Offering an extremely literal translation of the term “high-concept,” Daniel Roby’s apocalyptic thriller Just a Breath Away (Dans la brume) heads to the rooftops of Paris, following a family of three escaping a deadly gas cloud that’s overcome the city below.

Well-directed and marked by a few strong set pieces, the film nonetheless lacks compelling characters and complex situations, with a textbook approach to the genre that feels more like a low-key Hollywood copy than something specifically French. Released at home in early April, the €9.5 million ($12 million) production has performed modestly thus far and could see some theatrical...