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36 Quai des Orfèvres
2004 Crime / Thriller / Drama
Review
Director Olivier Marchal clearly likes his crime thrillers fast, hard-boiled and dialogue
sparse. After his ultra-violent first film,
Gangsters (2002), 36
Quai des Orfèvres is an equally brutal portrayal of life on the mean streets
of Paris, a relentless orgy of pacey action stunts and spectacles of mindless violence
of the kind that are now de rigueur in the thriller
genre. Whilst the film is at times visually stunning, it’s a clear case of style
over substance. The threadbare plot (which is absolutely riddled with clichés)
doesn’t stand up to even a passing scrutiny and the characters are about as absurd and
implausible as you can imagine (even if the acting generally isn’t too bad).
This is an incoherent showy schoolboy fantasy à la Luc Besson, not a serious crime drama. Even the presence of such world class actors as Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu cannot disguise the fact (although, on the strength of their contributions to this film, both are looking distinctly well past their best.) Anyone expecting something in the tradition of the classic French thriller can only be disappointed by this film, which is not much more than a slavish imitation of the latest species of tough and ever-more vacuous American cop movie. © James Travers 2007 It is worth noting that the director, Olivier Marshal spent 10 years as a Police official and that part of the script was taken from real situations during his experience in the police force. This is not a film to be judged solely by the script alone but by the action and the performance of the actors, especially the main characters. Klein and Vrinks are both heading different crime units within the police force and used to be friends in the past. Marshal does not furnish the audience with an explanation as to what caused the hostility between them, but we are made to understand that Klein is a creep who would do anything to climb the ladder to acquire the position of a Police Chief who is retiring soon. The Minister wants to smash a gang of thugs who have committed a series of robberies that have made a mockery of the police. The two main characters are offered an opportunity to become Police Chief in exchange for the capture of the gang. From then on, the movie becomes an unstoppable roller coaster ride. The gruesome violence that follows realistically represents what can occur in the course of a criminal act. Marshal challenges our moral viewpoint. Vrinks is faced with a difficult situation: would you commit a crime to solve another? What would you do? The competition between the two main characters blurs the thin line between good and evil, as both have friends in dark alleys. All actors are at their peak. Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu have become French gods in movies all over Europe. I actually hated the Klein character but liked the way he carried himself for the movie. Another reason to love the movie is the atmosphere created by the tragic events, e.g. the police orchestra during a funeral just heightens the anger against the responsible protagonist. The locations used are also excellent. Marshal avoids the approach of Heat (De Niro & Al Pacino), of creating violence right in the Central Business District where innocent victims might suffer harm. The moral of the story? Ultimately “what goes around comes around”. The movie does have its flaws e.g. violence against woman is not my favorite thing to see, but it’s part of life. However, I reckon this movie scores a good 3.5 stars for originality, authenticity and performance. The word SUPERB comes to mind. I heard through the grape vine that George Clooney and De Niro are considering a US re-make, Oh! God save us all – they will spoil it for sure as one cannot better this unless they create and invent their own storyline. The DVD (Tartan version-UK) is anamorphic, with DTS 5.1 Stereo, 5.1 or 2.0 Stereo, English dubbed version, extras and director & actors interviews, the making of, and other stuff. I applaud Olivier Marshal’s vision and originality - a breath of fresh air to the genre, even if he is not quite Jean-Pierre Melville. © Thanda Makhathini 2008 (South Africa) Write a review for this film... User Comments
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Director:
Olivier Marchal
Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Gérard Depardieu, André Dussollier, Roschdy Zem, Valeria Golino Synopsis
For several months, a gang of ruthless crooks have been getting away with a series of
daring and increasingly violent robberies in Paris. Police chief Robert Mancini
summons two of his best men, Léo Vrinks and Denis Klein, and offers them an unusual
challenge. Whichever of them manages to bring the gang to justice will succeed him
upon his retirement. Vrinks and Klein are both eager to get the job, and what follows
will be a fight to the death...
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