Directed by:
Olivier MarchalCinematography:
Denis RoudenCast:
Daniel Auteuil, Gérard Depardieu, André Dussollier, Roschdy Zem, Valeria Golino, Daniel Duval, Francis Renaud, Catherine Marchal, Guy Lecluyse, Alain Figlarz (more)Plots(1)
In the underbelly of the Parisian criminal world, the Police are frustrated by a gang committing a series of violent robberies. Leo Vrinks and Denis Klein are two cops seeking promotion and the imminent departure of the Chief sets the scene for them to compete for the vacant throne. (MUBI)
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Reviews (8)
It is absolutely necessary to engage in the creators' game – 36th Precinct is a very tough crime story from the old school, set in a modern visual style. Those who do not accept this will be bored. Although I also experienced it in the beginning and was surprised by the high average rating here, over time it becomes increasingly easier to believe in Gerard Depardieu's cold eyes that ominous desire for power, and on the contrary, to deduce from Daniel Auteil's that despite all his unacceptable transgressions, at his core he is about doing good. This makes the twists in the final act have an even greater impact on the viewer, where at several points I admired how uncompromising the screenwriters were.
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You can't expect a bad film from Olivier Marchal. Department 36 is an excellent French crime thriller focusing more on rivalry and backstabbing between cops, but all this is so gripping that the film won't let you breathe a sigh of relief, and all this accompanied by an excellent cast (the film has all the stars from France, only Vincent Cassel and Jean Reno are missing). I've never seen a better police story. Very good. 80%.
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This is an old-fashioned (in the good sense of the word) crime flick about a duel of characters rather than firearms. Depardieu suits the role of the villain as if it was created specifically for him, the supporting characters make sense, and there’s not a single hole in the plot, which is not in any way complicated. Police action in a respectable and intelligent European package. The only drawback is a few overly sentimental and drawn-out scenes, which make the film seem longer than it actually is.
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I cannot help but compare this excellent crime film to the king of the genre, Heat. In several aspects, both are quite similar. Two strong characters, their families and friends, accomplices and enemies, murders, intrigues, cold nights in the city – there is indeed a lot of it. However, while Michael Mann plays out a literal epic battle, Olivier Marchal takes a more intimate approach, which is not at all a bad thing. The shortcomings of the screenplay, which is excellent in its own right, are richly compensated by the actors – their captivating performances will stay in your memory for quite a while. The action is more than solid, and the shootout at the warehouse is a breathtaking experience thanks in part to the excellent DTS sound. No sentimentality, no pathos, and no unnecessary emotions where they shouldn't be, a strong, honest, and captivating French crime drama.
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At long last a good French crime movie following in the footsteps of the great tradition of years past. Maximum emphasis on characters and their mental states is pleasant, although they didn’t have to sideline the screenplay because of it. It is slightly brought down by the ending, which is “just" good, not on the excellent same par as the rest of the movie. The dark characters that had been so carefully constructed throughout the movie (the atmosphere as well) then seem to trail off into nothing. Had this been made in the seventies, I would give this four stars as an above-average genre piece. However, these days I can’t give it less than a full set of five: I really miss this kind of movie. And also Marchal won my admiration for his evident love for Heat.
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