Le serpent

You have to be clear that our main actor will do stupid things here. If you can accept that and won't start thinking, about his every move, as if it were the dumbest thing a person can do, than you could enjoy this movie, otherwise ...

A friend of mine, who disliked this movie a lot, stated it clearer. If characters in a slasher movie act a certain way, you kind of expect them to do so. But in a thriller, you'd be excused to expect, that they'd think before they do something. Again it's not the case here. But apart from that, the actors play their roles great, the story is good enough and there still is tension (if you let your guard down, as said before). Enough said then ...

Mainly shot in "La Defense" area of the French capital city, which looks like US cities with its high towers, this movie has been written to be adapted in Hollywood. However, it is not a fake adaptation in French. Barbier did well as he focuses on the deeper feelings of the main 2 characters (may be a more independent movies' style)while opposing them in a face to face combat (just as any good blockbuster). It is a clever movie, very close to psycho-thrillers from Hollywood, starring Michael Douglas or Harisson ford, where the family of the looser-hero is threatened, his life beginning to become in jeopardy thanks to a cold manipulator who is his best nemesis. It is definitely not the same quality as Cape Fear, but contains some of its main elements. Actors Yvan Attal and Pierre Richard fit well the Douglas'suit of this movie, and Cornillac is a quite good Jeroen Krabbe French copy. Do not forget the other actors who perfectly play the "character" type whose purpose is to fulfill their mission, no more no less. Do not forget the pop corn!!

'Le Serpent' certainly starts well: a smart, stylish thriller with an intriguing set up and a skillful use of changes of pace. The cast are all excellent; and the cinematography captures a picture of modern, commercial Paris, not exactly run down but cold and devoid of charm. But for all its promise, it can't escape its generic (and essentially uninteresting) premise: that of one man pitted against an all-powerful psychopath, who cares about nothing except ruining the hero (but who eventually, to his own cost, prefers talking about his crimes to finishing them off). There are some similarities to 'Tell No One', another classy but ultimately implausible story.

For the first two thirds of its length, this film is a first rate thriller. It establishes the characters very well and you quickly become engaged in the plot, which is made very easy to follow. The acting is excellent,( in particular Clovis Cornillac as the malevolent private detective Plender). There are moments of true tension. Its definitely one of the most enjoyable films of its type I've seen in years. Then BAM - Vincent is arrested for murder and the plot descends quickly into the worst kind of overwrought Hollywood action flick - the kind of thing that Harrison Ford does when he's in his innocent man wrongly-accused mode (complete with implausible stunts). I was really disappointed as the characters become involved in a melodramatic pantomime. What the hell happened?? A superb thriller ruined in the last half hour!!! I have given it a six rating because I enjoyed more of it than not - had it not been for the last half hour it would have got a nine!!

This film is truly excellent - This is one of the best films I've seen in a long while. Both the plot and acting are absolutely first rate. OK so it's in French with subtitles however within just a minutes you feel like your actually in there with them. Anyway it's set in France and should be in French. The sad thing is that there were only three of us watching it which seems to be a pattern with subtitled films these days. No doubt Hollywood will jump on it so you'll be able to see it in a form of English one day - but it won't be the same. All I can say is if you didn't go because you couldn't be 'arsed to read the subtitles you missed something really really special.