Vinyan

8/30/20081h 36m

Theatrical Release (US)

Overview:

Six months after losing her only child in the Southeast Asia tsunami, Jeanne is convinced she sees him in a film about orphans living in the jungles.

Director:

Fabrice Du Welz

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

tsunami
stranded

Cast

Emmanuelle Béart

~ as ~

Janet Belhmer

Rufus Sewell

~ as ~

Paul Belhmer

Petch Osathanugrah

~ as ~

Thaksin Gao

Julie Dreyfus

~ as ~

Kim

Amporn Pankratok

~ as ~

Sonchaï

Josse De Pauw

~ as ~

Matthias

Omm

~ as ~

Sara

Apisit Opasaimlikit

~ as ~

Boomsong

Kurlab Lay

~ as ~

Boomsong's mom

Matt Ryder

~ as ~

Bideau

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

Wuchak
Written 2 year(s) ago
7
Haunting descent into jungle hell

An American couple in Thailand discover possible evidence that their young son who died in a tsunami six months earlier is still alive and living in the jungles of Myanmar (Burma). They pay some dubious characters a lot of money to go up river into the forbidden country. Things go from bad to worse.

Many viewers denounce "Vinyan" (2008) because it's not a typical horror film, but that's precisely why it's worthwhile. It's original. It's equal parts haunting, beautiful, strange and creepy. The plot is thin, yet the story maintains your attention.

The acting is excellent all around and you buy these people as real. The five main characters being: Paul and Jeane Bellmer (Rufus Sewell and Emmanuelle Béart), a human trafficker named Thaksin Gao, the captain of the small boat named Sonchaï and the couple's liaison, Kim (Julie Dreyfus).

Memorable parts abound, such as Kim's subtle-but-clear seduction of Paul, the beautiful floating-lanterns at the beach ceremony and the awesome tree fortress.

The meaning of the film is ambiguous, but it provokes thought on several things: The nature of grief (letting go or not letting go), obsession, madness, tribal instincts, going feral and more.

As for the tribe of lost kids in the last act, are they 'vinyan' -- angry, confused spirits who suffered horrible deaths -- or are they simply a pack of kids gone wild in the jungle à la "Lord of the Flies"? I say the evidence points to the latter.

In any case, "Vinyan" has elements of films like "Apocalypse Now," "The Emerald Forest," "Fitzcaraldo" (or "Aguirre") and the aforementioned "Lord of the Flies."

The film runs 1 hour, 36 minutes, and was shot in Thailand.

GRADE: B+