Review of Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 (2008) by Generoso F — 14 Sep 2010

Less character development and more action marks this second part of the saga that is the life of career criminal Jacques Mesrine. Also gaping plot holes and characters that seem to come out of nowhere mark Public Enemy # 1.

For example, the always sheepish but consistent Matthew Almaric appears as Jacques' partner Francois for the first hour of the film. They flee Paris for London and then after a slight argument, Jacques suddenly has a new partner in a another city and Francois is being jailed in Belgium.

But try as he will director Jean-Francois Richet poor visual style and sentimental music choices cannot ruin the performance of Vincent Cassel in the lead role. Cassel's Jacques Mesrine is borderline sociopathic, charming in his low level mobster threads but he keeps his promises to police and thug but lacks the desire to kill innocents, thus making him a folk hero.

Throw in the too gorgeous Ludivine Sagnier as this film's "love" interest and you have a very enjoyable piece of clunky pop filmmaking.