"MAIKA" // SUNDANCE 2022 WRAP-UP
Writer/Director Ham Tran was last at the Sundance Film Festival 15 years ago and he now returns this year with the first ever Vietnamese sci-fi family film MAIKA. The film is a broad stroke attempt at sci-fi from the versatile director. It sets up the story with an alien space craft crashing and a young alien escaping onto earth, first in the form of a glowing alien and then taking the form of an 8-year-old girl who calls herself Maika (Chu Diep Anh). A young boy, Huang (Lai Truòng Phù), meets her and forms a close bond with her, filling a gap that has been left in his life since the death of his mother. His father is a loving father but very busy, so Huang's new friendship fits into his life perfectly. Soon, Maika reveals her powers as she helps Huang fight off some intruders and his father Thanh (Ngòc Tuòng) meanwhile, is trying to keep his head above water with his repair business and his relationship with a local nurse seems to be blossoming into something more. All the while Maika searches for a way to fix her spacecraft so she can return home.
MAIKA is only the second sci-fi film ever to be produced in Vietnam and it's the first family friendly one. Primarily it seems to be aimed at the tween and younger set and liberally borrows from films like E.T. Though it may not be the most originally film, it does have a fun spunk to it and has an admirable indie spirit to it. The effects aren't great, but they are serviceable and the cast are all clearly having a blast. The kids cast reminded me of a kind of an American 80's slapstick vibe. It's silly and fun and not taking itself too seriously. The cinematography is sharp and the score is fun, anchoring MAIKA with a harmless, fun vibe that may not cross over to a huge box office success her in the states but is a silly and fun watch nonetheless.
GRADE: B
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Ham Tran STARRING Lai Truòng Phù, Chu Diep Anh, Ngòc Tuòng. SELECTED AS PART OF THE 2022 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL. FOR MORE INFO: MAIKA