For starters, the film is filled with problematic racial details that really heighten the discomfort of its setting. Creating a fictional African country with the sole purpose of supporting the narrative of a white French protagonist is a bad move — everything about it feels like an object built around Joss, as if it’s his playground. Also, some of the language used in reference to the country and its people is way too inexcusable to mention here — leading to more discomfort.
Other than that, the film certainly has its charm. The writing is clever, the action is solid and the final third delivers. Belmondo does a Belmondo, even when the story doesn’t give us enough to truly root for our “hero”, we cheer for the charisma.
Morricone’s piece is, as always, incredible. Though I felt that its emotional tone didn’t quite align with the rest of the film — not a criticism of the music, just how it’s paired with the picture that can’t decide if it wants to be a humoristic, exaggerated action film or a dramatic political statement told through a betrayed agent’s revenge arc.
For starters, the film is filled with problematic racial details that really heighten the discomfort of its setting. Creating a fictional African country with the sole purpose of supporting the narrative of a white French protagonist is a bad move — everything about it feels like an object built around Joss, as if it’s his playground. Also, some of the language used in reference to the country and its people is way too inexcusable to mention here — leading to more discomfort.
Other than that, the film certainly has its charm. The writing is clever, the action is solid and the final third delivers. Belmondo does a Belmondo, even when the story doesn’t give us enough to truly root for our “hero”, we cheer for the charisma.
Morricone’s piece is, as always, incredible. Though I felt that its emotional tone didn’t quite align with the rest of the film — not a criticism of the music, just how it’s paired with the picture that can’t decide if it wants to be a humoristic, exaggerated action film or a dramatic political statement told through a betrayed agent’s revenge arc.
