Point Blank – À bout portant (2010)

Directed by: Fred Cavayé | 85 minutes | action, thriller, crime | Actors: Gilles Lellouche, Roschdy Zem, Gérard Lanvin, Elena Anaya, Mireille Perrier, Claire Pérot, Moussa Maaskri, Pierre Benoist, Valérie Dashwood, Virgile Bramly, Nicky Naude, Adel Bencherif, Vincent Colombe, Chems Dahmani, Grégoire Bonnet, Brice Fournier, Patrice Guillain, Max Morel, Diane Stolojan, David Saada

Director Fred Cavayé is no stranger to fast-paced, action-packed thrillers. In 2008, he was responsible for the script of ‘Pour elle’ (English title: ‘Anything For Her’), which received an American remake in 2010 entitled ‘The Next Three Days’ starring Russell Crowe and Paul Haggis (‘Crash’ ) as director. Entirely in line with directors such as Olivier Marchal (‘Department 36’ and ‘MR73’ with Daniel Auteuil in the outstanding lead role), Cavayé presents an excellent police thriller with ‘Point Blank’. With the right figures in the right place. The beautifully lived-in face of Roschdy Zem (as criminal Hugo Sartet) and the cool, calculating Gérard Lanvin (as corrupt Police Commissioner Werner). Lead actor Gilles Lellouche is also well cast as nurse Samuel.

‘Point Blank’ revolves around corruption within the police force and about two men (Zem and Lellouche) on the run. Both are suspected of murders they did not commit. And so we get a lot of action, including a feverish chase scene in the Paris underground. Nurse Samuel saves Hugo Sartet, who is recovering from a motorcycle accident, from certain death. Perhaps he shouldn’t have done that. ‘Point Blank’ shows that not everyone who does good meets good. Because after Samuel rescues Sartet, his pregnant wife is kidnapped. To see her safely again, Samuel must smuggle armed robbery suspect Sartet out of the hospital. That works, but that doesn’t relieve Samuel of all worries. In search of incriminating material and in search of his wife, Samuel and Sartet form a bond of necessity.

The apotheosis takes place in the den of the lion, the Parisian police headquarters. To get there unscathed, the unusual duo must pull off some clever tricks. ‘Point Blank’ excels in its straightforward editing. The film is purely directed, without adding a Hollywood sauce (computer generated images, car chases and exaggerated explosions). Nor are we treated to silly jokes and the inevitable love interest. The film excels in realism. And oh, that most protagonists remain more or less unmoved by the sometimes extreme violence? Let’s just say they know their Pappenheimers in that area. ‘Point Blank’ is expertly made, without unnecessary ballast. A very enjoyable action thriller!