Kompromat

Jerome Salle seems to be specialized in adventure thrillers: LARGO WINCH 1 and 2, ZULU, only THE ODYSSEY was not a thriller. But this movie definitely is. And the Russian element in this film released just during the war in Ukraine sounds very strange, what a coincidence. Well this is a classical international thriller with no great surprise, except an excellent directing and acting, but where nothing is done to attract tourists to visit Russia and its tolerance, his friendly behavior towards foreigners; I mean the authorities, not the common folk. Gilles Lelouche is awesome, as usual. A bit long, though and I repeat, unfortunately predictable.

"It's too long", someone wrote. Well, I disagree. First of all, French directors don't generally hew to the mad pacing American filmgoers are used to. This is quite obvious - you have to go into the theater with a different notion of what an action film should look like.

The film is extremely tight all the way through. Extraordinary attention to detail, and the cinematography is outstanding. Just beautiful. Yes, the plot is somewhat convoluted - but it's based on an incredible true story. It's also timely in that it informs the audience of the true terror people are living in, in the totalitarian state of Russia. G-d knows how many people are wrongfully imprisoned. This is the story of a man who, incredibly, was able to escape the clutches of the Russian state. It's worth watching for that reason alone.

The term "kompromat" refers to a form of blackmail used by the Russian authorities to gain leverage over individuals, and it's a concept at the heart of this gripping thriller which is very loosely based on actual events.

Mathieu (Gilles Lellouche), a member of the French institute in Irkutsk, is arrested overnight by the Russian authorities and accused of a crime he did not commit. He soon realizes he is being used as a scapegoat in an elaborate setup orchestrated to frame him for a crime that never happened.

Left alone and isolated with no one to turn to, Mathieu must find a way to prove his innocence and escape. The journey is filled with tense moments as he navigates through corrupt officials, threats of violence, and an atmosphere of despair.

Gilles Lellouche gives a powerful performance in the lead role, conveying Mathieu's emotions with nuance and intensity. His performance is complemented by a top-notch supporting cast, making the movie an engaging experience. The cinematography is also noteworthy as it captures the claustrophobic atmosphere and oppressive mood of the setting.

The themes of KOMPROMAT also have a contemporary immediacy given the currently tense relationships between Russia and other European countries. It tells an important story about a system designed to control and manipulate its citizens and gives us insight into how our liberties can be taken away.

KOMPROMAT did feel a bit too long, but its intricate plot and detailed character development created a compelling narrative that kept me riveted until the very end.

And his will to survive - well this is not a movie about boxing, so no pun intended. I assume you knew this anyway, but just wanted to make sure, you'd understand my method and my summary (head)lines. We have something that is based in reality or something that actually happened - I did not check what things were made up or exaggerated, in case you were wondering.

The movie is heightened for sure and has quite a few near misses and a lot of tension. You may be wondering what is happening at times, but the time frame and the timeline jumps are carefully chosen, so I reckon most will be able to follow ... well no pun intended again, since some in the movie seem unable to follow ... well the movie would not happen, if they did.

It may be a bit too long for its own good ... and I thought there was an ending 20-30 minutes before the movie actually ended ... we needed another highlight I assume ... can't just let the movie ... drown like that ...

I have seen most of the films that won Oscars this year, 2025. I will not mention them, because they are so bad that they do not deserve to be mentioned. I almost lose faith in the art of cinema and even in human being, because of the banality of these films. Meanwhile, high-quality films like this french one are forgotten in some streaming system and few people watch them. This is a suspense film that has all the requirements of a great film, everything about it is top notch: Acting, photography, editing, soundtrack, script. In short, it is a film that shows that the art of cinema still has a lot of breath and will not die any time soon. Thank you to the producers who made this gem, it is really good.