Vidocq

This film is visually stunning - it's almost like watching a painting in motion. Everything about the visuals, from the sets to the costumes to the lighting to the camera angles, contributes to a surreal and rather otherwordly, while still dark and gritty, atmosphere - somewhat evocative of Gormenghast.

The plot has enough twists and turns to keep you constantly guessing, and frequently confused: Is Vidocq dead, or alive? Were the murdered men victims, or villains? Or pawns in something larger? Are we looking for a mad scientist, or an urban legend brought to life? Is the political unrest in Paris related to the case, or just a backdrop for it? It borrows elements from both science fiction and fantasy as well as being rooted in the detective genre.

Now, I probably have a higher than average liking for twisted, fantastic, genre-bending movies that make one's brain hurt, but even so, there were some serious holes in the plot, or at least things that never really were well explained. So viewers who place a high priority on logic and consistency may find it a frustrating experience. But overall I very much enjoyed it, and some of the visuals will be with me for a long, long time.

Pitof's style and design comes blazing through, in a kind of high-octane version of the work he did for Jeunet & Caro - a mixture of French garishness and Tim-Burton-esque gothic fantasy and detail. Also reminded me a bit of Alex Proyas' design on Dark City.

The plot gallops along, with Depardieu appearing in flashback scenes throughout while his biographer, the police, a decadent journalist and his sidekick all try to re-trace his steps, solve the bizarre murders and capture the Alchemist (if he or she even exists)!

There's so much going on on-screen that it's a complete feast for the eyes, especially once femme fatale Preah gets mixed up in the mystery.

I also thought it was so refreshing to see the investigative duo of Vidocq and Nimier, because they are both coarse, brainy & brawny (like two bears in top hats), whereas any Hollywood film would surely add numerous physical & character defects. You'd also lose the wonderful surreal Frenchness of the setting, and almost grotesque supporting characters.

The Alchemist is a great baddie - not superhuman, but you're not quite sure (for a long time anyway) if he/she is really supernatural or not - or of his/her motivation, and by the last half hour you think it could be virtually any of the main characters under the mask, which sets you up for a really good revelation or two & a battle at the end.

An exciting movie (complex, but not difficult), and not one dull moment. I'm not sure what some of the negative reviewers were watching, because if you liked Sleepy Hollow or From Hell, you'll adore this.

Want to see Gérard Depardieu in a steampunk action fantasy? Then you'll want to watch Dark Portals: The Chronicles of Vidocq. It's a bit weird, but lots of foreign movies are weird, just as I'm sure lots of American movies are weird to non-Americans.

If you're into the fantasy genre, you've probably seen lots of movies like this. A mysterious killer who never allows anyone to see his face. The hero killed off in the first five minutes, falling into a fiery pit and leaving the other characters the rest of the running time to solve his murder. That old strudel. This isn't my usual film fare, but I'll watch literally anything with Gérard in it, so the scenes he was in were worth it.

DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. Be on the lookout for swirling cameras that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

VIDOCQ (3+ outta 5 stars) Visually impressive mystery/thriller taking place in France around the time of the French Revolution. Gerard Depardieu plays the title character, Vidocq, a brilliant criminologist who is on the trail of a mysterious caped villain who wears a mirrored mask. In the opening scene the villain knocks Vidocq into a fit of fire and a young journalist (Guillame Canet),who is writing a biography of Vidocq, traces the great detective's last steps to bring the mysterious caped figure to justice. So we get flashbacks to Vidocq's investigation inter-cut with the writer's search. Depardieu makes for an interesting hero... sort of a cross between Sherlock Holmes and a professional wrestler. (You rarely saw Holmes pick up a villain and hurl him across a room.) The computerized special effects look a lot better in this movie than they do in some bigger-budgeted Hollywood movies... the backgrounds all have a veneer of unreality about them and yet they are still convincing. The conclusion is not much of a surprise but the discovery of the villain's identity is still pretty satisfying.

Vidocq is directed by the singular Pitof, who has worked with Jean-Pierre Jeunet on such films as Alien Resurrection and the superior City of Lost Children. Depardieu stars (his 116th film!) in a striking tale of 1830's supernatural murder, set in Paris which would make an excellent double bill with From Hell. Vidocq was a real historical personage, and a genuine founder of modern French criminology - though this is a highly fictionalised part of a part of his life, inspired by the 'orrible crimes of contemporary penny dreadfuls and the likes of Spring Heeled Jack, than by any real facts. The film is shot entirely on high quality video and so visually it is completely different to a regular film. The sometimes disconcerting loss of depth of field brought by the format is compensated for by an immediacy and high impact in close ups, as well as an amazing (and presumably inexpensive), flexibility in shots and special effects. Watching it I was reminded of what a BBC costume drama would be like on acid, and could also see indebtedness to Phantom of the Opera, Sherlock Holmes and perhaps Blade... All in all I thought this the best French fantasy I have seen since Brotherhood of the Wolf - admittedly a small field, especially if one draws a veil over the dismal Belphagor: Phantom of the Louvre. Worth seeing if you like your fantasy dark, Gallic and hectic. A notable credit in the art department on Vidocq is Marc Caro (another Jeunet collaborator), who creates a convincing and claustrophobic world of political upheaval, crowded streets, menacing glass works and a range of grotesques. Some great scenes, EG the two men set on fire by lightning bolts set to the elegant music of Vivaldi, while the three or four main fight scenes are handled excitingly. Vidocq is such a strong character that this film cries out for a sequel. But Pitof is now apparently working on Catwoman, and going by this, his is a stylish, if rather in your face, talent. The HK DVD is excellent, although there are occasional glitches in the subtitles.