BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

drjgardner With a little more work this might have been an excellent addition to modern film noir. We have the double and triple crosses, the dark settings, the abundant cast of seedy characters, and the tangled web that gets more and more tangled. As it stands, though, it fails to achieve the level of noir I enjoy. Nonetheless it is worthy of a view, especially the scenes of Cambodia, which has rarely been a subject for a film. The film probably could benefit from some judicious editing. At the current length it is a little long, and some of the scenes (especially with the female interest) aren't necessary.There is good acting and excellent photography and music.

i never sleep Don't be put off by the IMDb score (currently 5.9), take a look at the reviews and you'll see that a lot of viewers loved it.While it is a far from perfect movie, and I can see why the majority of people wouldn't really enjoy it, it does contain atmospheric qualities rarely found in modern films. The story itself is fairly simple, but the settings and authenticity of the whole environment is perfectly captured, and allows the viewer to get a good feel of life in modern Cambodia. The performances are excellent and Matt Dillon can take pride in the fact that while the City of Ghosts was never a mainstream hit, he has made a movie that offers something others don't.

eplromeo8 The latest Reel 13 "Indie" is another film, like last month's A PROBLEM WITH FEAR that doesn't feel very much like an indie. It stars Matt Dillon, James Caan and Stellan Skaarsgard and is shot almost entirely in Cambodia. IMDb reports the budget to be $17.5 million. How does any film that cost over $10 million qualify as an independent film? While I question its status as an independent film, CITY OF GHOSTS is hardly as mind numbing as A PROBLEM WITH FEAR. As a matter of fact, it has a lot of great qualities, but somehow still doesn't capture the viewer in the way you would want it to.Aside from a sadly two-dimensional and useless Natasha McElhone love-interest character, the rest of the characters in the film are well-developed and well-played. Matt Dillon, who also directs, is extremely subtle and nuanced in a role that wisely seems to play well to his strengths. James Caan plays an underworld kingpin type role that he's played a million times, but adds terrific layers of pathos and regret that help shape the character. Not surprisingly, Skaarsgard is great at depicting the way fear, guilt and greed can eat away at a soul.The plot, which is kind of like a modern-day, Southeast Asian version of THE THIRD MAN is well laid-out and full of plausible, interesting twists. The cinematography by Jim Denault is rich in texture and palette. The design is believable and detailed. So, with all these strong elements, it's initially hard to figure out why they don't all add up to a great film.In thinking about it further, I've decided that the fatal flaw of the film comes in the first act. In Dillon's haste to get the plot rolling, he and his screen writing partner, Barry Gifford neglected to get us to care about or like the main character of Jimmy. They are good about giving us information and backstory in regards to the character and all of his actions make sense and are understandable. As I said, Dillon portrays him believably as a complex, haunted man, but it occurred to me that at no point did I root for him. I understand that Dillon wanted to create a character that doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve and whose essence was deeper than he would ever reveal to people he meets. Still, I think the audience has to see it. An example of a similar character done very well is Matt Damon in THE GOOD SHEPHERD. Damon plays one of the most quiet, understated and seemingly emotionless characters of the decade, but he, in collaboration with his director Robert DeNiro, portray occasional moments of weakness throughout the film – moments where his guard is let down. No character within the film is privy to these moments – only the audience and it's just enough to connect you with the character and hence to get you emotionally involved in the character's journey. That's the missing link in CITY OF GHOSTS. It may seem like a small thing, but in the house of cards that is film-making, it would be one of the cards that you need on the very bottom. Without it, the whole thing comes toppling down.(For more more information on this or any other Reel 13 film, check out their website at www.reel13.org)

pc95 The story of City of Ghosts is decent but clichéd. There is a well assembled international cast of competent actors with veteran actor Matt Dillon handling directing honors. The real pull of the movie is the backdrop on locations in Cambodia and Thailand. This immersion generously brings authenticity and color. On top of that, the director wisely opts for local languages instead of dumbing-down for audiences with English everywhere. The result is a solid movie with exotic backdrops, palpable atmospheres, and decent acting. The realism of the story is fused together with the respect for the location and people as it stands. The movie is worth it just to see that much. It, although not as good, is reminiscent of The Year of Living Dangerously which has superior performances and story; both flicks capture the sensational atmosphere though. One other thing of note - thought the music/soundtrack suffered at times not really lifting the experience as much as it could of - a missed opportunity.