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Netchaïev est de retour
1991 Crime / Thriller
Review
This convoluted political thriller sees Yves Montand (in his last film appearance but
one) again playing the part of a tough law enforcer up against a dangerous opponent within
a corrupt political establishment. It’s effectively a return to the hard-boiled
French neo-polar of the late 1970s, although the formula clearly has less relevance to
cinemagoers of the early 1990s. There’s an excellent performance from Vincent Lindon,
whose portrayal of a disillusioned terrorist is appropriately ambiguous and strangely
sympathetic, and Montand is still impressive in his twilight years. However, the
supporting cast are under-utilised and struggle to make any impact on the narrative.
As ever, Jacques Deray is masterful at directing the action sequences, which are well-paced, suspenseful and shocking without being gratuitously over-the-top. Unfortunately, the film’s straightforward drama passages feel laboured and drawn-out, hampered by limp dialogue and weak characterisation. So, whilst the film has some appeal (the Montand-Lindon billing being its main selling point), it does not compare all that favourably with Deray’s better known films – classics such as Borsalino (1970) and Flic Story (1975). © James Travers 2005 Write a review for this film...User Comments
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Director:
Jacques Deray
Starring: Yves Montand, Vincent Lindon, Patrick Chesnais, Miou-Miou Synopsis
Netchaïev, a notorious political activist-cum-terrorist, was believed to have died
in Gibraltar in 1985 under mysterious circumstances. Five years later, he reappears
in Paris, apparently to embark on a fresh campaign of murder and mayhem. The news
of his return comes as a shock to his former friends, who have now become respectable
figures in society, and his father, Pierre Marroux, who occupies a senior position in
the French security services. However, far from wanting to resume his murderous
exploits, Netchaïev wants to make a fresh start. He offers to give details
of an impending terrorist attack in exchange for a full pardon. Unfortunately, Netchaïev’s
unexpected return poses a threat to the French government which has some murky secrets
to protect…
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