The Longest River: The Hero of the Cunning is one of the most notable films released on May 1 at the Hoa Ngữ cinema. The film brings together numerous legendary martial arts characters from Hong Kong cinema, including the likes of God of War, Hong Jinbao, and Ngư Doãn Long. The storyline is inspired by the famous novel The Longest River: The Hero of the Cunning by author Dư Nhi Nguyễn. Prior to filming, the cast spent over a year training to perfect their martial arts skills and conceptualizing the action sequences in the movie.
The Longest River: The Hero of the Cunning’s impressive premiere at the cinema.
The plot of The Longest River: The Hero of the Cunning begins with the character Trần Lạc Quân (played by Lâm Phong) who decides to illegally enter Hong Kong. There, he is assisted by Long Quyền Phong (played by God of War) to survive in a chaotic area, filled with various dangers and social unrest.
The production budget exceeded 300 million RMB (over 1,000 billion VND), not including promotional costs. Of this, over 70 million RMB was allocated for the construction of the Longest River set. Upon its release, the film received positive feedback from critics and was widely promoted due to the star-studded cast. Notably, the action scenes in the film were highly rated by audiences. However, according to page 163, the current revenue of the film stands at only about 300 million RMB and is showing signs of a significant decline. Experts predict it will earn at least 100 million RMB (approximately 350 billion VND) after its theatrical run.
The failure of The Longest River: The Hero of the Cunning is attributed to several factors, resulting in a disappointing box office performance. According to page 163, the “showbiz king” of Hong Kong has continuously produced works that have underperformed at the box office, leading to a significant audience decline. Other films like Always in Love in Quarantine, Chân Tâm Quốc, and Phản Tham Phong Bảo have also struggled at the box office. The performance of God of War in this project has received better reviews than prior films but still lacks the stunning appeal that captivates audiences.
However, some opinions suggest that the disappointing box office results of The Longest River: The Hero of the Cunning partly stem from the lack of participation from major star actors, contributing to the competition in the box office being significantly less fierce. Meanwhile, Hong Kong films in recent years have also lost their captivating appeal to audiences as they once did.
