Long chronology of very violent criminal activity, reaching back (for possible extenuating circumstances) to Algeria in 1959, a half appalling, half gloating, four-fifths unconvincing biography of France’s Most Wanted. Directed by Jean-François Richet (of the Assault on Precinct 13 remake), it starts badly, with an unchronological credits sequence of pointlessly tricksy split-screen effects to avoid any tough editing decisions (in matching side-by-side shots, the foreground figure is in focus and the background figure out of focus, while next to it the same foreground figure is out of focus and same background figure is in), and it doesn’t really end, simply stops, to be continued in Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1. Kind of like Kill Bill. The interminable in-between is slick and sensationalistic (“Mommy!” cries little baby Bruno as Daddy inserts a gun in her mouth), and played with relish, and with mustard, by Vincent Cassel. With Cécile de France, Elena Anaya, Gerard Depardieu. (2009) — Duncan Shepherd
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