Above the Law

The Belgian film 'Tueurs' ('Killers') made in 2017 has two directors. One of them, who is also the author of the story and co-screenwriter, is called Francois François Troukens and is a former bank robber who spent some time behind bars. His partner is Jean-François Hensgens who is also the cinematographer (with good results). The result of their collaboration is a 'film noir' describing a violent confrontation between policemen and gangsters with political reverberations inspired by a real (and still unsolved) case in Belgian history. However, the film does not try too insistently to propose a solution to a series of unexplained crimes, the historical connection seems to be more of a pretext. It remains a fairly well-made action film, with precisely outlined characters, even if psychologically they don't go too deep.

The film begins as a violent action film, alertly paced, in the American style. A burglary at a supermarket is followed by the elimination of witnesses. Is it just a theft, or a terrorist act? What is the connection to the string of similar crimes that happened 30 years ago? Is the fact that among the victims is a female judge who investigated the cases in the past just a coincidence? Gradually, the main heroes of the action take shape. Frank Valken is a burglar fresh out of prison, participating in the heist, but is he also guilty of the murders as the police seems to believe and is trying to prove? Lucie Tesla is a brave and incorruptible police officer who tries to uncover the truth, but the obstacles seem to come not only from the criminals but also from her bosses in the police and the prosecutor's office. Are they involved? What is the connection to the crimes committed three decades ago?

The not fully assumed reference to real cases is problematic. For Belgians, just mentioning the actual cases of Brabant murders in the 1990s is probably insufficient. For those unfamiliar with that episode in recent Belgian history, the case brought to the screen is even more mysterious. It seems to be about political murders, but the orientation of those who ordered them is unclear - what exactly were they after? The action part is well outlined, and the character of Frank Valden, played by Olivier Gourmet, is well built. Lubna Azabal's performance in the role of the policewoman also seemed excellent to me. 'Tueurs' is a well-crafted action film that would have won, I think, if the political side was more clearly explained and if the characters were given a bit more screen time to define and reveal themselves to the viewers. I often criticize modern movies for their excessive length. 'Tueurs' is one of the rare cases where I think the film would have been better if it had a few dozen extra minutes.