Ad Vitam

A parade of the usual tropes - cops as one big, happy family, the lonely Arab kid who cannot find friends, Semper Fi, the usual stuff, mixed with some betrayals and high stakes political treachery. But you get a chase involving parachutes and helicopters, plus fatally wounded pregnant woman arriving last minute to the hospital, so at least that's that. In the end, in a (cough-cough) unexpected plot twist, the befuddled viewer finds out the heroic to-be-shot wife submitted all the critical evidence to the authorities in time, so all the chases and shootouts were in fact a waste of time and taxpayer money, but the movie does not give us the time to think about such details. In the end, the evil CIA guy is exposed, everybody not shot in the first half survives, and family values triumph. Instantly forgettable and spectacularly bland.

Ad Vitam was for me and my wife a great ride hell.

The story took me on an emotional level mixed with suspense and lot of combat scenes.

It was interesting to watch inside the private life of the special forces GIGN of the French Gendarmes.

If you are looking for a fast paced movie with lot of action then this one will entertain you no doubt.

Netflix presented again another blockbuster that run already on number one of the international charts. Both leading actors Canet and Cortaillod delivered respectable top performance. Finally the director succeeded in making a good show time.

Congratulations to all the staff. It merita for this high value of entertainment a solid 7/10.

If you liked it see Sous la Seine.

Of course some people just can not enjoy this kind of movie, finding it too shallow or whatever, but then again I wonder why they even bother to watch an action movie if they don't like this genre. Because an action movie it definitely is, and a good one in my opinion. Of course you have some exaggerated scenes but not too much and not too exaggerated like we're normally used to in this genre. A good French action movie, it's been awhile since I watched one, this one deserves a good rating. The story is simple in the beginning but there are some good twists towards the end which made it a movie worth watching. The acting was also convincing so give it a shot if you're looking for a good foreign action movie.

Ad Vitam is a French action thriller directed by Rodolphe Lauga and co-written by Lauga, Guillaume Canet, and David Corona. The film follows Franck, played by Canet, a former member of the elite French police unit GIGN, who must save his pregnant wife Léo (Stéphane Caillard) from kidnappers while evading the police.

The movie delivers some impressive action sequences, particularly the stunts filmed in Paris and Versailles. Canet's performance is solid, though some may find it lacking the intensity of other action stars like Liam Neeson or Jason Statham. The plot, however, feels somewhat underdeveloped, with the action scenes taking precedence over character development and narrative depth.

Overall, Ad Vitam offers a mix of thrilling action and a somewhat thin storyline, making it an entertaining watch for fans of the genre, but perhaps not a standout in terms of plot complexity.

Netflix, like other streaming platforms, has to meet certain content quotas in various regions, including Europe. These quotas often require a certain percentage of content to be locally produced . While it's possible that Ad Vitam was produced to meet such requirements, it's also common for streaming services to invest in a wide range of content to appeal to diverse audiences.

Ad Vitam (2025), directed by Rodolphe Lauga, is a thriller that follows Franck Lazareff (Guillaume Canet), who survives an attempted murder and embarks on a quest to find his kidnapped wife, Leo. As Franck delves deeper into a world of mystery, he is confronted by his past and swept into a state conspiracy that proves more than he bargained for. While the premise offers potential for a gripping and emotional story, the film fails to rise above the clichés of the genre.

Guillaume Canet, despite being a talented actor, feels miscast in this film. His performance, while competent, lacks the depth and complexity that might have made his character truly compelling. It's surprising that an actor of his caliber chose to take on a role in such a formulaic and uninspired narrative. The supporting cast, including Jamel Blissat and Rayan Bouazza, doesn't bring anything particularly noteworthy to their roles, with their performances often feeling wooden and lacking emotional engagement.

The film's biggest weakness lies in its screenplay. The story follows a predictable path, offering few surprises or twists. While it tries to combine elements of action, mystery, and conspiracy, it never fully commits to any one genre, leaving the narrative feeling disjointed. The pacing also suffers, with certain plot points dragging on too long, and the dialogue feels repetitive and uninspired, leaving little for the viewer to truly connect with.

Visually, the film offers some decent action sequences, but the cinematography doesn't bring anything fresh or innovative to the genre. The direction is competent but lacks the flair needed to elevate the film beyond its generic premise. Ultimately, Ad Vitam feels like a classic example of a film that is forgettable, offering only brief moments of intrigue before fading into obscurity.

Rating: 5/10. A passable thriller with little to distinguish it from others in the genre, despite a talented cast and a promising premise.