Balle perdue 3

The final installment in the French action series starring Alban Lenoir now streaming on Netflix. Picking up where the last film left off, we follow Lenoir's nemesis, Nicolas Duvauchelle, working in Germany when a hit squad comes a-calling, killing his girlfriend & sending him on the run. Lenoir has been released from jail (he was imprisoned in the last film) & the moment he breathes some free air, he hears about Duvauchelle's imminent return to France which sends him into shark mode to track him down while some nefarious types (a corrupt police squad) are also after him which bears witness to some juicy car carnage & equal amounts of non-sensical plotting w/the final chase having Lenoir use his mechanical skills to strap projectile cannons to the rear of his truck to take down the pursuing forces which include an airborne helicopter. A perfect movie to chomp popcorn with is what you're left with & I'm not necessarily mad about that.

Balle Perdue 3 is a little deception and a success in terms of mass kinetics. What did we like about Balle Perdue (2020) by the same Guillaume Pierret? Alban Lenoir, with his mineral charisma, his butch jaw that goes all the way to the end, and who carries a form of mystery. There was also a form of humor, if only visual, with the showcasing of cheesy cars, the Renault 5 and Renault 21, but which have a unique visual signature. We have elements of this here (Stefi Celma's apartment, Julie Tedesco's character, for example). And, of course, crumpled sheet metal and combat sequences in a variety of forms to compose a jubilant whole that lends itself to symphony.

There's not a lot of Alban Lenoir in this third franchise (the poster is misleading in this respect, even though it smells of old-fashioned posters), so it's a disappointment. The main dramatic arc is centered on Nicolas Duvauchelle, always very good, but his character hasn't aroused any empathy until now, and that's still the case; we're not interested in what happens to him. Stefi Celma is a little sacrificed (starting with her hairstyle), i.e. Secondary, in this third film, after her prominence, which we appreciated in Balle Perdue 2 (2022).

We like two characters who come to the fore in this third of the franchise, who are well seen: Julie Tedesco, who we're keen to see again, as a magician garage owner who knows how to manipulate irony; and Quentin D'Hainaut, who comes to the fore and whose contribution in the last quarter of the film suggests that we may see him again in a fourth... In terms of the franchise's main signature, the film is a success. Chases, fights, phenomenal action sequences that don't even smell of CGI porn. In this respect, the film is an impressive success. Motorcycles, cars, trucks, helicopters, streetcars - a multitude of action vectors are used, as well as shootouts and hand-to-hand combat. As for hand-to-hand combat, there's a beautiful sequence in a tramway, which comes close to Nobody's anthology bus sequence (2021, Ilya Naishuller) without matching it (it contains humor that we don't have here). There are also the extensions given to the vehicles, which are always impressive and contribute to the original visual elements that make the film unique.

Okay. The storyline is a bit confusing for some me way into the film but here's what I liked. The action sequences are extremely well executed. The motorcycle riding in the chase is very impressive (I am a bike rider) and the timing of the bystanders in their efforts to avoid being hit is pretty much perfect. The Alpine car (new one to me) was also driven very well with the collision sequence beautifully done. The locations for the chase are also very well chosen and as a Brit who loves the south of France I really enjoyed this. The characters are interesting and the hand to hand fighting very well coordinated. For these reasons alone I rate this film highly. However I started writing this before realising that I was watching part 3 of a trilogy which I hadn't been watching! So finally I'd like to say that the helicopter flying was insanely good and I'm now going to catch up with the first two!

There are some movies that really don't follow the paint by numbers method of creativity and this series is one of them. It's just a different sort of approach to action, car chase and our unlikely hero. When I watched the first movie, ten minutes in I remember thinking "what the hell is ths madness!" and teetered on the edge of switching off. But I didn't. Instead I found myself enjoying the ride and being entertained by what was unforlding on screen. Its actually quite strange because it is way more enjoyable than it should be for whats on offer. Which is to say, they've really maximised the good aspects of these movies.

That hasn't really changed, not in the second movie, and not in this one. The producers and director have stayed true to what works from the first movie, and given us to good follow ups in the saga that plays out almost like a TV mini series.

It's very French, very culturally different from what you get from Hollywood, but thats part of its charm. I throws the old well used tropes out the window and does its own thing.

Defintely worth the watch. I'm going to be somwhat generous with my score, with 7 rather than 6 becasue... its just a welcome change from the norm.

I know the saying goes with least ... but since the previous two movies where called Lost Bullet ... well I thought I'd go with that. I am also not entirely sure what it would be referring to in the movie ... but hey what do I know? Well I do know that my puns as always are not intended.

I really loved the first two movies and while there is a recap for those who missed the previous installments, I would suggest you watch them ... not just because they are superior ... but because you will get more out of the characters and the depth ... the feeling so to speak. I understand that some people might have missed the point of this completely ... especially when unaware of the two previous movies.

This may not be up there with the other movies, but it still has some super fine car stunts ... and the fighting inside a public transportation ... straight out of Shang Chi? Well I am quite certain they had way less money here ... and yet it still looks impressive.

The story and the (re)solution are not as satisfying as I would hope them to be ... but if you are in love with the main character (speaking in platonic terms mostly, but not judging if you feel more) ... well you will dig this too. So more of an "ordinary" action movie in the end ... and yet, the actors and the action make it somewhat worth it.