Since its premiere, Detective Kien: The Headless Horror, directed by filmmaker Victor Vu, exceeded $9 million in gross earnings (around 250 billion VND). This Vietnamese highest-grossing thriller has introduced itself to audiences in the US and twelve other countries.
If a curious audience looks at Vietnam’s ten top-grossing movies of all time, they see an obvious pattern: light-hearted rom-com or suspenseful horror thriller.
Victor Vu has exploited the latter genre, infusing archetypal melodrama with a pinch of spiritual folklore in his earlier attempts. This time, Detective Kien–a spin-off narrative of its predecessor, The Last Wife–is complementing the genre with a presence of Northwestern Vietnam’s landscapes.
Minh Đô, the film’s set developer, noted that their vision was to “connect future film crews to even more beauty of Vietnam.”
His objective has proven effective, when search terms related to Detective Kien often include results of historical and natural attractions. Below is a closer look at the locations drawing that attention.
Khuổi Ky Village - Cao Bằng
This 400-year-old village, recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism as “an exemplary traditional cultural village of ethnic minorities,” is 100% occupied by the Tay People.
Located 2km away from the renowned Bản Giốc waterfall, Khuổi Ky Village is tucked between exuberant mountains. Also called “the stone village,” its tilt houses are completely made with stones, giving a timeworn look that provokes nostalgia.
"A very charming layout," says Đinh Ngọc Diệp in a Victor Vu Films’ promotion, who plays the film’s female lead. The village’s layout is emblematic of the traditional Vietnamese architecture: the mandarin’s mansion at the center, the village market nearby and villager houses scattered around.
Vinh Quý Burnt Grass Hill - Cao Bằng
Victor Vu “fell in love” with the location as soon as his crew stepped onto Vinh Quý Grass Hill. “Riding calmly on horseback, with courage and righteous conviction, Detective Kiên enters a mysterious town, facing dangers beyond imagination…”
In the movie, the hill routes Detective Kiên, the protagonist through a picturesque alley of highs and lows. In real life, from October to January every year, this place transforms into long stretches of orange-yellow burnt grass, reminiscent of a wistful autumn romance.
If Detective Kien showcases the mountainous beauty of Vietnam through scenes in Cao Bằng, then the waters of Northwestern Vietnam are are every bit as captivating with more stunning locations yet to come.
Khuổi Nhi Waterfall - Tuyên Quang
Sitting in the middle of a pristine forest, adjacent to Tuyên Quang hydroelectric dam, Khuổi Nhi Waterfall is a long reach by boat.
Vietnam houses countless waterfalls, from Bản Giốc in the North, Bạch Mã in the central region to Pongour in the South.
“But finding a fall that fits the script is uphill challenging,” says Diệp. She continues: “secluded, soulful but not boastful, and facilitative of the crew’s transport.” Four scouts, 20 waterfalls. Khuổi Nhi fall is the chosen location.
Adventurers will be challenged with a trek through forest edges, long streams and rushing whitewater. The reward is worth the grind, though: the thunderous roar of the falls upon entrance, a refreshing soak in crystal-clear waters, and glimpses of stream fish darting along the way.
Bản Cài Reservoir- Tuyên Quang
“The lake hit home immediately,” says Victor Vũ. Bản Cài Reservoir ticks all the boxes he was looking for: an intact atmosphere, a striking lake sitting on the mountains.
“Lake on the mountain” is the Vietnamese epitome to impeccable beauty. The yin of water and the yang of the forest, these two components are inseparable.
A drone capture of Bản Cài Reservoir exudes grandeur. A vast, seemingly endless lake cradling the unassuming fishermen village. In the distance boasts numerous limestones, the thousand-year product of erosion.
If Detective Kiên has shown us anything, it’s that Vietnam’s landscapes, be it mountainous, misty, or tucked into a waterfall, speak a universal language of wonder, one powerful enough to draw the world in.
The movie employs a fully residential, 400-year-old Tày village to recreate Kinh (or Viet) people’s dynamics in the 19th century. It is recommended that any advertisement of the movie acknowledges the exchange of culture so as to minimize risks related to cultural appropriation.