carbuff I put off watching this movie for a long time, but I ran out of things to watch with a certain group of people whose tastes I had to all satisfy, so I decided to this a try. I was thinking that a French action/thriller set in the world of corporate high finance sounds like an oxymoron; however, I was really wrong, and this movie was great. It's quite intelligent for this kind of movie and is well-filmed in a variety of interesting locales. While obviously working with a way lower budget than a typical American blockbuster, it managed to be feel much more real and satisfying, with the added bonus of no unpleasant aftertaste of guilt for time wasted. If you watch typical Hollywood thrillers, you really should give this foreign one a try, since, while it is not exactly brain food, it's a good step up from pure Tinseltown junk food.

witster18 I love foreign film. I love spy/espionage films. I love action films.I rented this one for all of those reasons.Watch this one for it's hot locales and high-production values. Past that - this movie is really, really bad.I have NO CLUE how this is scored this high here.The acting is as rigid as a treated 2 x 4. The script was written by the same guy that wrote the "See Spot Run" book. Every detail of the film is repeated 5 times - as if the viewers have a 48 IQ. I really felt insulted by how they kept repeating the same stuff over and over.There is no plot. Hong Kong looks great on film. I've been there. It's a beautiful place. If not for the landscapes and couple of decent action scenes - I would have voted this even lower.Do yourself a favor and pass on this one.The back-story is poorly put together, and the current story is non-existent.Very disappointed. Looks good, but the acting and writing are deplorable!I usually put "If you like this you might like____ ____" lists on my reviews, but if you DID like this - then the chances of me recommending something and you actually liking it is highly improbable.39/100 WOrst "good" looking film I've seen in a long, long time.Think "Quantum of Solace" - only with weak acting, and an even weaker plot(is that even possible),...oh, and less action too.

Matthew Stechel Only been maybe 4 days since i saw it and i've already forgotten the majority of it...The Heir Apparent won't be the most memorable film you've ever seen...but it was a well done enough action film of the "old school" french variety that will play very nicely on TV in years to come. Sleek enough to hold your attention and telling a story that doesn't insult your intelligence but won't really tax it either--the movie works well enough while its going, but once its over you'll either have trouble believing what you just saw, or you won't really care what you just saw--you'll just wanna see another movie asap.Requiring a daring man of action to save the day but really just a continuing series of action sequences barely held together by a continuing storyline (ironically not unlike district b-13 which while an awesome movie is much much more of an example of "new school" french action film that's more in vogue right now.) The Heir Apparent is supposed to be more of an old school french action movie--like this could've easily been made with jean paul bellmondo in the 70's.Largo Winch is the adopted heir to the CEO and founder of this gianormous company--when the ceo is found dead--its up the adopted heir to find out why, who, when, and if possible save the rest of the company. (Largo is a guy who loves breaking out of places--you see him as a kid running out the window of his bedroom--he hates being cooped up in one place...naturally a break out of jail sequence is included here, but with the nice twist that largo really really doesn't want anyone to help him with it....he's also apparently fiercely independent which just makes you wonder why he's doing what he's doing but no matter.) Anyways the bulk of the plot is basically Largo being recruited by the board of the company to do whatever he can to keep the company from being swallowed up by its main competitor. (this requires basically getting the majority of stock in the company back from the guy who owns the competitive company, but of course there's so much more to that then just going up to the guy and making him hand over the shares of stock) That's really all you need to know---anything else is stuff that comes up throughout the story that you just kinda roll your shoulders and go with--otherwise you'll have too many questions and to question what's happening here is besides the point.Some of the action scenes are pretty cool...and the lead actor has an appealing what me worry? attitude that matches the tone of the movie perfectly. The reversals and double reversals that happen throughout the movie don't really add anything besides obstacles for the main character to hurdle over--but hurdle them he does, and well. Kirsten Scott Thomas appears but adds nothing except maybe a sense that something significant is supposed to be happening here, but its pretty clear its not. Ummmm the movie was entertaining enough--like it was fun to watch, but after an hour or so it gets kind of dull, like you start to wonder what the point is, why is Largo Winch so perfectly willing to be used by his father's board members when he himself has no interest in running the company at all anyways---there are flashbacks of him talking to his father that are meant to give depth to largo's character but only serve to remind us that we could be watching a much better movie if Largo could just somehow get out from his father's company's shenanigans. Anyways--it was an OK movie--but there were hints that it could've been something more. As it is its not bad, its actually pretty fun to watch but i'll prob forget i saw it in a day or two.

leplatypus In my knowledge, Largo winch was a famous Belgium comics (never read) telling the adventures of a playboy, a sort of James Bond without the spy life! So, when I had to choose a movie for a 5 years-old kid, I picked it up because the kid was already a great fan of James Bond!But, just after the opening credits, I got heavy doubts: when American movies offer amazing start, here, no action and a torrid sex scene … Then, the story get very complicated with financial moves… I thought I lost the kid.But, strangely, he had been caught by Largo, and more than James Bond! Was it the excellent interpretation of Tomer Sisley? The difficult relationship Largo has with his father? The multiple box story in which the friends are the bad guys, the bad guys are the friends? The exotic locations of Honk-Kong, Yougoslavia? Dunno, but he really cares about Largo ("Will he get up?) and we enjoyed our moment.