June 11, 2011
The sheer pace of Point Blank takes your breath away. From the frantic opening shots to the menacing final twist, this is a tightly packed, stylish thriller that drags you relentlessly through the chic streets of Paris in a succession of chase scenes and violent confrontations.
But despite the hectic schedule, Fred Cavayé’s film always keeps its feet on the ground. The plot may be unlikely, but there’s a grittiness about the action which means it rarely feels over the top. At just under an hour and a half, there’s not enough time to reflect on what is happening anyway. And, like musing on what you said after a few drinks, sometimes it’s best not to analyse too much – it spoils the fun.
Samuel (Gilles Lellouche) is a trainee nurse, married to the adorable Nadia (Elena Anaya), who’s pregnant. Their happy domestic bliss is suddenly shattered when Nadia is kidnapped and, in order to rescue her, Samuel must deliver one of his patients to the kidnapper. That patient is Hugo Sartet (Roschdy Zem), who’s caught up in a murky conspiracy that is unravelled as the film develops.
Samuel assumes his new role with gusto. This film isn’t about hesitation and hand wringing, and he’s quickly able - and willing - to do almost anything to get his wife back. And it’s this sharpness of purpose that is the joy of Point Blank. There is a real sense of energy throughout, typified by the vividly exciting scene where Samuel is pursued in the Paris metro.
Cavayé’s frequent use of crowd scenes, as well as television news reports on key elements to the story, also place the film firmly in the realms of the possible, and make the scenario all the more frightening. Whilst the film is light on characterisation, Point Blank is a crime thriller that focuses on the thrills. The direction is slick rather than imaginative, but the intensity of the story is its real strength. The performances are excellent – Lellouche is utterly believable, and Zem is monosyllabically malevolent – and I left the cinema feeling both exhausted and elated.
But despite the hectic schedule, Fred Cavayé’s film always keeps its feet on the ground. The plot may be unlikely, but there’s a grittiness about the action which means it rarely feels over the top. At just under an hour and a half, there’s not enough time to reflect on what is happening anyway. And, like musing on what you said after a few drinks, sometimes it’s best not to analyse too much – it spoils the fun.
Samuel (Gilles Lellouche) is a trainee nurse, married to the adorable Nadia (Elena Anaya), who’s pregnant. Their happy domestic bliss is suddenly shattered when Nadia is kidnapped and, in order to rescue her, Samuel must deliver one of his patients to the kidnapper. That patient is Hugo Sartet (Roschdy Zem), who’s caught up in a murky conspiracy that is unravelled as the film develops.
Samuel assumes his new role with gusto. This film isn’t about hesitation and hand wringing, and he’s quickly able - and willing - to do almost anything to get his wife back. And it’s this sharpness of purpose that is the joy of Point Blank. There is a real sense of energy throughout, typified by the vividly exciting scene where Samuel is pursued in the Paris metro.
Cavayé’s frequent use of crowd scenes, as well as television news reports on key elements to the story, also place the film firmly in the realms of the possible, and make the scenario all the more frightening. Whilst the film is light on characterisation, Point Blank is a crime thriller that focuses on the thrills. The direction is slick rather than imaginative, but the intensity of the story is its real strength. The performances are excellent – Lellouche is utterly believable, and Zem is monosyllabically malevolent – and I left the cinema feeling both exhausted and elated.