Braquo (2009–2016) User Reviews

A French Masterpiece

[foutiroir · 8/10 · 23 January 2010]

Olivier Marchal, series's creator, screenwriter and co-director, has been a cop for many years before he became the now acclaimed director we know. He always said he used his own knowledge of the field for his movies.

"Braquo", one of the latest Canal Plus TV production (see also "La Commune"), tells the story of a Police Group which crosses the line and uses rough methods. Which will draw the attention of Internal Affairs, as they start investigating the Group. The Group, leaded by Eddy Caplan (Jean-Hugues Anglade, who stared in Marchal's first movie "Gangsters"), will go deeper and deeper in its dark path, using the very same methods that the gangsters he's after. The tagline "Gangsters have changed, police too" gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect: nothing but the tough reality. The story is really breathtaking and makes you end up dying for the next episode.

This mini-series has also a political background, referring to the use of french police by the government for political purposes. It's also a reflexion about police methods and morality.

The two directors, Marchal and Frédéric Schoendoerffer (son of Pierre Schoendoerffer and director of "Truands" amongst others), made a wonderful job: great acting, appropriate photography, thrilling score... to make it short, it's quite an achievement.

Don't miss it.

Gloomy, and evidently not for them believing in "purity" of law enforcement bodies

[BeneCumb · 8/10 · 7 September 2015]

/refers to Seasons 1-3/ I regard myself as a fan of British and Scandinavian crimes series, but sometimes, for diversity, it is interesting to find out what is going on in other countries. Respective French series were rather unknown to me, but after Engrenages - a pleasant surprise! - I was sure that Braquo would bring along additional pleasant moments.

And I was not mistaken. The series is thrilling, meaty, with versatile characters and performances (particularly Jean-Hugues Anglade as Eddy Caplan and Karole Rocher as Roxane Delgado) with French characteristics and peculiarities caught. There is a thin line between police and criminal actions... well, I am not sure how realistic all this is in an EU/NATO country, but as the activities and comprehensions were motivated and seamlessly depicted, one did not wonder too often.

Well, for me, the Season 3 went a bit onto slippery ground due to post-Soviet mob relations, and those speaking Russian were sometimes not convincing, with terrible accent or mistakes, but still, I am looking forward to the Season 4 already and can easily recommend the Series to all them keen on intensive and effective crime-solving.

PS Season 4 is back on track, nice.

Season 1 - Simply Brilliant

[Dorsetty-867-771486 · 9/10 · 11 December 2013]

If you like Spiral, if you like De Niro's Ronin, if you like The Shield or any other really dark criminal situations with messed up people, drugs and guns, then you'll simply adore this.

For me the far N Europeans do the best thriller's such as The Bridge or Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but you cannot beat the French for very realistic gritty, brooding criminal based dramas.

Great characterisations, a sensible mix of personal life issues and work issues all with a feeling it is about to go horribly wrong yet again! I've yet to watch season 2 though I have it, I hope it is as good as season 1 which is remarkably good IMO.

Season 2

Just finished watching it and thought it as good as Series 1.

It finishes leaving the opening for series 3... if it ever gets made.

Excellent and not so "Hollywood"

[Danris · 10/10 · 8 December 2011]

This french mini series came from nowhere and immediately had me stuck in front of the TV until the last episode.

I really enjoyed "The shield" but I find "Braquo" being even better. It's nice to see something this good coming from Europe for a change.

"Braquo" is a story about a group of cops that use really rough methods handling criminals during their investigations and soon gets the attention of internal affairs that does anything in their attempts to bring them down.

"Braquo" is dark, violent and really exciting.

if you're wondering how to spend a couple of hours then this is the answer. Enjoy.

One more Olivier Marschall's jewelery piece...

[searchanddestroy-1 · 6 December 2009]

I waited for this TV series since two years, since I knew it was written by Olivier Marschall, the new master of the french crime movie. Cops and robbers. Hard boiled cops. Marschall has begun with TV series POLICE DISTRICT in the early twenties or late nineties. And then he continued for the big screen: GANGSTERS, 36 QUAI DES ORFEVRES, MR 73. And he prepares a new masterpiece about a gang of robbers who has actually existed in the seventies. A film in which we'll see Alain Delon.

