Summary
Simon Atlan, a Jewish anti-narcotics cop, is teamed up with Karim Hamida, secret agent
for an Arab government. Tensions between the two men run high as they investigate
an international drugs ring operating in state schools. They agree to bury their
differences when they learn that a diplomat Ali Radjani is behind a terrorist network
based in an Islamic Cultural Centre. Karim manages to infiltrate the centre by posing
as a fundamentalist, and is shocked by what he discovers. His cover blown, he narrowly
escapes death by Simon’s timely intervention. Radjani swears revenge and, a short
while later, Simon’s wife is killed in a terrorist attack. Simon will let nothing
prevent him from avenging the death of his wife. Karim’s orders are to stop him
at any cost…
Review
Richard Berry joins forces with Patrick Bruel in this pacy action thriller from Alexandre
Arcady. It’s a pairing that works surprisingly well, Berry’s darker, more restrained
approach making an effective contrast with Bruel’s more dynamic, expressive style of acting.
Like many of Arcady’s thrillers, it is somewhat marred by an excess of violence, dire
sentimentality and some criminal misuse of slow-motion photography. However, the
film’s main plot, about fundamentalist terrorism, is relevant and handled surprisingly
well, if one overlooks the botched ending. The action scenes are also generally
well choreographed, although the director’s infantile bloodthirstiness is to be regretted.
© James Travers 2006
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© James Travers 2006
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Useful links
- Best French films of 2011
- Best French films of the 2000s
- Best of the French New Wave
- Best of French film comedy
- The best 100 French films
- The most successful French films
- Great French filmmakers
Related links
- The best French crime-thrillers
- Other French films of the 1980s
- The best French films of the 1980s
- Other French crime-thrillers
- Biography and films of Alexandre Arcady
To buy this film
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Credits
- Director: Alexandre Arcady
- Script: Pierre Aknine, Alexandre Arcady, Daniel Saint-Hamont
- Photo: Robert Alazraki
- Music: Jean-Jacques Goldman, Roland Romanelli
- Cast: Richard Berry (Karim Hamida), Patrick Bruel (Simon Atlan), Bruno Cremer (Joulin), Claude Brasseur (Col. Revers), Saïd Amadis (Ali Radjani), Corinne Dacla (Lisa Vernier), Marthe Villalonga (Blanche Atlan), Amidou (Le Kabyle), Hammou Graïa (Mouloud), Thierry Beccaro (Santoni), Michel Albertini (Azzedine), Constantin Alexandrov (Le capitaine), Jean-Claude de Goros (Colas), Christian Fella (Hocine), Lucien Layani (Uncle Jacob)
- Country: France
- Language: French
- Runtime: 122 min
- Aka: Brothers in Arms
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Crime / Drama / Thriller






