LE DERNIER MERCENAIRE (The Last Mercenary) (France 2021) ***1/2
Directed by David Charhon
Two comedy action flicks make their debut this week, both available on streaming services. One is the much touted JUNGLE CRUISE opening in both theatres and Disney Prime and the other, coming out of nowhere, actually from France, a film that no one has heard of, a Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle called THE LAST MERCENARY.Which one would you go see?If you picked the former, you would be one of the majority but the latter film is a much better and entertaining film, compared to the formulaic and bland JUNGLE CRUISE.Written by Ismaël Sy Savané and co-written by its director David Charhon, THE LAST DETECTIVE follows the footsteps of French action comedies similar to the OSS 117 spy flicks by the director of THE ARTIST, Michel Hazanavicius.
Van Damme is old now, as can be seen by the wrinkles on his face.But the action star has not lost his charm or agility.Van Damme can still do the splits as evident in one fight scene where he surprises two thugs by hiding above them by holding himself by doing a split on two vertical walls.Van Damme plays Richard, amysterious former secret service agent who must urgently return to France when his estranged son, humorously named Archibald (Samir Decazza) is falsely accused of arms and drug trafficking by the government, following a blunder by an overzealous bureaucrat and a mafia operation.Archie has been granted immunity and given a generous monthly allowance for services rendered by his father Richard.But the father and son have never met.Archie has no idea that he can commit any crime or do any bad stuff, for the immunity he is given.Nor does he know where his allowance is coming from.Both benefits disappear as a result of some government error. All these exploits look totally ridiculous, and they are, but they bring laughs, nonetheless.The plotting gets sillier but goofy is good as long as the laughs keep coming and they do.
It seems that every actor in the film is a clown trying to outdo each other in goofiness.Van Damme himself, besides donning a tuxedo looking like a suave James Bond, also sports a fake muscle wearing library glasses in one scene and in another wears a dress, fighting off the thugs in drag.And there is Alexandre played by Alban Ivanov who is so funny, he almost steals the entire movie.After beaten up by Richard, Alex goes about with his tongue hanging from his mouth, uttering mumbled words as if he is some kind of spastic.The other supporting cast are funny too, with veteran actress Miou-Miou playing Richard’s old flame.
The comedy and action blend well together.Van Damme shows himself still a master of martial-arts.There are also car chases and other well executed action sequences.The film runs at a lean hound 45 minutes.
Forget JUNGLE CRUISE this week and watch THE LAST MERCENARY on Netflix.
LA DECISION DE ALICE (ALICE) (Australia/France/UK 2019) Top 10
Directed by Josephine Mackerras
ALICE is a man-hating film and with reason.
ALICE isan Australian-French-British co-production.Australian writer/director Josephine Mackerras shoots her first feature in Paris, France and it is one wallop of a debut.
The film opens with what is seemingly a happy family.Alice (a powerful performance by Emilie Piponnier) is cooking while hubby, Francois (Martin Swabey) plays with their son, Jules (Jules Milo Levy Mackerras).Later at a party, Francois shows his passionate affection for his wife in front of all the guests.Then the unexpected happens.Alice is served with an eviction order and her husband disappears.Visiting the bank manager (Christophe Favre), she learns that her husband has stolen all her money and defaulted on the apartment payments.He is nowhere to be contacted and does not return Alice’s calls.Alice finds out what happened.Francois had spent all her money (that she inherited from her father) on his addiction - escorts.Alice calls one of the agencies he visits and ends up working there to pay for her flat and support herself and Jules.Then just like in Robert Benton’s KRAMER VS. KRAMER, the spouse suddenly appears half way through the movie and wants things back to normal.When refused, he threatens child custody.Enough said of the plot, and saying more would just spoil one’s entertainment and the dramatic effect of the film, safe to say there is much, much more in the occasionally brilliant script that seems to demonstrate the power of women while also touching on their vulnerability.As strong a will that Alice possesses and utilizes, she is also subject to emotional feelings and hurt.
