Movie - Mesrine:Killer Instinct

Movie – Mesrine: Killer InstinctBeing heralded as the gangster classic didn’t make me see this film. The fact that my friend decided she would do the Friday movie ritual with me and agreeing to see ‘Moon’ and then changing the day meant I couldn’t see my first choice.The film being French with subtitles was off putting but not as irritating as the French accents throughout Man on a Wire last year. I knew it would be subtitled but in a way I would prefer to have seen it without and let my school girl French see me through as I do feel you miss out by not seeing all the facial expressions.The story of the notorious French gangster who’s death 30 years ago timed the film’s release  is a two-parter but judging by the horrendous violent scenes in the second half of this one, part two may be on the reserve list for me. I.e. if nothing else is on that week.Seeing as my favourite genre is action and two of my favourite films of all time are Terminator 2 and Goodfellows, violence doesn’t normally bother me but this did. And it didn’t come from where you would expect in a gangster flick, it was the torturous kind inflicted by over zealous prison guards the second time Mesrine gets imprisoned, this time whilst escaping unwanted attention in Paris by going to Montreal to let the inevitable heat cool down.The initial Montreal scenes from the late 1960’s lulled me into a false sense of wistful security seeing as I am likely to visit the city for the first time this year. So the torture had me covering my eyes and wincing in my seat. Let’s hope that goes to the back of my mind when I land and challenge myself to speak French.Overall it’s an interesting story, over violent and I have yet to work out why he has apparent hero status in his home country. Holding a gun in the mother of your three children and your wife’s mouth will surely abandon any such hopes and I lost all empathy for Mesrine at that point. I would have preferred one film but will let you know if I bother to see the other half.    7½/10    Smile factor 7/10[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCE_rCJVXHY&hl=en&fs=1&]