movies-by-db I absolutely loved this directors previous movie "Truands" and really enjoyed this one very much as well. It's however a very different cake he's baked this time. The frenetic unfolding of events in "Truands" makes place for a slow moving, basically simple story revealing itself. Most of the action mainly happening in one location interrupted with scenes of Carré's colleague (a great Sylvie Testud) doing her job, in this case looking for her partner.It's all filmed with great confident style and the prime location is a gorgeous one that lends itself perfectly for the story, with it's cold modern design.Gerard Lanvin is always solid and the three henchmen, in particular "Sascha" who is very eager to do what he does best, are good too. It's however the great Niels Arestrup who is again the showstopper. He is the French Anthony Hopkins with his empty stare and menacing yet sophisticated appearance.Not as great in the tension department as "Truands" but still a highly enjoyable exercise in suave and style at which the French are so good. 7/10

GUENOT PHILIPPE In the common schemes that we usually see in crime flicks, the criminals are first arrested and then put Under custody by the police force. Here, you have the contrary. A bunch of hoodlums lead by Niels Aerstrup "arrest" a police officer - Lanvin - and put HIM Under custody. They first ask him to collaborate in the escape of the gang chief. The latest intended to abduct Lanvin in order to force him to confess, who was the informer who gave him to the police, some years earlier. Some good twists, a terrific Aerstrup a the gang leader, and a Sylvie Testud, in a small character, as a police officer. The more I see her,the more I think of Jodie Foster. I can't explain why...Actually, Testud doesn't look like Foster, by she often plays characters who look like Jodie's ones. Females with a touch of masculinity, and rarely involved with men, as the usual female characters schemes. See what I mean?