The film feels at times like Luis Bunuel’s 1967 classic BELLE DE JOUR where Catherine Deneuve prostitutes herself during the day.But this film is different in theme and structure.Though Piponnier is an incredibly beautiful actress, ALICE is not an erotic film.The sex scenes are done with class and elegance, often with a touch of humour and much sensitivity.The only complaint is that all of Alice’s clients are too nice and wealthy.She never encounters any abusive or physically unattractive clients.Director Mackerrasquite trivializes the oldest profession in the world.
Director Mackerras teaches that domestic abuse can take different forms.Francois is shown at one point almost hitting Alice.But the abuse here is more than psychological.Francois had abused the trust she had in their marriage - and that is worse than any psychological and physical abuse any husband can inflict on a partner. The film hints of Alice forgiving him, especially when he appears sincere.Donc, quelle LA DECISION DE ALICE?
The film’s best scene that deserves mention is the one where Alice confronts her best friend, Lisa (Chloe Boreham) over a wrong she perceived had been done to her.Another powerful scene is the one Alice makes to her mother, this one made even more powerful as it is only the dialogue that is heard on screen.
ALICE is full of surprises.One of the biggest ones is that this minor masterpiece cost less than $1 million to make.Australian director Mackerras filmed most of it in her own apartment with her own son playing Jules in the film.The ending too, is a solid surprise!
Distributed by Game Theory Films in Canada, Alice will be available to stream on Vimeo On Demand, iTunes and Apple TV beginning July 20. Visit gametheoryfilms.com/alice for more info.
(HOW I BECAME A SUER HERO) (France/Belgium 2021) *** Directed by Douglas Attal
The French tackle the super action hero genre in this latest international Netflix original movie.The premise is a society (like Paris, the story’s setting) where normal human beings and superpowers heroes live together.Expect a different kind of film - as would be expected if such a film comes from a country different from the United States.And HOW I BECAME A DIFFERENT HERO isdifferent kind of action hero film but in a good way.
First things first.It is best not to judge a book by its cover which means not to judge a film by its title.Though it may sound so, this is not a kids movie.It is an adult film with adult issues and some violence though teens form a major part of the story.The setting is a place where super powered action heroes and human live together.But not in harmony.A lot of the super powers are villains and those who are not - have not mastered their new powers, including the story’s protagonist, Moreau.For teen with super powers, many have been abducted by a villain, Naja (Swann Arlaud) and their blood and powers sucked out for the use of evil.
Paris 2020, superheroes are perfectly assimilated within society and want to be famous at all costs.A drug that gives superpowers to mere mortals is spreading all Paris.Lieutenants Moreau (Pio Marmai) and Schaltzmann (Vimala Pons) are investigating the case with the support of two ex-superheroes, Monte Carlo (the always excellent Benoit Poelvoorde) and Callista (Leila Bekhti). They’ll do whatever it takes to dismantle the traffic.But Moreau’s past resurfaces and the investigation becomes more complicated.
There is much to be liked and entertained in this movie.For one, there is more story here than in any of the Marvel super action hero Universefilms.The film blends with the cop genre, another very popular one that the French have mastered.The French have done well in their touch detective buddy movies like the LES RIPOUX franchise.France’s second last Academy Award for Best International Picture entry, Ladj Ly’s LES MISERABLES was the best cop film in the last three years.In HOW I BECAME A SUER HERO, Moreau is a no-nonsense streetwise cop.His new partner is follow-the-book but intelligent detective, here female for political correctness.The two are initially at loggerheads with each other - (Boil his ass, she says of him at one point) but they eventually get along, with a romantic kiss at the end after they have worked together on the case.
As this is a lower budget film, the special effects, are modest but no less effective.The action sequences with all super powers in full view are well executed.
With humour and action, this French super action hero movie which blends in the cop genre is a welcome addition to the family of international Netflix originals.
CAPSULE REVIEWS of Select Films will be posted once embargoes have lifted. Embargo dates listed.
DES PREUVRES A’AMOUR (Love Letters)(France 2025) ***½ Directed by Alice...
