Review of Le Samouraï (1967) by Isaac M — 22 Jun 2008

So many thrillers these days overload on the plot to the point that no one cares what happens anymore. In the same vein, actions sequences are overdone ad nauseam so that after so many hours, we are no longer paying attention. As a movie, Le Samourai is as minimalist and poker-faced as its main characters. The plot is deceivingly simple. An assassin is hired to kill an owner of a popular club without leaving a trace. The assassin is caught in a police line-up but slips away. HIs employers soon discover this, and do what they believe is necessary to cover their tracks.

During the entire movie, we are held in suspense as the assassin coolly slips in and out of police detection. This movie is very suspenseful and does this with visual mastery instead of over-relying on loud noises and overdone plot.