So much average

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

The live action version of WICKED CITY is one big mess of a movie, as all sorts of monsters chase each other and an anti-monster squad pursues the various monsters. The special effects go from awful to awesome, and the acting is typical Hong Kong cheese whiz. Very little of it makes any sense, so what good special effects there are, are basically wasted. Maybe it makes sense to a Chinese audience, but an endless series of shots of a toy model of a commercial airliner being ridden (!) by various characters made absolutely no sense to this viewer. I will say the actress playing the lead female monster is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, and she has some nude and near-nude scenes that you'd never find in an equivalent American flick. But she alone is not worth seeing this abomination.

What can you say? Explosive action, intriguing characters, combined with a plot line that travels at one-thousand miles per hour. Think of Wicked City as a souped up "Blade Runner." Strong sexual content make this film probably not a good flick for younger kids to view, but the action and visual artistry make this a must see for those 17 or older. If you live near a video store that is up to stuff in the animae department. I urge you to check this little gem out. You won't be disappointed. On a personnal note, I've always thought that with the amazing special effects now in Hollywood, a major studio should turn out a live-action version of this killer animae. Enjoy.

I've seen this movie at least a dozen times, and never once, never, didn't I cry at the end! I'm glad this is my first impression of sci-fi movie (besides ET, when I saw it at 6, which I don't quite remember what was really going on until I become a grown-up) since I first saw it at the age 18. It forever influenced my view of sci-fi movies. Whenever I go to see sci-fi films, I always pay attention to the styles, the messages contained within, the connection between the imaginative world and the real life. For me, that is what sci-fi movies really about, not some fancy special effects.The other day I was surprised to find out we have copies for sale in America, I order a copy at once. But I was also shocked to find that this wonderful film, probably the best Hong Kong movie I'd ever seen, was not received well here in America. Almost all the people who praise the film are Asian. I don't think this has something to do with culture gap, because this is a very unusual Hong Kong films, it didn't contain anything specific about the Asian culture. And that's the point. It is not anything you expect to see in a Hong Kong, or any other Asia films you can find here in the United States. It didn't have fancy martial art, no strange custom (which I strongly disagree with. They always portray Asia as bunch of strange, mysterious, sick places. Because that kind of films can easily won the prize in European film festivals). This is simply a film about humanity. At the same time, it was so beautifully done. Very stylish, with the music that was so heartbreakingly beautiful. But do see this film in its original language with subtitle. NO FOREIGN FILM SHOULD BE WATCHED IN ENGLISH DUBBED VERSION! IT IS ALWAYS THE BIG DISASTER!!! Do take a moment to think about what you see and enjoy that beautiful ending.

This movie just goes to prove that most anime or manga "A" titles do not translate well to live action. Taken from the Anime of the same title (or AKA Supernatural Beast City) by Kawajiri Yohiataki, it lacks the visceral punch of the original. I was sorely disappointed with the "soft-core" shots and "soft-core" action. It coulda been a contenda...