This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

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.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

Until the turn of the century, the martial arts subgenre was mostly dominated by Hong Kong & Japanese cinema. The 21st century saw the advent of Thailand film industry as it made its mark on the global stage with instant classics like Ong-bak & Tom-Yum-Goong.The next one to follow suit was the Vietnamese film industry that brought its own martial arts to mainstream cinema with this very feature though it never attained the success of its Thai counterparts. Nevertheless, The Rebel is a welcome entry in the world of martial arts filmmaking.Set in French-occupied Vietnam, the story follows a Vietnamese agent who works for the French but is struggling with his allegiance. After learning of a sinister plot to capture the leader of the rebellion, he helps his daughter in escaping from her captivity, and eventually finds a cause that's worth fighting for.Co-written & directed by Charlie Nguyen, the 1920s Vietnam setting is recreated in fine detail and the dark, desaturated colour palette aptly captures the mood of that era but the drama isn't entirely compelling, for there are missing ingredients in the script, not to mention that the romantic subplot is overplayed as well.The action choreography exhibits a charged intensity and is often captivating but given the environment its story takes place in, it also feels a bit out of place. Still, it's hard to take the eyes off screen when the characters are engaged in a combat. The leading actors play their dramatic part well, the villain has an aura of mystery about him and he's almost a show-stealer.On an overall scale, The Rebel combines the elements of period drama, action & romance into one patriotic thriller but it fails to connect with the global audience on the emotional scale. The action segments provide a burst of energy every now n then but the story fails to keep up with that and required better pace & editing. The Rebel isn't memorable but it offers a glimpse of untapped talent Vietnamese cinema has in store.

I am so impressed with this movie! The casts were awesome with top notch and real action. All the kungfu was much much better than expected and felt so real! The story was evolving with nice twists. Who would have thought that it is such a great movie from rather low budget film. So much admiration for the crew and love Johnny Tri Nguyen and Ngo Thanh Van. Excellent film that I haven't seen for a long time! Ngo Thanh Van acted brilliantly, not just with her jaw dropping kicks but also her talking eyes. I felt the heat, the hatred, the desire....in her eyes. Dustin Nguyen also had an excellent performance. I think this is a great success and an A+++ action drama film from Vietnam

I'm a huge fan of martial arts movies and I'm trained on it a bit myself, so I know good genuine action when I see it. While this movie may not be a Hollywood blockbuster it surely holds its own which cannot be matched by most other action movies. Johnny Nguyen is at his best in this movie. Incredible display of martial arts from him which looks even more convincing than Tony Jaa on screen. They made sure the opponents also have good amount of fighting skill which makes it a real treat to watch the fight sequences. The girl also shows what she can do and wow, can she fight or what.This is a must watch for martial arts fans out there.

I haven't seen many Vietnamese films, but The Rebel was certainly a surprise. The trailer didn't do much for me, but I was able to see this at the VCFilmFestival in Little Tokyo, and was impressed. Just about everything involved in this film was well done and kept things entertaining and exciting.The film tells the story of Vietnam, circa 1922. The French have occupied the land and to combat a rebellion against the French occupation, they enlisted several Vietnamese agents whose job it is to sniff out members of the resistance, and above all, catch their leader. The agent leading this pursuit is Van Cuong, whose questioning of his own actions eventually lead him to help the rebel leader's daughter, Vo Than Thuy.The film is action heavy, and the action scenes are not only masterfully filmed, but authentic. There are no wires or cg, just raw, powerful martial arts that is well choreographed. These only add to the story and acting, which tell of an interesting part of history that is rarely explored in films. It's nice to see a Vietnamese film get some of the spotlight. Even though the film isn't entirely original, it is highly entertaining. The story itself is something we've seen before, where a man on the wrong side of justice eventually must defend the right side. However, the way it is portrayed makes it enduring and the characters are very interesting. Overall, I have only positive things to say about this film. But go and see it for yourself if you can find it. It's a good, slick, entertaining movie that should suit any fan of martial arts or dramatic films.