Bay Rong or Clash is more than just a fast paced action movie with solid fighting scenes, rough shooting sequences and a few car and motorcycle chases even though these elements are very present in this worthwhile flick.
The movie also has a story line that seems to be quite thin at first sight but it gets more and more developed as time goes by. One even gets a few twists towards the end that keep the pace of the movie high until the end. With a little bit more than ninety minutes, the movie hits a nearly perfect running time for a flick like this.
The good effects caused by the well elaborated story is also due to some major character development. While some characters seem superficial at first sight, they get more and more important as the story goes on. Especially the main characters played by a charismatic and cool Johnny Tri Nguyen and a tough and powerful woman with a breakable side portrayed by the amazing Thanh Van Ngo really impress and are well chosen for their roles. They also develop a convincing partnership and later on love story that develops logically and without too many stereotypes throughout the movie. Only the villains are less convincing as their side of the story is not very well explained and the movie wastes some potential on here as the main villain is intriguingly portrayed.
The movie is overall very well done and should please to fans of action movies of all kinds and maniacs of Asian cinema in general, too. On the other side, the movie somewhat lacks of impressive moments. There are some well done emotionally charged parts, the action choreography is professional enough to convince and the story also has its highlights but nothing truly stands out or will make you keep this movie in mind for a long time. It's a flick that I would definitely watch again with my friends as it's profound enough to grip your interest but also entertaining enough to be watched during a party without paying that much attention. That's why this movie is just situated between a seven and an eight point rating for me but as it lacks a little bit of identity, I ultimately chose the lower rating.
