`CYCLO' PEDDLES VIETNAMESE UNDERSIDE.

Byline: Duane Byrge Hollywood Reporter

In this searing look at survival in present-day Ho Chi Minh City, the bicycle thief is no kindly father who needs transportation for work, but rather a member of a vicious gang whose thievery deprives a young man of his means to survive.

A graphically brutal story, ``Cyclo'' is not for the faint-hearted. But this scorching tale will appeal to art-house audiences, particularly those with an appreciation for the jarring societal cadence of present-day Southeast Asia. Superbly photographed and propelled by an aptly syncopated score, ``Cyclo'' is a superb fusion of sounds, rhythms and images. It won the Golden Lion Award at the 1995 Venice Film Festival.

A ``cyclo'' literally means one who drives a rickshaw, and the cyclo in this scenario is a Vietnamese orphan (Le Van Loc) toiling daily for a ruthless madam (Nguyen Nhu Quynh) who pockets most of the money he earns. When the cyclo's rickshaw is stolen by gang members, he gets sucked into their nefarious hooliganism - at first under threat. Gradually, he acquires a taste for setting fire to businesses. So begins a gruesome descent into the bowels of one of the most corrupt and hellish urban environments in the world, present-day Ho Chi Minh City with its black marketeering and marauding bands of political thugs.

In Ho Chi Minh City, life is cheap and squalor is the rule. Although the story line centers on the fringe underworld of the city, one quickly sees how corruption permeates all facets of life. It's a coldly brutal world, and director Tran Anh Hung's depiction is Tarantino-level violent, particularly in the sick sadism of some of the town's mini-kingpins.

Despite its seamy nature, ``Cyclo'' abounds with touching small moments, acts of kindness and acts of charity. Invariably, any tenderness is shown to have a vile side: A wise poet (Tony Leung-Chiu Wai) turns out to be a pimp for the cyclo's sister (Tran Nu Yen Khe).

Although ``Cyclo's'' rhythm, at two hours, four minutes, is somewhat languid by Western standards, it's a brilliantly robust film. Technical credits are superior, in particular cinematographer Benoit Delhomme's vivid, threatening hues and composer Ton That Tiet's asynchronously mesmerizing music.

THE FACTS

The film: ``Cyclo'' (no rating).

The stars: Le Van Loc, Tony Leung-Chiu Wai, Tran Nu Yen Khe, Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Nguyen Hoang Phuc, Ngo Vu Quang Hai, Nguyen Tuyet Ngan.

Behind the scenes: Directed by Tran Anh Hung; written by Nguyen Trung Bing and Tran Anh Hung.

Running time: Two hours, four minutes.

Playing: Nuart.

Our rating: Three Stars.