Les enfants de la vengeance

This well-constructed film made in New Zealand moves along briskly as it relates its tale of crime and criminals, along with a sprig of romance as embellishment to complement the whole. Three young boys meet in an orphanage where they swear a vow of fidelity among them, later maintaining a growing friendship. One of the men, Harry O'Malley (Peter Stevens) was orphaned due to the slaying of his father by two burglars and Harry's craving for vengeance has remained vital, buoyed by promises of assistance from his two sworn friends. The quiddity of revenge stimulates subsequent events involving the trio, including such as a murder of an American narcotics dealer in Auckland, among others; embezzlement of five million dollars in Geneva; and the importation of a hired assassin by irate drug cartel kingpins in an attempt to achieve their own plan of reprisal. A rather basic storyline has no particular freshness to it, but its interest to a viewer is increased by elements of melodrama, in particular Harry's love affair with the ex-wife of his primary target, and many positive contributions come from members of the cast and the crew. Director John Laing very correctly paces the work and conjoins with cinematographer Warrick Attewell to create admirable compositions in virtually each scene, through consistently inventive use of camera, colour and lighting. Unfortunately, sound quality and editing do not measure up to the better elements of the film that include capable acting with strongly rounded turns from Jennifer Ward-Lealand as Harry's lover and Michael Hurst as the more clever of the orphans.