The Nest

One doesn't (when one is American, at least) expect to get glossy, high-budget action films from the French; I didn't realize they even MADE this kind of movie. Do industry folk believe that foreign action films won't travel well or be able to compete with similar Hollywood product? If so, I'm surprised THE NEST didn't change all that. (Maybe it went straight to DVD here in the US.) Whatever the reason, this superior example of tight, twisty action film-making is worth recommending to anybody interested.

Boasting a great plot, better than average writing and acting, and knockout direction, the film involves four sets of people--two of them lawbreakers, the other two law enforcers, whom chance and a little coincidence bring together with frightening, violent, bloody and surprisingly believable results. Most of the action is confined to one huge warehouse, and the director manages to eek out every bit of surprise, suspense and clever logistics from this unusual location. I have not seen as good a film of this type since the original "Die Hard."

An ensemble piece using a terrific group of actors, the movie waits until its close to list its cast. I was so involved by the logistics and fast pace that I failed to recognize several of my favorite French actors: Benoit Magimel ("The Piano Teacher," "The King Dances"), Pascal Greggory ("Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train"), and Sami Bouajila ("The Adventures of Felix"). Director Florent Emilio Siri has a new film coming out next year ("The Hostage"); on the basis of his "Nest," I can't wait.

Note: the DVD comes in its original French language with English subtitles and with an English dubbed alternative--which I have heard is badly done. This is NOT a dialog-heavy movie (most actions films aren't) so try it with the subtitles. I did--and was hooked from start to finish.

I was annoyed when I learned that they were doing a remake of "Assault". When the movie came out, I knew I was right.

Then I saw this movie here on TV. Didn't really know what it was about, just saw that it starred Naceri of "Taxi" fame, so I decided to watch it.

From the moment everybody gathered in the warehouse, I instantly thought of "Assault".

Some others here seem not to have a clear remembrance of Carpenter's movie, but apart from a few new gadgets all the key plot points are completely the same. I won't give them away, as they would be major spoilers, but try to watch both movies together and you'll see.

But on the other side: This is a fine remake. You don't know who's gonna die, there are some interesting new plot points and the characters are believable (in "Assault", you learn nothing about the man they want, as he'snot talking any more. The Mafia guy is quite another quality...) I say, 8 of 10.

This is a beautifully mounted action thriller that creates suspense with a deliberate setup and then wonderfully delivers on those expectations. When it gets going it's truly relentless. This is far better than any American action film of recent years and there's a lesson to be learned here. Especially with creating interesting multi-layered characters we care about coupled with the unpredictability that anyone can get killed at any time. When the audience cares about the characters the main battle of any action flick is won--we have a vested interest. At that point there's no other place to be but on the edge of your seat. If this is not picked up for US distribution it'll be a crime, and our loss.

The film is incredible , action starts and doesn't finish until ending title.

This is a first rate movie , plenty of action and very spectacular . It's likeness to an American action film. French movies are solely the European cinema to compete with American market regarding to spectacle cinema.

The flick centers about a bunch that tries to free a Serbian mobster -Angelo Infanti- . Nadia Fares commands the group assigned to protect him and they cross with a bunch of thieves led by Sami Nacery and Benoit Maginel . After a frenetic pursuit , the officers seek refuge , with their prisoner, in a warehouse located in the heart of an industrial park .

The showdown between three groups is breathtaking . The film is pretty violent and savage , everybody will fight until death to obtain their purposes.

In the movie there is action packed , thriller , rip-roaring , drama , gore , violence and it will appeal to whom are looking for strong emotions.

Direction by Florent Emilio Siri is excellent and Alexander Desplat music is riveting .

Rating : Above average , 7/10. Well worth watching .

Watching THE NEST I was reminded in quite a few ways of DIE HARD, which I consider to be the archetypal action movie. Very pure of focus, very lean and taught and *incredibly* intense. It's been a long time since a movie kept me on the edge of my seat like this one.

The premise is very simple. A group of special forces soldiers are escorting a mafia head to trial when they're attacked by his men and take refuge in a warehouse. As luck would have it, a gang of thieves choose the same night to rob the same warehouse, and they get caught in the crossfire.

Once the groups of characters are introduced, it's not long before the bullets start flying... and flying, and flying and flying. It's almost non-stop action for the rest of the film, and easily outdoes HARD BOILED for bullet count. I'm sure some people will find this very boring, so if intense adrenalin-inducing action isn't one of your things then skip the rest of this review (and the film). The rest of you, skip the rest of this review and go rent/buy/acquire this film. Hollywood only wishes it could make an action film this pure or this exciting these days.

As regards purity (since I've mentioned it twice), this means that the film focusses on building intense action, and doesn't let itself get distracted with other concerns, except in a few cases. The characters are given just enough development to let us know who they are, and pretty much no back story. One character in particular seems like he must have a story to tell, but all we learn is that he was once a fireman. There was surely more to him than that, but it's kept a mystery. Maybe that's a good thing, but I'd have liked to know a little more. A few times the movie teases you into thinking there's going to be a twist, and you say to yourself "Ha, I see what's coming later", but the plot remains refreshingly twist-free. It doesn't need them, so it doesn't have them. Pure.

It's just a shame that Hollywood's marketing machinery has such an iron grip on the world's cinema distribution that junk like Alien vs Predator will be seen by millions of people, and a movie as good as THE NEST will remain inexplicably classed as "Indie" or "Arthouse", even in its home country.