36th Precinct (2004)

Very disappointing...

The Worst Film Ever

Overrated

A lot of fun.

Of course, no one has noticed that this story is freely inspired by actual events that occurred in Paris in january 1986. Two elite police squads, Brigade de Recherche de d'Intervention, and Brigade de Répression du Bandistisme, were so rivals that they fired at each other when they were just about to nail a gang of bank robbers: The Disguised Gang. A group of hoodlums who pulled heists in broad daylight, cracking safe deposit boxes, whilst they used fire arms in the same time to attack the bank vaults. So it was armed and cracking heists in the same time. So, back to Olivier Marchal's masterpiece, Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu's characters are very close to those real life policemen involved in this 1986 Paris killing, when one gangster and a cop died. Just because of the two police squads rivalry.

Thrilling and intelligent cop thriller about police world , corruption and delinquency ; revolving around two detectives who try to solve a series of armored car robberies in the hopes of landing a promotion promised to whoever catches the perpetrators . A stylish , complex movie driven by two main characters . This exciting film contains action , violence , thrills , treason , suspense and plot twists . Top-notch thriller in which nothing is the way it seems , the atmosphere is already tense and the twists and turns are the best part of this movie . In other ways , it feels like a tribute to ¨Polar¨ genre or French Noir Cinema , full of attractive roles and edge-of-your-seat intrigue . The Police is frustrated by a dangerous band who carries out bold robberies , they are the most famous armed thieves of Paris . But their irresistible rise and sudden fall to be ended with a surprising arrest by a denouncement proceeded by an informer . Leo Vrinks (Daniel Auteuil) and Denis Klein (Gérard Depardieu) are two cops who take on a strong battle of wits . Both , Vrinks and Klein , seeking promotion , and the imminent departure of the superior boss (Andre Dussollier) sets the scene for them to compete for the vacant job . Klein , married to wealthy mistress called Hélène (Anne Consigny) , wishes a rapid work advancement and at whatever cost . Vrinks , encounter with a source , Hugo Silien (Roschdy Zem) , becomes involved with a killing . This meeting to be aware Klein , he then seizes the opportunity to up and manages for the detention of Leo . When Klein viciously involves Vrinks' spouse (Valeria Golino) the happenings go awry . Vrinks returns from prison and he has disowned nothing of his past , as he comes back into his former life and then emerges violence , chases , betrayal and relentless as well as inevitable vendetta .Formula thriller filled with gritty intrigue , crisply edition , tension , suspenseful and lots of violence . It is a flick of interwoven lives structured in two protagonists , crossed by a web of suspense that is resolved in the last story in a surprising finale . Furthermore , a real description about the underbelly of the Parisian criminal world , including a ruthless gang committing a series of violent robberies . The flick revolves around tragic events become complex throughout the movie . The competition between them becomes increasingly hard and blurs the usual lines of ethic and morality , until there seems no difference between police and delinquents they pursue . This serious and truly original film with groundbreaking narrative results to be a fantastically intriguing story of ambition , corruption , deceiving and killing , being very well done , swiftly paced and including a twisted screenplay . The film was noteworthy for casting some of the finest actors in France . Exceptional acting by Daniel Auteuil as an unfortunate cop who executes a merciless vengeance and nice Gerard Depardieu as ambitious police with dark purports . Support cast is frankly good , such as Valeria Golino , André Dussollier , Roschdy Zem , Anne Consigny , Mylène Jampanoï and Daniel Duval as Eddy Valance , a good French actor who played several Noir flicks . And special mention for Mylène Demongeot who long time ago starred several films of all kinds of genres . The picture achieved big success , whose visa d'exploitation in France was #104874 , and it was nominated various prizes César and considered to be one of the best thrillers of the year in which you'll leave the cinema shaken and moved . Thrilling as well as evocative musical score by Erwann Kermorvant and Axelle Renoir who have composed successful films , both of whom elevate the emotion and the intensity of the scenes to new heights . Colorful as well as dark cinematography by Denis Rouden . Olivier Marchal did a formidable job with ¨36th precinct¨ . Olivier then wrote the first draft of the interesting screenplay himself , and so on ; being helped by Franck Mancuso , Julien Rappeneau and Dominique Loiseau . Olivier is a notorious writer/director and he formerly was a police officer . As Olivier Marchal started taking acting lessons when he still was a police officer . He began his career in televisión , appearing in supporting parts or writing scripts for detective TV series . In 1989 when Yves Rénier resurrected his TV series Commissaire Moulin (1976) he became his partner as scriptwriter , series supervisor and sometimes actor . In 2000 he starred as Commandant Pierre Rivière in his own TV series "Police district" (1999) , written by novelist Hugues Pagan , himself also a former police officer . His films are usually played by same actors such as : Gerard Depardieu , Daniel Auteuil , Daniel Duval , Francis Renaud and Catherine Marchal . Olivier Marchal , a great actor/writer/director has directed sensational French thrillers , just like "36th Precinct" , ¨Gangsters¨ , ¨Diamond 13¨, ¨Mr73¨ and ¨Les Lyonnais¨ (2011) as good as this "36 Quai Des Orfèvres" (France original title) also titled "36th Precinct" (international title).

We live in a world full of mediocre crime thrillers, so when a well made film such as Olivier Marchal's "36 Precinct" comes along, it's deserves some attention and respect. In the underbelly of the Parisian criminal world, the Police are frustrated by a gang committing a series of violent robberies. Leo Vrinks (Daniel Auteuil) and Denis Klein (Gerand Depardieu) are two cops seeking promotion, and the imminent departure of the Chief (Andre Dussellier) sets the scene for them to compete for the vacant throne. It's the unrelenting opposition between the two lead characters that is really make this so compelling. The competition between them becomes increasingly ruthless and blurs the usual lines of morality, until there seems no difference between the police and the criminals they chase. The inner turmoil raging inside of Klein, a man torn between rigid morality and grasping ambition. Auteuil is a model in understatement, his low-key depiction of a cop determined to see justice at all costs. As the hunt for the crew drags both men deep into the Paris underworld, Vrinks and Klein spiral towards what seems an inevitable mutual destruction. Nicely constructed plot twists will keep you guessing until the end. I often refer to this film as France's version of "Heat", though story lines aren't the same or nearly as great, it carries itself in a similar fashion, and possesses that tone and ambiance. A stellar cast, a great story, and some momentous shoot-outs; what more could you want from the French?

Unfortunately, I had never heard or seen anything of this film until/before BBC-Four showed it on television. Why oh why did it not receive a general release in England? What is wrong with some of these film distributors? Except that the answer probably lies in their belief that the mass of the English film-going public, which forever seems intent only on stuffing their faces from two-foot high buckets of popcorn, doesn't have the kudos to appreciate total brilliance of this kind from a "different" kind of film source, ie. Europe instead of the ubiquitous "Hollywood".I thought everything about this film was brilliant: the intriguing and ever-evolving script was top class and kept one's brain engaged the whole time, the editing throughout was as sharp as a razor and kept one's eyes constantly glued to the screen, the whole being complemented and in fact "fixed" by the acting of all the actors/actresses involved.Let's hope that a more reasonably priced DVD of this outstanding film than the over-the-top priced one presently on offer at Amazon.co.uk soon makes an appearance. Really, I would dearly have loved to have seen this film in a cinema which (ideally) bans the consumption of popcorn and cola drinks.