Back to BRAQUO, it's still a cop and robbers story. Solid, convincing, masterly written and edited. Violent too. Not for dressmakers. It's pretty hard to follow because there are many characters whose paths cross. Renegade cops, ruthless hoods, fierce Internal Affairs officers, every one in this sophisticated tale tries to cheat the others. But it's really a high quality piece of work. Nothing to do with other french TV crap we usually see since so many years, where morality is always saved, to please the jerks who want crime but no blood, suspense but no violence, realistic situations but ethics still respected. Happy endings, for instance.

Perhaps would I prefer it a bit more dark and cruel. In the story, I mean, not necessarily in hardcore sequences...

Don't miss it.

Bring Braquo back, bring it back

[lnoisi88 · 8/10 · 3 April 2014]

Can't believe anyone would pan season two of Braquo. You try putting together something as phenomenal as that show. Just be thankful that the world has crime and detection offerings from something beyond the technocracy filled serials originating in the US. Any human empathy in American serials is swallowed and drowned in the budding stage by the cacophonous technoRock background music. With European master film making we are given highly believable, living people situations with gut wrenching results. Focus on the use of music in Euro filming and compare it to the monster that has come into American stuff. It is sickening. Emotion is the creed with Euro filming not something on the "attempt to exploit" block. I am freaking to hear that Braquo isn't on board for 2014 presentation. It could only be that their writer died or went overboard, took a live round. The corollary serial 'Engranages' is doing well, what on earth could have tipped over Braquo other than the actors got paid and paid well and consequently OD'd in celebration (not acceptable). I think they should come back by popular demand. Their work is totally believable. Maybe the fatah had a hand in undermining the show. I think Braquo is an essential part of Europe's hope of preserving the culture of the continent and surviving the scourging flood of smuggled narcotic toxins.

the war between those who bend the law to make justice possible and those who bend justice to protect the privileges of the rich and powerful?

[karlericsson · 9/10 · 2 August 2012]

There are cops that protect the poor against the rich and there are cops who protect the rich against the poor. The former cops get all the lemons and the latter all the juice. As long as there is sufficient of the former than there is still some public support for the police. If there is just the latter, then it is obvious that the police is the enemy of the (poor) people.

This series does not take out the swings that far but it is nevertheless a beginning. The internal affairs cops seem very much to do the errands for the rich in society who give them a splendid career for their trouble and the other cops have to bend the law sometimes in order to make some decency possible and are therefore chased by the internal affairs police, who never risk their lives out on the streets, just like their counterparts in society, the rich and powerful.

This series is a start in the right direction, I think.

Everything You Could Ask for in a Cop Show

[leftbanker-1 · 10/10 · 25 August 2015]

A long time ago I used to watch a TV learning series called French in Action about a young boy and girl living in Pars. It was for mid-level students of the language and dealt with basic situations and presented grammar in context. Braquo is nothing like that series. The language that the cops and gangsters speak has little to do with school French. It's like the writers have gone way out of their way to create a unique language that is nothing but slang, profanity, and guttural shortening of words. The dialogue reminds me a lot of Elmore Leonard in that it's so ungrammatical and riddled with slang that it barely qualifies as French.

First of all, this series is a gold mine of cool French slang words beginning with the name, Braquo. What the hell is a "braquo." On the website it says "Caught in a deadly spiral they must pull off a braquo (armed robbery, heist)." So "braquo" ain't in no dictionary and was found in a French rap song.

Next there is the intro music and credits to the series which are very cool…and not too long. I loved The Wire, hated the intro music, ditto that for The Sopranos, True Detective, and a lot of other series.

The casting is top-notch and everyone looks like who they claim to be. I especially like the figure of Lemoine, a slimy little gangster tough guy. The internal affairs cop is another skeezy piece of work. Most of the actors have a distinctly un-Hollywood look to them; most would be considered too scuzzy for USA movie work.

Crazy action scenes and realistic while running at a breath-taking pace. The show basically took its style from The Shield which was more or less the same theme of bad cops running wild. Braquo has some cliffhangers guaranteed to keep you up way past your bedtime so be warned that any attempt to watch a single episode may be all but impossible.

