OSS 117 : Rio ne répond plus

OSS 117: Lost in Rio (2009)

Sequels being what they are, this is not quite a match to the original spoof from 2006. But when you have something almost as good as something really terrific, it's still enough. This is enough, for sure, even with the novelty of the situation worn thin.

The main reason is lead actor Jean Dujardin, who continues his parody with aplomb--all the same suave, self-effacing, sexist, racist, ridiculous mix. Instead of Muslims taking the brunt of the jokes, it's Israelis. But the impossibly short skirts and general parading to a male audience is still in place, for better or for worse. And lots of wonderful facial expressions and double-takes.

The rest of the production team is intact here: director, cinematographer, composer. The time period is something like 1968, a few years later than the "Nest of Spies" 2006 version, which is more 1963-ish. So there is an entertaining but less stylish move from "Mad Men" territory (the drinks, the music, the high style) into counterculture territory(most notably the hippie orgy stuff). The hilarious flashbacks of the first movie (on the beach) have been updated to a dramatic but unfunny circus act. And so on. Which is to say, this is a slightly different and slightly less movie.

But, it is still filled with fast, and ridiculous, and comic situations. The cars are great, and Rio is great (it seems to have been largely filmed there, or some impressive CGI stuff is at work). The campy final scenes at the big Jesus statue overlooking the city is purely a Hitchcock spoof (mostly "Suspicion" on the Statue of Liberty with a little "North by Northwest" at Mr. Rushmore). Oddly, this is a kind of parody of something so specific, a kind of post-modern reference, it distracts slightly from the more generic parody that makes up the whole. However, I have to quickly add that it's really well done, very visually astonishing.

So, see this movie if you've seen the first, by all means. If you have a choice (and currently both are streamable on Netflix), I'd start with the start, and then see if you're ready for more. And hang in there because it seems there almost has to be a third. Success is hard to repress.

In late 2011, "The Artist" got released. It went on to win Best Picture (only the second silent movie to do so), as well as Best Actor and Best Director. Prior to its release, I had never heard of Michel Hazanavicius or Jean Dujardin. Right after I saw "The Artist", I saw an earlier collaboration of theirs: "OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies".

"OSS 117: Rio ne répond plus" ("Lost in Rio" in English) is the sequel to that movie. It's a litany of silly fun as Dujardin's suave spy gets sent to the Brazilian metropolis to find a Nazi fugitive. The movie finds time to make fun of stereotypes, namely the chauvinistic Frenchman and the ugly American. There are a few incongruous aspects, but this sort of movie is all about blatantly silly fun, and it's very much a good time, as was "Nest of Spies". As for "The Artist", its win combined with the Oscars won by "Hugo" have hopefully put the "freedom fries" attitude to rest forever.

Well actually there are quite a few "Oss 117" movies, but this is the second one with Jean Dujardin as Oss 117! A third one is about to follow (and I hope IMDb is right and it will come out next year/2010). I love the movies. And you actually don't have to have seen the first one ... but it's great, so actually maybe you should (have)! ;o)

Seriously though: Jean Dujardin is back, as an obnoxious agent, but a lovely one at that. An agent, who does not know the word regret and or the meaning of "political correct". So he hasn't changed (really) from part 1, but that's exactly how we like him. With this movie (and the one before that and surely the one after that), you will either love or hate the movie/character.

So are you into a "Bond" movie that actually is rather a spoof and will you love it? I still haven't seen the original movies, but I'm afraid I'm too spoiled by these movies, so I won't really enjoy the earnest Oss 117. Anyway, I can only highly recommend this movie ...

Apparently, there was some OSS 117 series back in the 60s. I have never seen it and know nothing about the films. I do know, however, that just recently there have been a couple cute French spy films starring Jean Dujardin. Neither film makes a lot of sense, but they are entertaining and fun. Previously, OSS 117 went on a mission to Egypt. Now he's being sent to Rio to track down an ex-Nazi and obtain a list of French collaborators. Oddly, this film is set in the 1960s--and the previous one was set in the 50s. No matter, it's the same silly old spy character.

As I said above, the film makes almost no sense at all. The Nazis have two Mexican luchadors (wrestlers in hoods) who run about Brazil in suits! This is an obvious nod to the silly Mexican luchador films where you see characters like el Santo going on dates, fighting crime or monsters or making love--all in the silly hood. There are also some black Nazis--again, this film never tries very hard to make sense! While it is all silly fun, this is still a rather adult movie--much more so than the one set in Cairo. There is some nudity, a lot of blood and a CIA agent named Bill who uses the most amazingly colorful language I've seen in a long time. Also, while it makes fun of OSS 117's racism, sexism and overall arrogant xenophobic manner, the easily offended might still blanch at the film. But considering he IS supposed to be an idiot, his comments about Jews, women and the like are all intended to point out his idiocy.

In many ways this film is like an Austin Powers and Matt Helm film put together. Like Helm, there is the Dean Martin music and OSS 117's manner is pure Helm. Plus, like Helm, Dujardin is a nice looking guy. It is a bit Powers-like....but much, much more subdued and subtle--something you'd never call a Powers film! Cute and entertaining in a very low-brow sort of way.

This second OSS 117 is actually some kind of remake of "Furia A Bahia Pour OSS 117" made in the sixties with Frederick Stafford.But the stories are different ,only the location is the same.André Hunebelle's work was entertaining ,but Hazanavicius's beats him hands down.Like the first film ,nothing is to be taken seriously and that's fine with me,particularly with an actor as funny as Jean Dujardin.

A spoof on spy thrillers which does not spare anybody from James Bond to the Nazis to the CIA ,with a lot of hilarious lines .In spite of occasional parts which drag on (the chase in the hospital) ,there's almost never a dull moment in "Rio Ne Repond Plus" (the title ,like in many spy thrillers ,bears no real relation with the plot!) Allusions to James Bond and Hitchcock abound.His Jewish colleagues call him " double one seven" .Bill Trumendous (what a name!) is some kind of Felix Leiter (Ken Samuels ) ,roaring with laughter ("That Hubert!he was a born joker!")and cracking bad jokes .The ending combines "Vertigo" and "North By Norwest" ;the "I've got a screw loose because of something which happened in my past" trick was much better applied on "Le Caire Nid D'Espion" though :the circus is not that convincing.The split screen was a famous gimmick in the second half of the sixties ("the Thomas Crown Affair" " the Boston strangler" ) and it is used with good results ,notably in the scene of the phone calls.

The action takes place in the sixties hippie times ,but OSS has still got the mind of a man of the fifties .Completely uneducated ,he substitutes a macho attitude and an obsolete moral ("he may be a Nazi,but he is still your father !honor thy father!") for his total incompetence.He may be stupid but he is not malicious when he asks his (female) colleague what the Jews have against the Nazis.It's not sure he knows what he is taking about when he replies " Ah !concentration camps!what a carry-on!" Jean Dujardin shines in this part of the dumb spy and the last scene about China with puns galore -which Sacha Guitry might have loved- may suggest a third episode in this country (Didn't they fight against the Americans in WW2?/ Those were the Japanese/I see ,the Japanese Chinese.)