L'Imperatore di Parigi

It has many virtues. Vincent Cassel is the first. It has a huge potential , not real used in fair manner. And that reduced all to the clothes, fights and locations. The story is the lead victim because it is a too long film and, in same measure, all is reduced at sketches. But it works in decent way and, in essence , this is the important thing. A not awful kick to discover the real story of Vidocq. And that is all. .

It was quite hard to watch it till the end. All decorations, costumes, details are magnificent. But that's all. Characters are dull, acting is lifeless. Better watch Vidocq (2001) one more time.

A historical film well done in aesthetics but with a script full of clichés and with a mediocre direction. Vincent Cassel, the main actor, badly directed, bases his interpretation on shouts and grim looks, in his character there are no nuances or low voice, everything seems to be said by hitting the table, with what ends up being the caricature of a tough guy. The best interpretation is that of Fabrice Luchini (an actor I didn't know) in the brief role of Minister Fouché, tense, cynical and transmitting true authority without screaming. The best of the film are undoubtedly the digital effects, especially the architecture of the city and the interiors, really achieved. It's a pity that the result is like this because Vidocq's historical character deserved a splendid updated revision and what he has received is a film to forget the next minute to be seen.

Cassel always takes the lead, good content and story with few good wording of French litterature

A missed opportunity, if you know Vidocq's 'real' story (itself probably half-fiction), his skill at disguises and undercover work for instance. As it is, we end up with a period action drama which gleefully ignores how long it took to load period pistols to allow a number of Western style shoot-outs and various hand to hand combat, as well as at least two beautiful women to add romance. The result is somewhere between "The Count of Monte Christo" and "Cartouche", with hints of early nineteenth century political intrigue scattered all through it. There are felicities - the opening promises an earthy brutality which quickly disappears, and the views of period Paris seem well-researched. It's also a surprise to discover Olga Kurylenko, whom many Bond fans will know, but whom I last saw playing a beautiful Cuban dancer in "Magic City" as a sulphorous baronne (speaking perfect French). I hadn't seen Lucchini for decades, so was taken aback by his age. A fun film in many ways, but not really a film I would have watched had I known it was going to so blithely ignore the source material.