Gripping Police TV Series

[DegustateurDeChocolat · 8/10 · 29 July 2013]

"Braquo" is an entertaining and gripping Police TV Series. It is the story of a group of Parisian cops who deal with tough criminals with controversial methods. They often can be confused with criminals for their way of dealing with delicate situations, and they don't hesitate to kill people who can harm them physically or who can damage their status as Policemen. The main characters, the cops Eddy, Roxane, Theo and Walter, who are big friends, get in trouble very easily because of their borderline styles of life (Theo is a cocaine addict, Walter a restless gambler), and they always finish dragging the others in their own problems. They also always have to fight against their superiors who want to kick them out of the Police force. I watched both series and I can say that the second one is much more interesting because it has a quick pace and a very complex plot that involves former military men, ministers and ruthless criminals. The adjective I would use to describe this series is "tough" since there are many brutal scenes. A flaw or, If you want, a bizarre feature of the series is some unrealistic scenes: the police headquarters looks like a damp garage and the group of the 4 cops have a kind of bar inside the police station. However I think "Braquo" is a well done series even if I like "Engrenages" better.

Hollywood., Pay Attention, this is what great TV looks like

[shouraigen · 9/10 · 30 August 2015]

Giving Braquo a 9 because it's totally racist as is it's follow-up/ counter part Engranages. Apart from that excellent TV. not enough adjectives to describe the great acting, writing, makeup or lack there of & production. Shear gritty over the top violent beauty.. Episodes just continue to get better each time..As in life.. everyone is bad, but as the series show, plenty of us are very, very bad. You will have no time to feel empathy for any of the characters.. And there will be times when you'll be rooting for their demise..Especially the cops. If you're trying to learn French, forget about it.. These series are made for native French speakers.. The Subs are so so, sometimes pretty dreadful.. Since 2013, I believe Hollywood has seen the writing of it's own demise on the wall and have begun to collaborate with international actors and film companies from several European countries.. American Hegemony has been waining for sometime and thankfully it's also affecting the film business. It's not that international film has always been this good. It's just that American TV has always been very bad.

Entertaining but ludicrous

[ikanboy · 7/10 · 24 September 2016]

Take " The Shield" and amp it up by swearing more, having more violence, and way more sex, et voila! Well not quite. In Braquo the dialog has a male macho Black and White staccato. The action is fervid, and it's this that saves it, because the plot holes are massive. Bring disbelief into viewing it and it becomes comedy, so best thing is to amp up the Lizard brain and bring out the teenager or Trump voter that lurks inside. "How are they going to get out of this" buildups are followed by RUFKM plot twists dreamed up by writers that don't care about the real world of cause and effect. Tortured for days and voila nothing to show for it but some stitches, just to remind us of the torture, juiced to the max by electrical prods and voila able to recover in 5 minutes flat.

Superb Season 1 / Terrible Season 2

[harrypalmer66 · 8/10 · 22 February 2013]

The first season of this classy French crime thriller was quite superb . Excellent story lines , first class acting and great cinematography. It all just felt so real with the dodgy cops trying desperately to keep one step ahead of everyone....crooks , internal affairs and fellow police officers.

Then came along Season 2 and everything changed . The story got quite unbelievable , the actors definitely looked as tho their hearts just weren't in it any more and the basic direction was very lacklustre. The soul had completely gone from Braquo . Its no surprise that the show has now been cancelled.

It started well but lost itself...

[jorge-b-dias · 7/10 · 13 December 2017]

I loved the first episodes of the the series. Set in Paris, it features a french police brigade.It has some nudity, violence and action with a French accent and flavour. Nice and refreshing since most shows are about the American or English reality. Unfortunately, the crudeness that was interesting and refreshing in the first episodes goes on and on. It is as if the plot is always the same, a group of hard policemen and women that fight crime not really caring about the law. They kill the villain. Then comes another.... So, murder after murder and law violation after law violation, the cops always get away with it. It gets unbelievable.... It should have lasted one or two seasons and give it a good finale as a prize. Some characters manage to disappear from season to season without much explanation, probably the actors weren't available...

The French Shield, not at all like the Wire.

[dmoringparris · 5/10 · 21 August 2013]

This series has nothing in common with the wire. The criminals are not central to the plot. There are no complicated drug cartels. The only continuous theme is the dysfunction of the police unit. They have gone so far over the line that it's hard to take anyone seriously. This show is somewhat entertaining but has no overarching theme or intrigue to make it stand out among other cop shows. For a french show to crossover into the American market it must bring a level of complexity that is simply not present in this show. French film makers have nailing this genre for years (Jaques Mesrine, The Prophet to name a few) and have much better to offer than this show. The French Wire it most certainly is not.

