La proie

Don't miss LA PROIE. It's a fast paced action kidnapping thriller as I saw in TAKEN. In fact it is long time ago I gave to a thriller the highest vote. The actor Albert Dupontel was great here. He played the role as the prisoner so credibly and cool that he must get the Oscar. Director Eric Valette convinced me too. Bravo to all the staff. The stunts has been all executed at a very respectable level and without any help of CGI effects. They will take your breath away. There were puzzles to solve and I guessed all the time what will come next. The locations in South of France were pretty. This is how movies should be made nowadays. At the end I was without words there and I still cannot realize that I watched one of the best french thriller ever made. The french film industry created with cable TV companies once more an unforgettable work. And where are you Italian film people? It's long time ago I saw a remarkable movie from my origin country. I think the last one was LA VITA È BELLA with Roberto Benigni. So don't wait and see LA PROIE, you won't be disappointed. This DVD will find a nice place in my best of DVD collection.

Director Eric Valette isn't exactly breaking new grounds but this is well made entertaining action thriller. For those of you who enjoyed Henri-Georges Clouzots & Jean-Pierre Melvilles films, or Luc Besson and of course Olivier Marchals films this should be perfect for you.

When it comes to casting this film doesn't disappoint...for example we have Albert Dupontel plays antihero Franck Adrien very convincingly, and he looks very tough while beating prisoners, shooting police officers, stealing cars etc while trying to save his family.

Alice Taglioni as the sleuth who wont give up her chase after Franck Adrien is new face to me. I don't remember seeing her in any other before but she did a good job here.

Stéphane Debac is very good and gives chilling performance as Jean-Louis Maurel, a person who might be more dangerous then Franck Adrien.

Sergi López I always liked since seeing Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien (2000)here only has small supporting part but is very good.

Biggest flaw here is some plot twists, screen writing could've been better and also, more depth in characters and story etc. It seems that Eric Valette has moved away from well written dark horrors like Maléfique (2002)and only focuses on the action.

But strangely I found this to be more compelling then US produced action thrillers like The Bourne Identity (2002. Just wish Eric Valette could go back to this roots like Maléfique (2002)or at least get a much deeper script. But seems with this film and with Une affaire d'état (2009)that he is moving in another direction.

This is a well made well written (the key!) French crime thriller that keeps you entertained.

I enjoyed the French prison part (are they really like this?) with what looked like private bathrooms pillows and desks pens and books etc... The inmates are entertained by cello and harpsichord chamber music (that was funny).

Anyway there are surprises which I love. I even liked the chases up to a point the escape from massive police operations seemed too impossible crack a whip over the writers a little harder there. Also by the time of denouement at the villa I was tiring of the movie...maybe because the first part was so good. And the ending with the letter wasn't needed just adds gimmick to this good movie.

I watched the movie Blood and Wine with Jack Nicholson and Michael Cain last night and the comparison couldn't be starker...this movie was 100 times more entertaining and better shot and directed.

I speak French but makes no difference use the subtitles anyway so I don't miss anything.

RECOMMEND!

This is a first rate, hugely entertaining action-packed thriller directed by Eric Valette, following his already very good State Affairs. This time he handles a much bigger budget, but maintains tons of personality together with the testosterone. French star Albert Dupontel is amazingly intense as a tough bank robber pitted against an unpredictable killer and trying to save his family while he is chased by the police. Alice Taglioni is also very good as a Jodie Foster-flavored investigator, newcomer Stephane Debac nuanced and frightening as an average Joe who happens to be a psychopath. There's a wonderful appearance by Sergi Lopez as a retired cop who believes he can feel a criminal when he crosses his path. Surprisingly good script, great cinematography, music and editing and the chase scenes are really exciting. The last reel by night in the hills of Provence is especially beautiful. One of the few European thrillers to rival (often blander) Hollywood fare, catch this one before they remake it.

This almost comes across as a TV Movie but its standard is much higher.

The action is mostly but not entirely in the tension. There are some really nice entirely physical cliffhangers to pull you to the edge of your seat.

The characterisation is superb and the plot, while admittedly a cliché, is excellently implemented.

Anyone who likes police drama or investigative thriller will find this an unusually good film of its genre.

For those that like any amount of the above but also want some eye candy, the cast will appeal to male and female alike.

I'm not that big on cheap melodrama type stuff (preferring deeper movies) but this one got me with the clarity and definition of portrayal of each role in the film.

It shocks. A bit like a knife in the side ;)