This typically quirky film from Jean-Pierre Jeunet involves a group of outcast oddballs who team up to take down to arms merchants. It is high in ingenuity but rather lower in audience connection.
Bazil, who lost his father in a landmine explosion and almost lost his life in a shooting, discovers the makers of the landmine and bullet are across the street from one another and persuades his friends to help him drive them out of business. This involves a series of wild exploits that play out like human Rube Goldberg machines.
The movie is at its best in an airport scene in which an intricate plan unfolds while Bazil, disguised as an airport worker, keeps accidentally guiding passengers around the airport. It's funny and clever but it also turns out to be the highlight of the film.
There are other ingenious moments, but in between the movie tends to flag. The oddball cast has a certain overall charm but no character, including Bazil, is that relatable. If every scene were as good as the airport one that probably would be fine, but downtime always reminds you that you're not that drawn into the characters.
There's also a flaw with the film's politics, which are rather half-baked. The movie is all about corrupt, underhanded arms dealing, but of course war is not fueled simply by greedy arms merchants but by governments and wannabe leaders who buy and use these weapons. To protest those that sell weapons while ignoring all the other components of war is hardly a protest. At most, it's a complaint that people who sell grenades and landmines should obey the laws.
If you're a fan of Jeunet you should take a look, but it's certainly one of his lesser films.
Bazil, who lost his father in a landmine explosion and almost lost his life in a shooting, discovers the makers of the landmine and bullet are across the street from one another and persuades his friends to help him drive them out of business. This involves a series of wild exploits that play out like human Rube Goldberg machines.
The movie is at its best in an airport scene in which an intricate plan unfolds while Bazil, disguised as an airport worker, keeps accidentally guiding passengers around the airport. It's funny and clever but it also turns out to be the highlight of the film.
There are other ingenious moments, but in between the movie tends to flag. The oddball cast has a certain overall charm but no character, including Bazil, is that relatable. If every scene were as good as the airport one that probably would be fine, but downtime always reminds you that you're not that drawn into the characters.
There's also a flaw with the film's politics, which are rather half-baked. The movie is all about corrupt, underhanded arms dealing, but of course war is not fueled simply by greedy arms merchants but by governments and wannabe leaders who buy and use these weapons. To protest those that sell weapons while ignoring all the other components of war is hardly a protest. At most, it's a complaint that people who sell grenades and landmines should obey the laws.
If you're a fan of Jeunet you should take a look, but it's certainly one of his lesser films.