If there is a film I have seen this year that felt more like inside baseball than Tshiong (2017), I cannot think of it. Nor can I imagine such a film, since this one is a comedy-drama starring Taiwanese heavy metal band Chthonic with a focus on Taiwanese independence and nationalism, Chinese investment and interference in Taiwanese society, and features a lengthy comedic cameo by Lamb of God lead singer Randy Blythe. It is a film expects its audience to understand the significance of a character speaking a Hokkien dialect instead of Mandarin Chinese, or recognise chhoah-peng desserts without needing an explanation. I have read that a lot of the film’s jokes are puns in Hokkien and Mandarin; these generally do not translate in English subtitles without a lot of effort, so will have to accept other viewers’ word on that.

Is it good? As an English-speaking Australian who has visited Taiwan a number of times, I would describe it as average, however the less the above paragraph excites you the less there will be here to entertain. Reviewing the film almost feels redundant since anyone with a strong interest in Chthonic specifically, as well as Taiwanese domestic and international politics, will likely have heard of it already. It is probably only available by legal means to readers by importing the Taiwanese DVD – so you can at least rest assured that edition is subtitled.

Cheng Wen-tang directs the film, in which the heavy metal enthusiast A-Tek (Tsai Chang-hsien) travels from his village in southern Taiwan – at risk of redevelopment to attract Chinese tourists – to seek out popular rock band Chthonic and beg them to play a benefit concert there. While it does not take him long to track down the band, he finds himself offered a job with them instead.

The depiction of Chthonic as a fiscally minded and risk-averse outfit is all part of the film’s overall joke. In truth their music and lyrics and extremely political, and they aggressively defend Taiwan’s existence as an independent nation. Lead singer Freddie Lim has not only served as a sitting politician, he sat the parliament’s defence and national security committee. What is amusing is that in the film it is their American singer friend Randy who is the aggressive radical, storming public protests and gleefully assaulting the police force. He is, perhaps surprisingly, the film’s funniest element.

When other elements work, they seem to do so in fits and starts. While there is plenty of comedic moments, they simply do not come thick and fast enough. The overall storyline also feels rather weak, and has a tendency to drag a little as events take place. In the end this feels less like a worthwhile film and more like a curiosity for the band’s fan base. Cheng co-writes the screenplay with bassist Doris Yeh, so you know the self-mockery is coming from a decent place. Everything is simply too fractured and obscure for it to work internationally.