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The Rebel (2007 Vietnamese film)
Encyclopedia
The Rebel is a 2007
Vietnamese
martial arts film
directed by Charlie Nguyen
and starring Johnny Tri Nguyen
and Dustin Nguyen
. It premiered on April 12, 2007 at the Vietnamese International Film Festival
in Irvine, California
. It was released on April 27, 2007 in Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City
and played as the Closing Night film at the 2007 VC FilmFest in Los Angeles.
, and anti-French rebellions by peasants have emerged all over the country. In response, the French have activated units of Vietnamese secret agents to track and destroy the rebels. One agent is Le Van Cuong. Although branded with a perfect track record, Cuong's inner conscience is troubled by the sea of Vietnamese blood he has spilled. Following an assassination of a high ranking French official, Cuong is assigned to seek and kill the notorious leader of the resistance. Cuong encounters Vo Thanh Thuy, a relentless revolutionary fighter and the daughter of the rebel leader. She is captured and imprisoned by Cuong's cruel superior, Sy. Cuong suspects that Sy knew about the attack on the French official before it happened, and could have prevented it. Suspicious, he warns Thuy that her organization has a mole, helps break her out of prison and becomes a fugitive himself. Her fiery patriotism inspires Cuong, and he develops feelings for the young woman as well. Meanwhile, Sy is tracking Cuong and Thuy, knowing the pair will lead him to Thuy's father.
Parts of the film, mainly street scenes in the first half of the film, were shot in the old port town of Hội An
(standing in for Hanoi
).
The film has been released in Vietnam, where it proved to be very popular (actual ticket sales are not easily tracked in Vietnam). According to sources, it is the most expensive Vietnamese film with a budget of $1.5 million. Originally scheduled for a release on Aug. 26th, The Rebel was released in the United States on a two-disc DVD on September 30th, 2008 (from Dragon Dynasty). Johnny Nguyen, Dustin Nguyen, and Ngo Thanh Van not only provide an audio commentary, but also dubbed their own characters for the films English language track. It was also featured at the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival
, the Austin Film Festival
, the Hawaii International Film Festival
, and was the Opening Night screening at the 2007 Mammoth Film Festival
.
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
Vietnamese
Cinema of Vietnam
The cinema of Vietnam originates in the 1920s, and has largely been shaped by wars that have been fought in the country from the 1940s to the 1970s. Better known Vietnamese language films include Cyclo, The Scent of Green Papaya and Vertical Ray of the Sun, all by French-trained Việt Kiều director...
martial arts film
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
directed by Charlie Nguyen
Charlie Nguyen
Truc "Charlie" Nguyen is a Vietnamese American film producer, director, screenwriter and martial arts action director.Born in Saigon, Charlie Nguyen immigrated to Orange County, California in 1982 with his family, including his brother Johnny Tri Nguyen. Charlie fell in love with martial arts...
and starring Johnny Tri Nguyen
Johnny Tri Nguyen
Johnny Tri Nguyen is a Vietnamese American film and television actor, stunt double, and martial artist. He left Vietnam at the age of 8 with his mother, father, elder brother, and elder sister and moved to Los Angeles, CA. He is half Vietnamese and half Chinese, with his mother being...
and Dustin Nguyen
Dustin Nguyen
Dustin Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American actor, director, writer and martial artist. He is best known for his roles as Harry Truman Ioki on 21 Jump Street and as Johnny Loh on V.I.P.-Early life:...
. It premiered on April 12, 2007 at the Vietnamese International Film Festival
Vietnamese International Film Festival
First started in 2003, the Vietnamese International Film Festival is a biennial film festival organized by the non-profits Vietnamese-American Arts & Letters Association and UCLAs VietNamese Language and Culture...
in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
. It was released on April 27, 2007 in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
and Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
and played as the Closing Night film at the 2007 VC FilmFest in Los Angeles.
Plot
Vietnam in 1922 is under colonial French rulingFrench Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
, and anti-French rebellions by peasants have emerged all over the country. In response, the French have activated units of Vietnamese secret agents to track and destroy the rebels. One agent is Le Van Cuong. Although branded with a perfect track record, Cuong's inner conscience is troubled by the sea of Vietnamese blood he has spilled. Following an assassination of a high ranking French official, Cuong is assigned to seek and kill the notorious leader of the resistance. Cuong encounters Vo Thanh Thuy, a relentless revolutionary fighter and the daughter of the rebel leader. She is captured and imprisoned by Cuong's cruel superior, Sy. Cuong suspects that Sy knew about the attack on the French official before it happened, and could have prevented it. Suspicious, he warns Thuy that her organization has a mole, helps break her out of prison and becomes a fugitive himself. Her fiery patriotism inspires Cuong, and he develops feelings for the young woman as well. Meanwhile, Sy is tracking Cuong and Thuy, knowing the pair will lead him to Thuy's father.
