Largo Winch (2008)

Directed by: Jérôme Salle | 108 minutes | action, thriller | Actors: Tomer Sisley, Kristin Scott Thomas, Miki Manojlovic, Mélanie Thierry, Gilbert Melki, Karel Roden, Steven Waddington, Anne Consigny, Radivoje Bukvic, Nicolas Vaude, Benedict Wong, Gérard Watkins, Wolfgang Pissors, Theodore Thomas, David Gasman, Elizabeth Bennett , Eddy Ko, Bojana Panic, Ivan Marevich, André Oumansky

‘Largo Winch’ is based on the comic strip series with the same title, especially popular in France and Belgium. A TV series was previously made about the adventures of the rebellious heir, but it did not achieve the intended success. With the film adaptation of the screenplay written by himself and Julien Rappeneau, based on the first four albums, director Jérôme Salle tries to make a worthy adaptation. And he succeeded. The film is a stylish, adrenaline-boosting action-hike, with a strong story and a believable hero. Less tough than James Bond, without the memory problem of Jason Bourne, but with the flair of a cosmopolitan.

Scenes that alternate between the present tense and the early years of the title character slowly paint a picture of a complex childhood. Largo is adopted as a baby from an orphanage by Nerio Winch, a wealthy man, who, along with another boy he was initially going to adopt alone, put the child in with friends Hannah and Josip, who raise Largo as their own. own child, without, however, lying to him about his real father. When Largo is about ten years old, Nerio picks him up to prepare him for his real role, that of heir.

When Nerio is murdered, it turns out that no one in the company knew about Largo’s existence, not even Vice Principal Ann Ferguson (Kristin Scott Thomas). At about the same time, however, Largo is framed by a beautiful, seductive lady (Mélanie Thierry), so that he ends up in a prison in Sao Jose (Brazil). However, he manages to escape in a spectacular way, with the help of his father’s faithful comrade Freddy (Gilbert Melki). It’s the start of an exciting adventure, where you never know for sure who to trust and whether our title hero actually wants that twenty billion dollars.

As Largo Winch we see the French stand up comedian Tomer Sisley. The role fits him like an Italian tailor-made suit. He convincingly portrays an adventurous freebooter who has his heart in the right place. He’s attractive enough to appeal to female audiences, but not so handsome as to bother male viewers. Belgrade-born actor Miki Manojlovic plays the role of Nerio Winch and does so very creditably. Kristin Scott Thomas completely disappears in her role of Ann Ferguson. Although she’s pretty much the most famous name in the cast, her acting makes you forget you’re watching a famous actress.

Besides the good acting, the seamless fusion of languages ​​stands out. In ‘Largo Winch’ four languages ​​are spoken: English, French, Portuguese and Croatian and this comes across as completely natural. The film has international allure and rises above the European level, although the film obviously feels more European than a James Bond or a Bourne. That is by no means a negative point: unlike many James Bond adventures, the story of ‘Largo Winch’ is logically constructed, easier to follow and at least (perhaps because of that) so exciting.

“There is what you get from life, and what you make of it,” Nerio states in the film. “Those are the two things that make you what you are.” The same goes for this film. Salle got the comic and turned it into a very entertaining action movie, of which you would like to see seven in a week. That makes him a talented filmmaker and someone to keep an eye on. Keep those sequels coming!