Vincent Cassel is proving to be one of this generations most talented and prolific actors. Better known perhaps as the villain in Ocean’s 12, Cassel has been making movies for nearly two decades and has starred in some of the very best contemporary films to come out of his home country of France, where he is considered a certified rock star. With Mesrine: Killer Instinct, Cassel delivers the performance of a lifetime in a sprawling biopic crime drama about notorious French criminal Jacques Mesrine better known as Public Enemy No 1.
Helmed by Jean-Francois Richet, who directed the loose remake of John Carpenters‘ Assault on Precinct 13, Killer Instinct is part one of two feature films that capture the bizarre odyssey of crimes committed by Mesrine with style, substance and subtlety. After a stark and disturbing opening set against the Algerian war, a young soldier by the name of Jacques Mesrine (Cassel) returns home to find himself aimless and lost in life. The depiction of early 60s Pigalle pimps and players is authentic and reminiscent of the seedy underworlds created by Melville. Here Mesrine meets kingpin Guido (Gerard Depardieu) who recruits him into criminal operations that are secretly funding extremist political entities.
Along the way of his budding criminal career, the film highlights relationships between three women who played a pivotal role in shaping Mesrine throughout his life. Sarah (Florence Thomassin) a young prostitute gives Mesrine strength as he begins to take initiative of his illegal endeavors. Sofia (Elena Anaya) a bombshell Spanish woman steals Mesrine’s heart and gives him his first child. But as Mesrine gets deeper into trouble, he finally finds refuge with Jeanne (Cecile De France) who draws the inevitable comparison to Bonnie and Clyde as she becomes the criminal Ying to Mesrine’s bravado infused Yang. All these relationships are treated with a seeming ambiguity as to the nature of Mesrines intention which ultimately yields a compelling and complex portrayal of such an infamous real life person.
The film is an excellent example of filmmaking shooting on all cylinders and proves to be the opportunity of the lifetime for Cassel who plays the role of the titular character with vigor and passion. The film is based on the book written by Mesrine himself and is adapted by Abdel Raouf Dafri, who also wrote the hugely successful A Prophet, with tension, suspense and intrigue that allows audiences to simmer in real life quandaries. Cassel embodies Mesrine in a way that’s both cold and moralistic. There’s a reason that Mesrine has become such a legend and that’s because of the amazing stories, however horrific or vile they may be, are nonetheless intriguing and oddly compelling. Having seen both films, it’s hard not to be in awe of the Raging Bull transformation of Cassel as Mesrine that will leave you both satisfied and entertained.
8 out of 10
What do you think of Mesrine: Killer Instinct? Are you planning on seeing it this weekend?