★★★★★★★★★★5/10

In the near future David Hoffman (Albert Dupontel) is a hard boiled Paris detective. Hoffman fulfills all the stereotypes of the gritty cop; Quick to action and an intense brooding nature. While pursuing Nicolov (Alain Figlarz) a notorious human trafficker, Hoffman’s is helpless as his wife and partner is killed before his eyes. Nicolov escapes and leaves the cop’s life in shambles.

When trafficking victims turn up dead with strange scars around their eyes and their synapses fried. Hoffman is set up with a new partner and sent to find the cause. When it turns out Nicolov is involved, the case takes up new meaning. It’s all very Philip K Dick like.

Running in parallel to Hofman’s story is that of Manon, a teenage girl disfigured by a brutal car wreck. Manon’s mother is a leading surgeon in leading edge treatments. Despite the best techniques and medicines, the recovery process has been long, leaving her confined to her mother’s clinic.

The two stories converge in this clash of the gritty violence with the near future technologies. Of the two stories, the crime one is more developed and compelling. Visually the film is very stylish.  The utilitarian grey interiors, urban decay and minimalistic costume design all add to bleak future they’re portraying.

The performances, particularly Dupontel’s is intense acting. The action was very strong. The hand to hand fight scenes were bone crunching.

Where this film fails is that it has the intentions to be a serious science fiction film. It would have been very enjoyable to watch a film about a futuristic hardboiled detective. Instead half the film is wasted with slow high-tech medical mumbo jumbo that eludes to memories being stolen/restored.  The failure is cramming that nonsense together with the better action half of the film.

Action/Adventure, Cops, Fighting, film, French, guns, info, Martial Arts, memories, movie, Paris, Revenge, review, science fiction Action/Adventure, Crime/Mystery, Sci-Fi/Fantasy