Mesrine: Killer Instinct
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Synopsis
The story of french gangster Jacques Mesrine, before he was called Public Enemy N°1.
Review
Killer Instinct is the first part of the telling of the life story of Jaques Mesrine, a notorious kidnapper and thief from France who made the 'Public Enemy Number 1' status in the 1970s. Vincent Cassell portrays Mesrine, with this first film highlighting his early criminal career, and aspects of his notoriety during his visit to Canada and the US.
Starting with a brief moment set during the Algerian War, where Mesrine was a soldier, and then flitting back to France for a brief segemtn, then Spain, then France again, and then the US and Canada, the film's only real problem is that it seems far too hurried. Time moves on pretty rapidly throughout, and one moment he is awaiting the birth of his first child, and then within 10 minutes he has a full family. It feels as if the filmmakers wanted to show as much of Mesrine's life as they could, but found that even 2 films was not enough to tell the story and so condensed so much of it into 'snippets' of his life. It makes the first hour of watching a bit muddled, as you have to pay attention to keep up with what has actually gone on. Towards the end of this volume the film slows a bit to focus on his stay, and subsequent escape from, a Canadian prison. At this point it manages to tap into why the media in France latched onto him as a 'romantic criminal figure', and for the first time in the film we, the audience, managed to care about him and root for him to defy the authorities.
Herein lies another problem in the film. It does try to make you understand and even care for Jaques, but follws such attempts with scenes showing his brutal and selfish nature, thus nullifying any attempt to humanise what is effectively a vicious thug who got what he deserved. The only people you do care about are those who get caught up in his life - although even then most of them are portrayed as grotesques, each with a bitter aspect that prevents you caring.
Perhaps it will all come together when Part 2 is viewed, which will focus on the French crimewave section and his downfall, but from this first film, regardless of how well acted and directed it is (and believe me, it is), it is hard to really see why he became regarded as a heroic figure by some media.
That aside, Mesrine Part 1 is definitely worth catching. As mentioned the acting is fantastic, and the direction makes good use of scenes, and places the film clearly in the era it is set by way of split screen effects. A great profile of a criminal, only a little too rushed.
Trivia
- Benoît Magimel, who was at one time set to star, stepped down from the Mesrine project without informing producer Thomas Langmann, choosing instead to issue a press release. As a result of this a fight erupted on November 25th 2004 at the Intertalent talent agency between Langmann and Magimel's agent, François Samuelson, where Langmann headbutted Samuelson and broke his nose. Samuelson was on sick leave for nine days and pressed charges against Langmann.
- Vincent Cassel gained 20 kgs (44 pounds) for the role during the four months leading up to the shoot.
- The filming of this and L'ennemi public n°1 (2008), which lasted nine straight months, was done in reverse chronological order so that Vincent Cassel could progressively lose the weight he gained in preparation of the role, as Cassel knew he couldn't gain weight while filming.
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