Review of Frantic (1988) by Jonathan A — 28 Jul 2012

Just when I thought that I've had my fair share of Roman Polanski films, I decide one day to pick this one up and it is a great, great movie. Harrison Ford is at his prime with this addition to his already fabulous filmography, he plays a doctor named Richard that's fairly similar to his later role in The Fugitive. He elevates some of the film's weaker early material, but it picks up as the film progresses and things get especially interesting when he meets the beautiful Michelle who helps him on his journey to find his kidnapped wife.

The film has a handful of dazzling scenes, one involves a dance between Michelle and Richard late in the film, another involves Richard having to climb at the top of a building just to get inside Michelle's apartment when it seems that she's in trouble. The rooftop scene, followed by the scene inside the actual apartment, is masterful in the way it allows the audience to follow the action, taking it's time to show us every little detail, every little element that makes all the difference. There's a lot of good stuff here, the ending's a bit weak when taking the rest of material into consideration, but that's easily forgiveable for a film as good as this. Check it out.