This Belgium/Netherlands co-production was originally released in 2003. It finally made its way to the U.S. in 2005 as an art house release. What one might find surprising about the film is that it's not an art house film. This slickly stylized thriller has more in common with Hollywood blockbusters than European dramas. The central plot of "cops after a killer" is fairly standard, but what makes this film special is the beguiling performance from Jan Decleir as a highly skilled assassin who is beginning to show the signs of Alzheimer's.
We start with detective Eric Vincke (Koen DeBouw, EXIT) involved in a child prostitution sting with his juvenile-acting partner Freddy Verstuyft (Werner DeSmedt). Then Angelo Ledda (Decleir, ANTONIA'S LINE) comes to town. He's assigned to kill two people and retrieve a lockbox. When Angelo refuses to kill his second target for personal reasons, he becomes the target. As he discovers the details of his mission, he forms his own personal vendetta against his clients, toying with the police that he is cleaning the streets of the crooks they cannot catch. Vincke will get ensnared in a cat and mouse chase with the hired killer and learn that the affair could blow the lid off layers of government corruption.
Hyper-fast cutting, green tints, shaky camera moves are straight out of Hollywood. Along with cop thriller clichés, he film sometimes falls into comfortable conventions. Where the film exceeds expectations is with its assassin. Decleir's performance is a tour-de-force. He is a true badass. Skilled in the use of firearms and hand-to-hand combat, he has lasted so long in his profession because he is clearly the best. However, his growing mental problems are beginning to make him unsure of himself. Moreover, this case will bring up old tortured memories that I believe he wishes could be the first to slip away. Angelo's advanced age, fine suits and various illnesses obscure his viciousness. And when he is working at the top of his mental capabilities, he is ingenious and adaptive. To keep things straight, he often writes notes on his arm.
Another surprise is how the plot moves along quite conventionally then moved beyond the typical. In doing so, it brings more depth to Angelo, Vincke and the governmental corruption tale. Angelo isn't the only one up against powerful people who would go to any length to protect themselves. The conclusion comes in a great sequence where the red dots of laser sights fill a car surrounded by cops who may or may not be on the up and up.
Thrillers are not just a dime a dozen in the U.S. They are constantly made in various languages all over the world. Most foreign language thrillers, unless they contain an international star, never make it to the States. It's a popular genre that often walks lock step with tried and true conventions. What makes a new thriller fresh is well drawn characters. Angelo Ledda is a great character, making his thriller a cut above the rest.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