Primary Characters
- Johnny Tri NguyenJohnny Tri NguyenJohnny Tri Nguyen is a Vietnamese American film and television actor, stunt double, and martial artist. He left Vietnam at the age of 8 with his mother, father, elder brother, and elder sister and moved to Los Angeles, CA. He is half Vietnamese and half Chinese, with his mother being...
as Le Van Cuong - A French-schooled Vietnamese man, skilled in martial arts, working as an agent under the French official to put an end to a rebellion that is happening in Vietnam. - Ngo Thanh VanNgo Thanh VanVeronica Ngô Thanh Vân is a Vietnamese dancer, singer, actress, and model. She is also known as Veronica Ngo or her initials NTV.-Biography:She was born on 26 February 1979 in Tra Vinh, Vietnam...
as Vo Thanh Thuy - The rebel leader's daughter who Cuong wishes to use to track him down. She is very skilled in martial arts as well. - Dustin NguyenDustin NguyenDustin Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American actor, director, writer and martial artist. He is best known for his roles as Harry Truman Ioki on 21 Jump Street and as Johnny Loh on V.I.P.-Early life:...
as Sy - Cuong's superior in the secret police, he is highly skilled in martial arts and possesses somewhat supernatural abilities. He is not adverse to using torture.
Secondary Characters
- Chanh Tin Nguyen as Cuong's Father - Cuong's Father once had power within the old Vietnamese regime until the French took over the country. Now he spents the rest of his day in an opium house. Cuong blames his for father for something that happen to his mother.
- Nguyen Thang as Hua Danh - Another Vietnamese agent working with Sy to stop the rebellion. Skilled in martial arts and also with a knife.
- Stephane GaugerStephane GaugerStephane Gauger is a Vietnamese-American film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer.-Biography:Born in Saigon, South Vietnam to an American civilian contractor and his Vietnamese wife, Gauger was raised in Orange County, California and graduated from California State University, Fullerton in...
as Dereu - Head of the French Secret Police force. His nationality is both French and Vietnamese. He has been in Vietnam for 10 years and looks forward to the day of retirement so can go back to his home country. He often insults Sy as a failures due to knowing Sy's father from before. - David Minetti as Tessier - A French officer who Cuong fought. He has high endurance, being able to continue fighting despite having been shot with a bullet.
Production
"The Rebel's" cast and crew shot for 80 days in Vietnam, whose film industry is still playing catch-up with Hollywood's and Hong Kong's. They had to deal with a number of obstacles, including crew members who got sick, actors who got hurt, and cultural police officers who monitored every move. In an interview with Johnny Tri Nguyen, he states that one of the hardest problem in making the film was finding the right actress for the main female character.Parts of the film, mainly street scenes in the first half of the film, were shot in the old port town of Hội An
Hoi An
Hội An , or rarely Faifo, is a city of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is located in Quang Nam province and is home to approximately 120,000 inhabitants...
(standing in for Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
).
Reception
2007 Bangkok International Film Festival
The 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival was held from July 19 to July 29, 2007, at SF Group's SF World Cinema at CentralWorld. The fifth consecutive year for the festival, organizers planned a program of about 100 films, with an emphasis on Asian cinema....
, the Austin Film Festival
Austin Film Festival
The Austin Film Festival was started in 1994 in Austin, Texas and is claimed to be "the first organization of its kind to focus on the writer’s unique creative contribution to the film and television industries"...
, the Hawaii International Film Festival
Hawaii International Film Festival
The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...
, and was the Opening Night screening at the 2007 Mammoth Film Festival
Mammoth Film Festival
The Mammoth Film Festival is an international film festival that takes place annually in Mammoth Lakes, California. The main event at the Mammoth Film Festival, the Feature Film Competition, is a unique elimination-style tournament...
.
Honour and awards
- VIFF 2007
- Feature film of 15th Vietnam Film Festival