Fish, Fists and Ambergris

Story: For generations, a fishing village has been home to a temple where a whale statue made of ambergris is worshipped. According to legend, 200 years ago, a whale guided the unseaworthy ship of some fishermen safely to shore. Ever since, the whale that sacrificed itself for them has been revered. Tam (Quang Tuan) is the successor to the temple guardian and, like everyone in the village, is thrilled when his brother Tuan (Ma Ran Do) returns from the big city for the grand festival honoring the whale. They drink in a relaxed atmosphere and enjoy a wonderful evening, until a sobering reality sets in the next morning. The valuable ambergris statue has vanished, and so has Tuan. Tam and his friend Hoang (Tram Minh Hoang) therefore travel to Saigon to track Tuan down. Starting their search at the local fish market, they get Tuan's address from a vendor named Ut Linh (Nguyen Thao) after helping her fend off some gangsters trying to extort her. Tam and Hoang discover that Tuan's business ventures went completely south and that he is deep in debt. Having borrowed money from the wrong people, he became so desperate that he stole the ambergris statue to sell it. As luck would have it, he owes money to the exact same people Tam already clashed with at the fish market, making a peaceful resolution seem highly unlikely ...

Review: I can probably count the number of Vietnamese films I've seen on one hand. The most recent was "Furies", an action flick that successfully proved the country definitely knows how to do action, but not much else has really landed on my radar. That is, until I stumbled across the peculiarly titled "Fish, Fists and Ambergris" by chance. A trip back in time to the 80s, when goofy slapstick was still fun, done entirely in the style of Jackie Chan, complete with bone-crunching stunts? That certainly sounded right up my alley. And indeed, I can say right off the bat that this action comedy hits all the right notes, especially when it comes to humor. It's the kind of slapstick that also worked so well in "Kung Fu Hustle", and the film makes no secret of its inspirations, offering up several nice easter eggs and references. As for the action, it clearly takes cues from Jackie Chan and the brutal stunts of "Ong Bak", which ultimately just creates incredibly entertaining chaos.

Strictly speaking, it even lifts its premise from the Thai Tony Jaa movie. As a result, the plot would be entirely negligible if it weren't built on a foundation of solidarity and brotherhood. On a dramatic level, this achieves far more than one might expect. Naturally, this encompasses the story of the two brothers, but it also extends to the community of the entire fishing village, where people support each other and everyone, despite their rough edges, is deeply warm-hearted. Right at the beginning, during a communal meal and drinking session, we are treated to all sorts of nonsense that sets the tone for the film's humor. The dialogue is engagingly written, and humorous banter lets us learn a bit about the characters — though they naturally remain somewhat broadly drawn sketches. Because of this, you're not just twiddling your thumbs waiting for the next action sequence and getting bored during the downtime; thanks to the humor, you're having fun the entire time.

A prime example of the witty dialogue and developing relationships occurs when Tam, our honorable, serious, and rather quiet hero, is confronted by Ut Linh, who has her eye on him. In Vietnam, good friends will often refer to each other as sister or brother, but the girl suggests that Tam's brother might as well just call her sister-in-law, prompting Hoang to physically cringe with second-hand embarrassment. Scenes like this, which might seem difficult to pull off on paper, hit the bullseye every single time in "Fish, Fists and Ambergris". The slapstick moments are particularly effective on a physical level, and I was myself surprised to realize later on that not a single scene stuck in my memory as feeling too over-the-top. Cultural expectations regarding comedy naturally play a major role here, but I can say with full conviction that the humor will win over an international audience as well. A lot of credit for this also goes to the supporting cast.

During the fights in particular, it falls to Hoang to play the clown, even though he can undoubtedly hold his own when push comes to shove. However, his fighting style mostly involves utilizing his surroundings and mocking his opponents in the process. He's also never at a loss for a smart remark whenever he takes a hit himself. Humor aside, the fights are undeniably impressive. Personally, I felt they lacked just a tiny bit of polish; it often seems like they want to deliver bone-crunching stunts while still keeping the actors' safety in mind. That's probably for the best, but you won't find genuine "wow" moments on the level of "Ong Bak" here. Nevertheless, a few surprising sequences did make their way into the movie. Towards the end, the choreography really kicks things into high gear as well. But my biggest praise for the fights is that director Duong Minh Chien always knows when enough is enough and pivots back to working with the characters. Consequently, the film's pacing is one of its greatest assets.

For a long stretch, however, I found myself missing a genuinely dangerous villain. Tam can effortlessly take out anyone in a fight. To the film's credit, a few creative obstacles are thrown in his path to explain why he can't fight at full strength, but ultimately, it's just a bit too little. By the time a fighter who actually seems superior finally appears, it almost feels a little too late. Still, the showdown delivers. On top of that, there are a few emotional scenes that hit surprisingly close to home, probably because the characters have grown on you so much. On an interpersonal level, the story also doesn't miss the opportunity to flesh out the complicated relationship between Tam and Tuan, with Tuan in particular coming across as more complex than is typical for this kind of action comedy. The balance of emotion and humor, combined with more than solid action, ultimately makes "Fish, Fists and Ambergris" an incredibly entertaining rollercoaster ride and one of the best action comedies in the style of 80s Hong Kong cinema to come out in recent years. Definitely recommended!

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