 30.
The action director hopes that cutting 20 minutes will help condense the story and increase the pacing. He called on audiences to head to the theaters during the fiercely competitive holiday film season.
“I invite everyone to book tickets for Hộ linh tráng sĩ. Although I am just a hired hand, I really hope historical films achieve great success at the box office. Because if they fail, it is likely that from now on, we will only be able to watch this genre through films made by AI,” wrote Johnny Tri Nguyen.
Drawing from the case of Hộ linh tráng sĩ, Johnny Tri Nguyen recounted the post-production process of The Rebel (Dòng máu anh hùng). The work by director Charlie Nguyen originally had a 120-minute cut.
“The Rebel had a 120-minute cut back then. It was 'terrible' to watch. Charlie Nguyen was too attached to the side scenes, making the film drag on uncomfortably,” he recounted.
The actor suggested organizing test screenings to gather audience feedback. When the cut received negative responses, he personally participated in the editing. “So I had enough of an excuse to go to Charlie's house, take over his computer, and spend a few days cutting out the side scenes. The film was reduced to 100 minutes. The result is the version of The Rebel that many of you have seen,” the actor added.
Based on this experience, Johnny Tri Nguyen had previously suggested that the producers of Hộ linh tráng sĩ organize test screenings to gather audience opinions. "I am not in a producer role, so sometimes I am hesitant to speak up. Regardless, seeing director and editor Ham Tran step in to cut 20 minutes of the film, I am reminded of The Rebel and think the results will be positive," Johnny Tri Nguyen added.
The actor believes that being too attached to individual scenes can cause filmmakers to lack an objective perspective.
“Passionate directors are often very attached to their 'brainchild,' and sometimes that very attachment causes them to lose an objective perspective. You must hold test screenings to get audience feedback to have a chance to see things that those on the inside cannot, providing the best experience possible,” he stated.
Thông báo nóng về phim ‘Hộ linh tráng sĩ’
Hộ linh tráng sĩ releases its shortened version on August 30. Before releasing the cut, Hộ linh tráng sĩ received mixed reviews. The film was praised for its visuals, filming locations, and fight choreography, but its nearly three-hour runtime left some audiences exhausted. Many character arcs and prolonged explanatory sequences also affected the narrative pacing.
On the first day of the National Day holiday, Hộ linh tráng sĩ grossed over 2.47 billion VND, selling 16,407 tickets across 1,512 screenings. The film currently ranks third in the daily box office chart with a total gross of over 10.7 billion VND.
Quý tử vượt giàu stands in second place with over 2.68 billion VND from 20,246 tickets across 2,005 screenings. The film by director Nguyen Quang Dung has reached over 8.3 billion VND. Leading the chart continues to be Nghỉ hè sợ nghỉ hưu by Huynh Lap. The film grossed over 6.75 billion VND for the day, selling 46,808 tickets across 2,400 screenings, reaching a total gross of over 129.7 billion VND.