Gripping, Gritty, Addictive with Superb Acting and Unpredictable Plots

[emergence-88933 · 26 March 2017]

This series is definitely one of the best cops/crime series ever, whatever country. It was strange how I completely forgot there were subtitles, it was like a seamless cross-over to French which I do not speak.

Acting by all is superb, especially Jean-Claude Anglade the charismatic head of 4 cops who get the bad guys seemingly through any means possible including the illegal. Interesting shots of a mostly depressing Paris which matches the mood of the numerous high level and low life criminals. Shows complicity of French politics with corrupt cops. Several stories happening at once so tension remains high even when one case is resolved. Creative and unpredictable moves on part of the police and criminal. Not like white-bread formulaic American cops and crime shows.

I watched all four seasons, binge style. I was sad when it was over, can't think of a way to have another season. Too bad, back to the mostly futile search through the scads of crap shows on TV or internet (except of course the truly excellent like Breaking Bad, Please call Saul, Six feet Under, Sopranos.... Renewed hope in me that great drama is not dead.

No white teeth but tons of smoking cigarettes in a solid heavy police crime drama.

[wino-80050 · 9/10 · 21 August 2018]

French movies can be quite way more disturbing if you know what I mean: "Doberman" or "Truands" ("Crime Insiders"). And "Braquo" will not disappoint you - there is no political correctness, there are no white teeth and something that you may lack in US productions - many characters smoke cigarettes like people in real life. Detective's job can be quite dirty and you need to have solid comrades that you can relay on. That TV series will hit you with so much reallity and good twists. This is not to watch with family on Sunday afternoon. But you have been warned - start watching first episode and you will end up watching the last.

Best thing on TV for some time

[steve-sexton · 10/10 · 8 July 2014]

I missed the first 2 seasons, although I've since caught up thanks to Sky On Demand and I have to say that I've enjoyed this immensely. Of course it's full of huge improbabilities, but isn't that what TV drama is all about - it's not a documentary.

There are many similarities to The Shield in fact you can quite easily match the main characters: Eddy = Vic; Theo = Shane; Walter = Ronnie and Roxane = Lem. To me, it's the Shield with a European feel.

I liked Season 2 less than 1 and 3 and had thought that Season 3 was to be the last. However, having seen the final episode last night it seems clear that a 4th season is intended. Whether it materialises and when are different matters!

Shame they killed off Theo as he was the loose cannon of the team and I agree with the reviewer who lamented the loss of Valerie Borg.

I just realised something important about this TV show!

[Matti-Man · 9/10 · 20 June 2012]

*** CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS *** CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS *** CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS

I've just seen the final episode of Season 2 of BRAQUO and something just dawned on me ... but first:

Other reviewers have said a lot about the outstanding quality of this French TV show. None of them are wrong. This is about one of the best cop shows I've ever seen (and I'm including THE WIRE in that comparison). BRAQUO is unrelentingly tough, brutally bleak, and edge-of-your- seat thrilling. I've lost count of the number of times I've said, "Well, I did not see that coming." And the essence of a superlative thriller is that it should be full of surprises. BRAQUO does not disappoint.

Within the first few minutes, you'll completely forget you're reading sub-titles so gripping is the story in front of you. I'm hoping and praying that Hollywood won't attempt a remake and make a complete balls of it.

LAST WARNING -- BIG SPOILERS!

Anyway, here's what I just figured out:

Eddy and his team are The Fantastic Four! I'm convinced of it. And Olivier Marchal has got to be the biggest Marvel fan. It's clever and it's subtle but it's there. Eddy is Mr Fantastic, no question. Rox is Invisible Girl, obviously, Walter is The Thing and Theo is The Human Torch - literally, given the ending of S2, Ep 8.

You can extend it further and say that Roland is Dr Doom. And maybe Colonel Dantin and his guys are the Frightful Four - the darker flipside of Eddy's group - but I don't want to stretch the metaphor.

So - under no circumstances pass this by - it'll be the best 12 hours you ever spent watching TV.

Simply the best!

[bif-21647 · 10/10 · 5 December 2020]

The best crime/thriller I've seen. Wished there were more seasons.

