22 Bullets

I have to admit that 22 Bullets is quite a bit more violent than I'm comfortable with; bursts, yes but this revenge thriller starring the venerable Jean Reno is fairly constant, unrelenting and rather ugly.

Yes, it's certificate 18 and is about mobsters, current and ex, slaughtering each other, so I shouldn't be surprised and of course, I could have turned it off. But, it's quite a good movie, quite a long one at a whisker under two hours and so I stuck it out. My three stars is not altered by feelings on this aspect.

Reno, as Charly Mattei is reliably grizzled and back in his native language, does not suffer the stumbling block he had with the English language that he did when he made films in the U.S. Here, he's natural and believable - not exactly likable but it's impossible not to side with him when he stalks his enemies. There's a pretty high body count, accompanied by some very realistic looking wounds, that really aren't very attractive to look at! The make-up department did well, here.

The music has a big part to play in creating the tone, often thunderous and pounding and along with often frenetic camera-work, the film's undeniably jolting and exciting, though those prone to suffering one may well get a migraine as bad as the one that one of the mobsters did.

There are a good number of reviews for this title that outline plot details. I'm going to leave that out - people don't need to read that over again.

All in all, it's a solid movie on a familiar theme, quite involved with some exciting action and stunts. Reno is very good, as all the actors are. If you like your thrillers full-blood and graphically violent, then this could well be an excellent rental or DVD purchase. Me - it's not my favourite and will leave it at that.

I am fond of thriller movies where dramatic events happen in the very beginning. And where you must follow the plot intensely, not just nodding and seeking clichés... There are lots of events and lines where it is not sure what the solutions will be.

Jean Reno's character fills most of the scenes and all this is enjoyable to watch - he is one of the finest French contemporary actors. L'immortel, of course, is not as good and popular as Leon, or Ronin, where Reno has starred before, but it is still a highly recommendable action movie where fans of Luc Besson's work will not become disappointed.

I went to this movie in Sneak Preview, otherwise I probably would not have gone to watch it. The thought of watching a two hour thing about a French mafioso (do they even have Mafia in France?) who survives 22 bullets and then goes on a rampage of revenge, just doesn't appeal to me...

I'm going to have to admit that the movie wasn't really that bad though. There were some nice (and also brutal) scenes and Jean Reno was his usual steady self, nothing spectacular, but not bad either... overall the acting wasn't too bad. Not outstanding either, but given the fact that there are a lot of French nobody's in the film, (no disrespect intended!) that was a pleasant surprise.

However, there were too many cliché's in this movie to make it anything more than amusing. The whole story was very predictable, with no unexpected plot twists or anything spectacular that will make it memorable.

Conclusion: If you wanna lay back and watch an entertaining movie, this is probably one for you. However, if you are looking for a little more depth, pass on this one. It's not like you haven't seen this before...

The Immortal tells the story of an older man, Charly Matteï, who claims to have quit the mafia in Marseille, France. He has a family and lives in peace, but is suddenly shot in a serious hit. Charly is shot 22 times but, amazingly, survives. After the hit and recovery, the scarred ex-mafioso is thirsty for a bloody revenge. What follows is an intense, action-packed and bloody thriller.

The story is quite simple and The Immortal definitely has it's flaws, but overall it is an awesome ride. Jean Reno is back on track in this great French production. The Immortal may not be as good as Un Prophet but could definitely become a cult classic like the first Boondock Saints. 7/10

Retired Marseilles crime kingpin Jean Reno is shot by a hit squad that puts 22 bullets in him. Who ordered the hit, and why? Police officer Marina Fois, whose husband was killed in the line of duty, is put in charge of the investigation. Reno refuses to answer any questions, walks out of the hospital, and disappears. Soon his old associates start dropping dead, and his old friend Kad Merad orders all-out war.

Jean Gabin could have played this role once upon a time, but no one has any reason to complain about Reno's performance as the world-weary gangster with a moral code. It's set in Marseilles, and that 2600-year-old city shows its age.

For those who complain they don't make 'em like that any more, here's proof they do.