L'instinct de mort (2008)

Director:

Jean-François Richet

Writers:

Jacques Mesrine (book)
Abdel Raouf Dafri (scenario)

Release Date:

22 October 2008 (Belgium)

Genre:

Action | Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

The story of french gangster Jacques Mesrine, before he was called Public Enemy N°1. |

Plot Keywords:

Mesrine | Gangster | Female Nudity | Torture | Prison Torture

Awards:

6 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Vincent Cassel	...	Jacques Mesrine
Cécile De France	...	Jeanne Schneider
Gérard Depardieu	...	Guido
Gilles Lellouche	...	Paul
Roy Dupuis	...	Jean-Paul Mercier
Elena Anaya	...	Sofia
Michel Duchaussoy	...	Pierre André Mesrine - le père de Jacques Mesrine
Myriam Boyer	...	La mère de Jacques Mesrine
Florence Thomassin	...	Sarah
Abdelhafid Metalsi	...	Ahmed - le proxénète
Gilbert Sicotte	...	Le milliardaire
Deano Clavet	...	Roger André
Mustapha Abourachid	...	Le harki
Ludivine Sagnier	...	Sylvie Jeanjacquot
Sofiane Benrazzak	...	Le Fellagah #1 (as Sophiane Benrezzak)

Also Known As:

Mesrine: Killer Instinct (UK) (USA)
Mesrine: L'instinct de mort (France) (poster title)
Mesrine: Part 1 - Death Instinct (International: English title)
Nemico pubblico n. 1 - L'istinto di morte (Italy)
Public Enemy Number One (Part 1) (International: English title)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

France | Canada | Italy

Language:

French | English | Arabic | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Australia:MA | Norway:15 | Germany:18 | Ireland:16 | France:U (with warning) | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R15+ | Denmark:15 | Austria:16 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Monument Valley, Utah, USA

Company:

La Petite Reine

Trivia:

Producer Thomas Langmann first contacted Vincent Cassel about the Mesrine project in 2001, after the release of Jacques Audiard's Sur mes lèvres (2001). Cassel initially accepted, but then bowed out as he found the script too "black and white". Benoît Magimel and 'Vincent Elbaz'convinced by new helmer 'Jean-Francois Richet' were then successively attached before Cassel returned' and especially Abdel Raouf Dafri's two-part script, claiming the screenwriter had succeeded in bringing the right tone to the picture and the character, bringing out all his darkness and paradoxes.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: As Jean-Paul waits on the platform of the Montreal metro, a "Stand clear of the doors" sticker can clearly be seen. These were only introduced in 2001.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Gangstars (2009) (TV)

A powerful thriller for an amazing true story !

We could argue for hours about the point that Richet is trying to make, is he simply celebrating and glamorizing the crazy life of Jacques Mesrine ? Is he trying to say something about the increasing presence of big brother in western countries (the patriot act in the US, cameras everywhere in the UK or the french debate about listings of people etc...)wish supposedly smothers us and would render the existence of men like Mesrine an impossibility? But in the end who cares ? The movie is an absolutely brilliant genre movie, with amazing actors at their best, an incredible recreation of seventies France, very realistic and visceral action scenes (all based on facts by the way !), and Richet's directing is very controlled, precise, you feel he knows what he wants, sort of the anti-Brett Ratner if you will, and the ambiance is spot on too. Time flew so fast when was watching the film, and now i just can't wait for the follow up which should arrive in 2009. truly great stuff !