User reviews

This is a movie about th biker war in Quebec, in which a few hundred persons died, including a lot of innocent ones.

The first time I watched this movie, I did like it but only because of the theme, the criminal bikers. The second time I watched it, a couple years later, all the symbols and the "hidden messages" about the faith of the main characters were just too clear.

Yes, there is overacting by the main character, but I think it was intended that way. He looks innocent, not the non-guilty kind of innocent, but rather, as Mr Pierre Foglia used in one of his chronicles about a different topic, innocent as the rabbit looking at the headlights of the truck that is about to crush him.

This movie was, in my opinion, intended to discourage people from ever joining a criminal organization such as those portrayed in the story, by demonstrating that the only possible end, or escape, is death.

Michel Jette has given us an unsettling glimpse at what organized crime is really like. Set in one of the somewhat less lavish neighborhood of Montreal, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, the movie explores the struggles of teenagers who are irreversibly drawn into a world of crime, deadly loyalty and power struggle. Realistic and well-acted, the simple premise of the movie lets the storyline creep up slowly with occasional twists and turns, but the social commentary it gives is confusingly subtle and thought-provocative even in its apparent directness. While less extravagant than Soderberg's Traffic, it's realism and attempted objectivity at the attractive, yet morally questionable, social and economic underworld is a quality that will give this film a long-lasting effect to most avid viewers. When it ends, you will still have plenty to think about.

Try to get your hands on this one. Probably the best French-Canadian film in years. 9/10

In Quebec, the smalltime criminal Marc (Dominic Darceuil) is surprisingly invited to join the Dark Souls, a powerful biker gang leaded by Tatou (Deano Clavet) that is in war against the Devil's Soldier. Marc gets close to his sponsor and begins his initiation process in the gang, hijacking a motorcycle on the road and break-in a house to steal another one. While his best friend Nose (Jean-Nicolas Verreault ) aims to join the Darks, Marc participates in murders of opponents and begins to feel uncomfortable with his new friends. After his last mission, he finds the truth about the Darks.

"Hochelaga" is actually a pointless presentation of the world of criminal gangs of bikers through the eyes and feelings of Marc. Whether intentional or not, this lead character shows an absolute lack of personality and it is impossible to feel empathy for any character of this below average movie. I was completely misled by the overrated IMDb Rating. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Hochelaga – Gangues Sangrentas" ("Hochelaga – Bloody Gangs")

I have to admit that this is the first French-Canadian film I have seen and I came away very disappointed.. Jette took a rich and promising subject and unfortunately didnt do it justice..It comes off as an attempted semi-documentary but seems more as a stereotypical caricature of biker clubs.. The supporting roles arent fleshed out very well and the main protagonist Marc, lost my empathy very quickly.. I would have loved to see a deeper look at the relationship between Marc, Nose and Bof and also between Marc and Popeye, which is more of a filler than a contribution to the actions of Marc.. The cast seems to be competent enough, but unfortunately, an average script has let them down.. Watch this movie only if you are really into bikers or if like me, you are curious to see the difference in the accents between the French and the French-Canadians...