Reviews

The movie tries to distract you with colorful and exotic scenery so you don't pay too much attention to the fact there is no depth or meaning to the characters or plot. To give some credit to consistency, it is as if a bunch of old movies were sewn together to try and create something new, only it fails in this attempt.

I am a lifelong Willem Dafoe fan, and while the performances in this movie were good, it just isn't enough to make anyone care about what is going on. Unique camera shots does not translate to good cinematography. I rarely give reviews like this, but this movie was just pretentious.

Simply an absolute masterpiece in direction and dialogue. I was floored watching this movie from start to finish. One of those films where immediately you realize you are witnessing something special in cinematic history.

The cinematography is so crips and clear that it truly defines what a film is supposed to be at its core. The sound is so meticulous it's hard to put into words.

This is an avant-garde masterpiece and quite possibly in the top ten of the genre. Cannot recommend this film highly enough to those who appreciate filmmaking. It is wonderful this film is now able to be seen by the masses.

To be completely honest, I did consider turning it off after a few minutes. But as the film progressed I did not mind the acting style. In fact, it started to provoke feelings. I really do not know why, but I did get pulled into this film.

The plot is cliche, but there is something I cannot put my finger on. I just wanted to keep watching. It might be that the illustration of the moral dilemmas facing the crew is so clear and highlighted. Maybe it is because there is not much else to focus on. Either way it works. I found myself getting emotionally involved in the characters in ways that even star studded casts have failed.

I don't know if my experience is unique or not, but I like this film.

I saw this film at a showing by the director in 2007. After the film during the Q&A, opinions were extremely polarized. Some people became triggered and called the film propaganda. I do not believe this film is propaganda, and the fact that it received such a polarizing response is a testimony to the power of this film.

This film requires maturity and the understanding of nuance. I noticed many people would just focus on what they wanted to, while ignoring the rest of this film.

It is masterfully shot and there is not a wasted frame in this film. I wish I could see it again. If you get a chance to watch this important historical film consider yourself lucky.

In a culture where criticism of spiritual leaders is either muted or non-existent, stories like this need to be told. The villain in this film is prevalent in so many communities in Cambodia and other neighboring countries.

The cinematography was top tier and the contrast between rich and poor could not have been done better. In parts of the film where the plot slowed, the cinematography kept me interested.

Getting good performances from child actors is rare, but you will not find better than this movie. The tag-along friends did some of the best child acting I have seen from any movie. Very natural performance.

I really enjoyed this film and was not expecting such a high caliber production.