Carlos

I remember watching the full 3 part mini-series some years ago, and being quite engaged. However I'd strongly recommend not watching any of the abridged versions. I had a DVD for the roughly 170 minute version and was left feeling confused and bored. It's hardly made clear why he has become so notourious. Near the he starts a relationship with a woman who out of nowhere has a child with her. Then that ends almost straight away and he has a new girlfriend, out of nowhere. We see him with the Syrians, then a sequence of the Berlin wall falling is shown, and then immediately after we see the Syrians cutting ties with him. If you want the proper experience, see the full 5+ hours of it.

When you want to make a movie of a notorious terrorist responsible for many innocent lives, it is a very difficult task: If you portray him in a romantic way you will be accused of glorifying an evil man, while if you portray him in a dark light you will be accused of blind fanaticism.

Director Olivier Assayas has managed to strike a fine balance between these two extremes, and thus he recounts the story of Carlos in an objective and cool-headed way which fascinates the viewer from the beginning to the very end. The story begins with Carlos entering the world of terrorism as a young idealist, and ends with his capture at a time when he has become a corrupt and hedonist man. Throughout this time frame, Assayas shows us the story of a man, who despite his horrendous crimes, his life is really intriguing to watch.

Edgar Ramirez is excellent in the central role, but the important thing in this film is that actually EVERYONE in the film is excellent in his/her role: The acting is superb all around, and at some point it begins to feel as if you are watching a documentary with real terrorists on the screen instead of actors. The direction is also superb, with the the pace being constantly fast and coherent.

A great film to watch. 10/10.

This is an engrossing, sometimes scary retelling of history, history so recent it's almost shocking how dimly it is remembered in our time. Rich in detail of a time of world-wide revolutionary fervor before its collapse with the victory of capitalism in 1990 and its replacement by the specter of Jihad. A film that raises many important questions about politics and society that remain with us today - and yet still manages to be an exciting action/espionage yarn.

Olivier Assasyas has, over the years, continued to produce so, so many interesting, impeccably intelligent, and constantly varied pieces of work - from moving generational dramas ('Late August, Early September') to pieces of compellingly sordid sleaze ('Demon Lover' and 'Boarding Gate') to quiet soulful meditations ('Summer Hours' and the sublime 'Clean'). I can't think of anyone else with such a range (except maybe Soderberg). And I think, for my money, he has become the new preeminent French film director of our poor, poor time.

Fast and furious, very much like the mesmerizing Mesrine in its focus on a focused, driven psychopath who ultimately commits crimes for the sense of power and adrenaline they fuel. Character vignettes are sharply portrayed in short, slower-paced scenes that provide rest stops from our own adrenaline rush and illustrate the defining personality traits of the eponymous anti-hero. As one example: the seduction scene in part 2 between Carlos and the German femme terrorist Magdalena Kopp.

Quite simply, like Mesrine, great cinema with action, passion and tragedy, and one of the best movies of the year.

Don't see anything less than the full version. DVR the showing on Sundance or wait for DVDs. The film was shot as a miniseries and there's no reason to see it in a theater, especially if it's the truncated version.

Ilich Ramírez Sánchez aka Carlos the Jackal, Venezuelan (but educated in communist USSR), was the most notorious terrorist in Europe and some Africa and Middle East countries.

Affiliated with the Palestinian / anti-Zionism cause and justice and equality for the people; he publicly proclaim some of Ernesto "CHE" Guevara's socialist concepts; however comparing these two different characters will be a huge mistake. While the later was driven by ideals and passion; Carlos was mostly moved by his egomaniacal needs of power, notoriety and money.

Olivier Assasyas did a deep historical analysis of Carlos' trajectory during a period of about 20 years. In order to produce a continuity he tied real events from the seventies mid nineties (sme using reel footage others dramatized) with fictional "what if" situations (showing interactions and negotiations with different people and powers). Whatever really happened in those meetings can only be guessed based in subsequent events. The final product is almost perfect. Carlos emerges as a very complex character. He was mercenary, ambitious and power hungry person; very cold but a very smart. He is never shown as a coward but he was not always on the front line either. When he is asked to be killed for "the cause", he states "I am a soldier not a martyr" he states when he is asked to be killed by "the cause". He used people (particularly women) that were easily seduced by his discourse (it seems his sexual life was really over the top) for minor actions but he was there in the most important ones like the OPEC kidnapping. Edgar Ramirez is outstanding as the main character; speaking several languages with ease and convincing in all of them. His charisma stays even when he is doing hideous statements or acts or beating a woman. This movie could not exist without him.

However, this five and a half hours TV mini-series (it can also be viewed in cinemas as three hours movie) is not really a Carlos' biopic but a serious essay about modern terrorism. Carlos was (and he knew that) just a famous puppet. He was an instrument until the end of Cold War; then was kept "protected" by different countries until his knowledge was outdated. After that he was betrayed by his contractors and imprisoned by the French government (he was only judged by the killing of two police officers and is currently serving life prison).

USA FCC censorship will never allow this movie to be shown in public TV as it was in Europe (there is nudity and swearing all over). It is really a pity because young people should see this to understand the difference between fight and manipulation.