Secret Agents

I watched this film entirely in French without subtitles with some french speaking friends, as someone with reasonable French skills and still learning, i paid more attention to it than i would with an American film. I understood what was happening. From the start it had the potential to be a good film. Good locations, reasonable camera work, a good cast and some believable action sequences. A proportion of the film was located in Geneva, where i am staying at the moment, which i recognised, so effort was taken to be on location, unlike some films which are filmed in Prague and then set in Paris, Zurich or other European cities. I liked much of the story, the way that the characters interacted with each other and how the plot developed. Nevertheless, i found it disappointing and thought that more effort could have been made to develop the plot and perhaps develop the characters better. The actual action scenes were more brief than i had expected, which was another disappointment, but they were more believable that many in this specific genre. Having watched a number of French and other European films, i believe that they do have an edge over what Hollywood is producing. This film i think would not, i am sad to say. Not i think worth buying. If you rent it on DVD, then rent something else as well at the same time. That would be my advice.

Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel team up again after "Irreversible" in this decent movie that I recommend due to its simplicity and gripping storyline. Despite some definite defects (Bellucci's acting firstly), it shows a couple well working together and having a strong chemistry; a lot of intrigues, cover ups, action scenes. Shot in Casablanca, Geneva and Southern France (I guess) it can be seen as a motion picture that rarely loses its grip, well scripted and acted. The only objections I can find are Monica's Bellucci's role and the shortage of something that might have avoided the film to fall into the ordinary spy genre, like a stage trick revealing something new.

This movie offers several spectacular shots (free-falling, swimming against the sunset, scuba-diving, car flip / crash, etc), locations (France, Switzerland, Morocco, Spain) and means of transportation (cars, boats, subway trains, planes, helicopters). The production values are certainly very polished. But the director takes an overly detailed approach to storytelling - there are quite a few scenes that go on longer than necessary. The thrills are limited: a car chase ends almost as soon as it begins, and a fight between Cassel and a Spanish female assassin (Najwa Nimri) is shot in such tight close-ups that you literally can't see any of the moves. As for the insights into the spy business ("We're not asking her to collaborate with us; we're asking her to obey our orders"), they're not exactly groundbreaking stuff. The intense Cassel and the dazzling Bellucci are interesting people to look at, but for the most part this spy thriller is too dry - and the ending is poor. (**)

good casting doesn't mean that a movie is good. it only win in fame but not the audience/spectators.

good casting isn't the important element of a good movie. good work from actors and good story plot is.

== Monica bellucci, irreversible's Alex, is pretty ... so this film emphasize on selling her...and her husband, vince (vincent cassel) is her couple agent.

like irreversible, like brotherhood of wolf, only sell this popular couples...remember that, good cast, popular girl (Monica bellucci) is not enough, but only a good storyline is.

to conclude, there is nothing good to be remembered here. Bad film.

not a good actress, pretty actress can hold all spectators, if your storyline is as good as frighteners, yeah it can hold many many spectators! but this movie only sells the vincent cassel couples! only sell these 2 ppl isn't enough. Monica is pretty but if we only want to see her beauty, Malena/Bro. of wolf/irreversible can satisfy us.

remember, pretty actress isn't the only point for a movie to win.

can you all see matrix 2 and 3? though the hi-tech wins but it is boring than matrix 1, why? because ppl there only emphasize on the tech used there, but not improve the storyline. so it lose when compared to matrix 1!

To conclude on matrix series, it tells that..."good casting isn't everything, good storyline is(find the right actors)"!

This moving film has suspense , tension , emotion , wild fighting images , mystery , car crashes and a little bit of violence . From his offices in Switzerland, Russian Igor Lipovsky (Avedikian) is an arms dealer engaged in a huge and profitable gunrunning operation with a special load whose destination results to be Angola . The French government wants to hinder the activities of Igor and sends an outfit to sink one of his ships heading for Africa with a shipping of illegal weaponry . Lisa (Monica Bellucci) , Brisseau (Vincent Cassell) , Loïc (Ludovic Schoendoerffer , brother's son) , Tony (Eric Savin) and Raymond (Sergio Peris Mencheta) are professional spies under command of Colonel Grasset (André Dussollier) to proceed the dark operation . But moles threaten to foil a team of secret agents' plan . The code-name of the assignment is "Janus" ; and just like with the ancient deity , as they have to pull off a dangerous mission to sink the general cargo vessel "Anita Hans" in Casablanca . After that , they are betrayed by other spies (Najwa Nimri) , then Lisa is detained and Brisseau attempts to free her , but the events go wrong .

This thrilling movie deals with an expert team of spies , but no in James Bond style , as they are secret agents that carry out their assignments in realist as well as methodical manners . Exciting as well as surprising screenplay by Jean Cosmos , Ludovic Schoendoerffer and the same filmmaker Frederic Schoendoerffer . Although the picture has various ingredients for entertainment , the plot is some confused and complex and filled with plot twists . This enjoyable picture contains action , thrills , intrigue , car pursuits , struggles , including a violent fight between Vincent Cassell and his nemesis Najwa Nimri . The first part of the movie takes inspiration of the Rainbow Warrior case that has been slightly adapted ; events are transposed in Casablanca and the sabotaged boat carries weapons instead of environmental militants . Very good duo protagonist , Vincent Cassell , an actor with endless energy , but Vincent is also a family man with 2 children and married to Monica Bellucci, his Italian co-star . For professional reasons, Vincent lives mostly in Paris while his Italian-born wife, Monica Bellucci, lives mostly in London . However , they have been separated in 2013 . Despite this , they have appeared in the following films together : Sheitan (2006), Secret agents (2004), Irreversible (2002), Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001), Mediterranees (1999), Le Plaisir (1998), Compromis (1998), Dobermann (1997), Come Mi Vuoi (1997) and Flash-back (1996). The star studded support cast is important with known international actors , most of them French people such as André Dussollier as Colonel Grasset , Charles Berling as Eugène , Bruno Todeschini , Eric Savin as Tony , Gabrielle Lazure as Véronique Lipovsky as well as good Spanish actors such as Sergio Peris-Mencheta as Raymond , Najwa Nimri as Maria Menendez and Simon Andreu as lawyer .

Sensitive as well as touching musical score by Bruno Coulais . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Jean Pierre Sauvaire . The motion picture produced by Spanish producers : Ricardo Garcia/Francisco Ramos/Miguel Menendez and French ones : Eric Neve/Porchet/Latif Lahlou was well directed by Frédéric Schoendoerffer , son of also filmmaker Pierre Schoendoerffer , an expert on war movies . He was born in 1962 in France, he is a director and assistant director, known for Switch (2011) , Trunds (2007) , Scènes de crimes (2000) and especially this Secret agents (2004) . Rating : 6,5/10 . Well worth watching .