Very nice historical thriller/adventure, based on the hit TV series of the same name. In 1912, an elite unit of the Sureté becomes involved in a complex case including anarchist attacks, an international financial scandal involving France and Russia, political corruption and a mysterious, beautiful woman married to a Russian prince but with an agenda of her own. The production is handsomely mounted, action scenes are fairly sparse (like in The Untouchables) but very well done, real set-pieces. There's a huge shootout, hand-to-hand combat, fencing... the lot. Acting is very good across the line, but I would like to single out Diane Kruger for her performance as Constance. Multi-layered, very well written, the character is at the heart of the plot and shows a richness and subtlety rare in genre fiction. Hindsight provides an extra layer of appreciation: the events in the film occur before WW I and the Russian Revolution, but will influence both these cataclysmic upheavals. As we know more than the characters do about how things will turn out, the narrative gains extra poignancy. Definitely one of the best French mainstream entertainment films of recent years. A success on every level. Roll on Brigades 2...
Review of The Tiger Brigades
