Movies
It's been a while since I last watched Kassovitz's breakthrough film, and I was happy to see that it had lost almost none of its original appeal. And it's not just because the banlieue issues are still relevant to this day, it's the way Kassovitz managed to capture a snapshot of the young people living in those neighborhoods, about how the violence around them escalates and how they are pulled in, without ever feeling the need to cover up their less favorable sides. Superb performances, lovely black-and-white cinematography, and a fitting score all help to set the mood for this riveting drama.
The combo of Cassel, Reno, and Kassovitz was a powerful one. It's what drew me to this movie originally, and they didn't disappoint. It's just that over the years, this type of police thriller has had an increasingly hard time keeping my attention. I've seen too many Spanish and Scandinavian ones I guess. Cassel and Reno are fine, and Kassovitz's direction is on point, though clearly not his best work. The plot is decent enough, but also pretty standard, and the case wasn't intriguing enough to keep me glued to my chair. It's a perfectly fine genre film, and fans of gruesome police thrillers will have a lovely time with it, but I need a bit more these days.Read all