a5c7b9f00b As the daring thief Arsène Lupin (Duris) ransacks the homes of wealthy Parisians, the police, with a secret weapon in their arsenal, attempt to ferret him out. This is really an amazing film. I watched it only in French with French subtitlesmy friends whom i am staying with are French speaking. Like the majority of European films i have seen, it is superior to what has and is coming out of Hollywood. From the start, it is gripping. The audience are taken on a ride of suspense to the last moment. Twists and turns in the plot, unpredictable things happen. The casting is good. I am familiar with Kristen Scott Thomas. I knew she spoke Frenchi understand she lives there, but her French accent is quite amazing. I could here English accent on some occasions, but it was so subtle that it was hardly noticeable. Her casting in this film was so contrary to type that i had seen in other films. It was so refreshing. The action scenes were again amazing. So well choreographed and still almost believable and realistic. The original idea originates from an animated book, which makes it ambiguous and sets it apart from a lot of other films in the similar genre. Films based upon Comic books are being done to death in Hollywood, and i am trying to avoid them. I am glad that this was made by European Film makers, not Americans, otherwise it would have been almost painful to watch. The romance that develops is another interesting addition to the plot. All of these little things, develop well and come together. The choice of location was again just perfect for the scenes and the setting of the film in the mid to late 19th Century made it quite unique. A very clever film, which is definitely worth watching. Firstly, I&#39;ve not read the novel, nor seen previous adaptations of this famous French yarn. Therefore, I had no preconceived ideas or notions, nor could I compare it. I saw it on the excellent satellite TV French film channel, Cinemoi.<br/><br/>French films are often low budget, intimate and charming relationship dramas. This, however, isbig budgeted, grand and sweepingany Hollywood fare, with a superbly rousing score from British composer Debbie Wiseman. The opening scenes are dashing and daring and sets one up for an exciting film. If you thought that only the Brits can pull off a decent period drama, then this, with its superb cinematography will have you swooning.<br/><br/>Romain Duris is suitably dark&#39;n&#39;dashingthe hero in question and Kristen Scott-Thomas, whom I&#39;ve not always liked, plays Joséphine, the comtesse de Cagliostro that he is seduced by. Lupin&#39;s antics, with daring stunts and disguises then start to roll into each other and the story became less clear for me, though it always retains its rollicking fun and adventure.<br/><br/>Whether or not, this version is faithful to the original, or is any better or worse than the previous film versions (one of which, from 1932 starred John Barrymore) I cannot say. For me though, I was pleasantly and solidly entertained and whilst it lost ground in the middle for me, I enjoyed it.
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347 weeks ago