WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Kirandeep Yoder The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Delight Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

soniaandree The movie was screened two years ago, on my recommendation, and mainly to a UK and some foreigners' audience. Reception and comments about the movie were not as expected: "rubbish!" was heard from an old member, "great!" by some other. There is no in-between when it comes to this movie, most UK people have found it too realistic, most foreign ones saw it as a clear depiction of Ho Chi Minh City's decadence and corruption. In my opinion, this movie has got the merit of showing how things are, and how characters are not so clear-cut in their badness or goodness. It feels like everyone is looking for a form of forgiveness by trying to redeem themselves of past/current actions. In the end, I recommend the movie regardless, though British viewers may find some scenes upsetting. It is not often that the viewer can find such a mix of feelings in a movie's characters. A movie which should not leave you indifferent, that's for sure.

George Parker "Cyclo" tells of an impoverished Saigon family whose son (Cyclo) turns to crime and whose daughter turns to prostitution as a matter of economic survival. A magnificent accomplishment in cinematography, there's little new to be found in the film's somewhat muddled story which is told almost exclusively with the camera as Oscar winning director Anh Hung Tran demonstrates mastery over the lens in delivering this tapestry of pictures which captures the beauty and blight of a bustling Vietnamese city. Not for everyone, "Cyclo" will play best with those who appreciate true artistry in film.

tyeve I loved the first part of this movie. It was beautifully shot, with generally good acting, set in a country full of stories we in the western world know little of. But then something goes awry. That something is called "the script".We're first introduced to the cyclo driver and his family, and are given a fascinating taste of life in HCM City. It's when the movie begins introducing shadowy, poorly wrought, cardboard-cutout characters that it loses me. The script moves from interesting, maybe even captivating, to confusing and ridiculous. The unbelievability of plot events becomes irritating.My two biggest gripes are the script/story (by the director, Anh Hung Tran, and Trung Binh Nguyen) and the acting by the good/bad guy ("Poet") played by Tony Leung Chiu Wai. His acting was a bad take on old Peter Lorre movies. Think of Lorre in "Casablanca" - white suit, cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I found the Poet character unsympathetic, grating, and unbelievable. I cheered when he finally buys the farm. I had been secretly hoping for a meteorite to crash to earth, destroying the whole lot of them.I have noticed that other reviewers have commented on this film being set against the background of noisy, active HCM City. Well, "background" is an understatement. There are only furtive glimpses of the city. I was longing for more views of HCM City and its life, and fewer interiors peopled with unsympathetic characters.I await a Vietnamese movie with the production values found in this film. Meanwhile, I'm launching a campaign to see that Anh Hung Tran's license is revoked.

ufotds It's a hard, violent film, but the camera-work and montage are exceptional