AKA

Alban Lenoir is starting to make a name for himself in French cinema as a real tough guy through and through. I’ve already come to like him a lot after just a few films... But back to the review... The film itself doesn’t offer much in terms of story; it’s a mix of infiltration into the underworld and rescuing a kidnapped boy. But the French manage to navigate these waters with incredible grace, so even a plot that seems standard on paper ends up being quite satisfying! Everything flows smoothly, with no unnecessary fluff that would slow things down. The action also doesn’t disappoint, especially the final sequence in the abandoned complex (plus the machete fight, which was also a surprise :D), where everyone involved really let loose. If you don’t mind this type of film, I can definitely recommend it. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I give it 7/10. P.S. Eric Cantona as the mob boss was a delight :) (06/17/2023)

The cinematographer of The Lost Bullet brought in the famous Alban Lenoir and made a gangster debut that doesn’t put him to shame. It's a decent ride! I have a soft spot for French films be it comedies, crime dramas, thrillers, action or gangster, in short they excel on any level (like the Poles and the Spaniards, for example) and I am happy for any new filmmaker on the scene. AKA may not bring anything new to the genre, and anyone who expects only story and script from films should avoid it (read fuck off), but if you like honest action, great actors, thick atmosphere, great craftsmanship and gangster films in their own right, this is the way to go! The story focuses on a Special Ops agent tasked with infiltrating a crime syndicate to tear it apart from the inside, only to unexpectedly befriend the son of the head mobster and soon have to decide whose side he's actually on. I was entertained from the very beginning, where the film opens with a shootout somewhere in Libya, and then we watch the main character trying to befriend the dreaded gang (by beating the crap out of five guys from a rival gang!). Alban Lenoir is a sharp guy who definitely knows how to fight and he fits the action role very well. In short, it's got a very entertaining and brisk pace, the characters are engaging and you will care about their fate; the craftsmanship is of a high standard and the action itself, shot in one take, took my breath away. It is realistic, authentic, unpleasant, brutal! The bloody head-shots are more delicious than in Wick, and at one point I thought I was watching a live match in Tsk. I haven't enjoyed a shootout like this for a long time and when it came to machetes and contact fights, it felt like an European version of The Raid! I had a great time, AKS hit my mood a lot, this is exactly my kind of movie and I thank Dalibert! 8/10. (05/03/2023)