Loved it

[brianlfc-02676 · 9/10 · 31 March 2020]

Brilliant cop show if you are a lover of the cop show genre as I am and again like me a massive fan of the shield then you will love this

Outstanding 1st season, then declining.

[maria-ricci-1983 · 7/10 · 15 November 2017]

I really liked and enjoyed Braquo's first season, a gritty, crude, climactic production with a very fine script and remarkable performances. It was a pleasure to watch.

The rest of the seasons were noticeable inferior to me, basically in terms of the storytelling and script-writing, while the performances and production remained equally good.

While the first was more subtle and rich with nuances, the remaining seasons were more "commercial" and a bit cheap to me, introducing too many unbelievable situations, cartoon-like characters and extremely violent scenes which were as unnecessary as excessive.

Even so, despite the slope down, it is a fine show which will delight dirty cops and gore lovers.

The Shield meets 24 in Season 1 - laughably bad in Season 2

[TonyCamonte84 · 6/10 · 28 October 2013]

The first season of 'Braquo' is an entertaining watch, a fast-paced cop action drama that keeps you from asking too many questions by piling on the thrills and twists in rapid succession. Its plot is reminiscent of 'The Shield' while the execution reminded me more of '24', though it does not quite have the quality of either show. Nonetheless, it's definitely entertaining and thrilling. A very solid 7/10 in my book.

The second season, however, is one to completely forget. It gets ridiculously hard to suspend your disbelief as the plot continues to dumb down and the characters get increasingly unbelievable. The complete 2nd season just feels beyond lacklustre, rushed and uninspired with plot holes bigger than all the dozen international criminal organisations featured in it combined. About a 3/10 at best.

Lastly, I have no idea where the comparisons to 'The Wire' come from. 'Braquo' is nothing like the masterpiece that 'The Wire' is, so don't get fooled by that misguided comparison.

4 morons pretend to be super cops

[keenast · 1/10 · 22 March 2015]

Yes, technically it's a well done show, good camera work, production value and all. On the level of character/story though it's very different. We have 4 'rogue' cops from Paris who out of unknown reason seem to be an 'elite' group of the French Police but really are just utterly clueless and super violent and brainless morons. Their grasp on vocabulary is covered with the words 'putting' and 'merde'.

What keeps them not getting fired on day 2 seems to be a French miracle. Their inner life is so empty one wonders if they aren't one of those new zombie robot squads. The 'reality' they depict is nonexistent.

And still those characters are essentially portrayed as 'heroes' - which is most annoying. I see this show a perfect fit for adolescents craving lots of beer and dreaming of one day also becoming member of this elite 'cops'.

In one word: awful. There's much better fare to be found in France, like Engrenage, Un Village Francais, or Les Revenants. Braquo is a colossal fail.

Simply the best television ever to come out of France

[tim-peck-15088 · 22 February 2017]

Personally I loved every minute of each season.

Gritty and yet, generally believable story lines brilliantly interpreted by each of the cast. Watching here in the UK, the subtitles really weren't necessary as each nuance of every scene was clearly revealed by the superb acting.

I'm going to miss it, but at the same time, I'm glad they didn't run it into the ground, as is the case with so many similar shows.

Au revoir mes amies.

Going through box-sets, you might find this interesting French cop drama

[joebloggscity · 6/10 · 11 December 2016]

Now, being in the situation where I need to fill out some time, I found this curiously interesting French cop drama series. Apparently it is derivative to The Shield, but as I've not seen that show, this was all new to me.

Series centres round the a close-knit team of policemen/women who end up using any means to both nail the crooks but also cover their own backsides. It covers police camaraderie, corruption, criminal fraternising, internal police politicking and double standards.

It ain't The Wire but it's clear that the first season tried to be a French version. From there on in, it seemed to lose its way and somehow became like '24' which was quite a leap. There was a return to form in some later series, but really after the first season it lost what it could have been.

Yet you will still continue to watch it all the way through. Why? Simply as the close-knit group of four police, really are excellent to watch. Led by 'Eddie Caplan' who seemed to get into the worst bother with anyone, the motley crue is one you truly empathise with. The acting is great, and the integration is wonderful.

If they had been at least accompanied by a better set of scriptwriters, then I'd be talking more highly of this show, but I can't. It ends up a disappointment despite the early high-notes.

Disappointed but still enjoyed it. I'll be keeping any eye out for the actors in future, and if you have time to burn I'd say this is worth your time.