Mesrine: Killer Instinct is based around the life of notorious french gangster Jacques Mesrine. Ignoring the pretty naff title, I was eager to see what all the fuss was about.
Mesrine harks back to the bygone days of the truly great gangster film, and looks set to revitalize the now fading genre. Its beautifully and creatively edited, with inventive shots and camera angles which serve to take you inside the mind of Mesrine. One poignant moment is when Mesrine is tortured during a stay at the corrections unit in Quebec, the uncomfortable spinning pan back really fits with the at times rather difficult viewing.
Vincent Cassel darling of the french film industry, is sure to be in high demand after this role. His performance is magnetic, at times he seems to be channelling De Niro or Pacino, and it is hard to take your eyes off him.
The film is an incredibly visceral affair, it serves up an attack on the senses, and at times is incredibly brutal. Mesrine occupies a somewhat Robin-Hood type figure in French culture, though it is clear that he had his charms, the film tends to highlight his brutal behaviour, and this makes it hard to see why he is so revered in his native homeland.
Killer Instinct also fits in a number of lighter moments which serve to break up the sheer pace of the action. The plot is truly gripping, the characters engaging, and I for one cannot wait for the second part, due out next month.
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