Movies
Luc Besson wasn't just a pivotal director for French genre cinema, he was also one of its most influential producers. District B13 is the film that popularised parcours (or free running), seeing the potential of its aesthetics and fluidity as a perfect addition to the spectrum of cinematic action. The result is a slick, superbly paced, and explosive little action flick that still stands proud today. It's a master class in how to do genre cinema well, while also pushing its boundaries. And it's nice to see Besson giving that opportunity to young and talented directors like Morel.
A woman scorned. Peppermint is a simple but decent enough action/revenge flick, held back only by its lead. Jennifer Garner is a horrible casting choice, who fails both as the angelic mom and the kick-ass vigilante. Her role is pretty essential to the success of the film, luckily Morel doesn't overreach in other departments, so it still works as a generic genre filler. Riley has a plain but pleasant life, dedicating herself to her family. When her child and husband are killed in a violent drug-related incident, her world collapses. The culprits aren't even convicted for their crimes, instead, Riley is committed to a mental hospital. Before she gets there she escapes and disappears from the grid, only to re-emerge as a ruthless killer out for revenge. It's pretty difficult to take Garner seriously in this role, which means you're just trailing a glorified soccer mom taking on a squad of hardened gang members for most of the film. The action itself is solid though, the rest of the cast isn't too bad and the pacing is OK, safe a somewhat slow start. Not bad, but pretty forgettable.Read all
